The son of a chambermaid at Versailles, Philippe Rose grew up accustomed to the extravagant, eclectic demands of the nobility. From a very early age he ran errands to the marketplace for the royal family and their guests, procuring the rarest goods at the best prices.
One day, inspired to see the rest of France, Philippe left Versailles behind. *
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* Let's unpack that little word "inspired", shall we: The king himself had taken note of Philippe's mother's beauty, and, in return for housing their family, had taken to inspecting her room at four in the morning. His mother weathered the king's violent bedroom behavior with pride, telling young Philippe that if she gave birth their station in life would be raised. And, as luck would have it, she became pregnant. Philippe was overjoyed to see his mother so happy. Using the small stash of money he had secreted away, he ran to the market and bought toys for his future sibling. But happiness was fleeting. Philippe's mother died in childbirth and the king dumped her body into a pit with the other commoners. Rose was "inspired" to leave immediately.
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In 1789 war began. Turning his purchasing talents to the Jacobin cause, Philippe proved himself quite adept at procuring exotic armaments. He was later rumored to have sold Charlotte Corday the fatal weapon she used to stab Marat. After purchasing several weapons for Commissioner Barras himself, he was entreated to join the French military. He partnered with Napoleon at the Siege of Toulon, determining the locations of all nearby artillery and aiding with their requisition to complete the siege. **
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** Rose wasn't exactly a white knight, unless he was knighted by the Rockefellers. Terrorizing the garrisons, to secure their artillery, he turned a handsome profit for himself in the process. Sensing a fierce ruthless spirit, Napoleon recruited him for a special mission in Saint Denis, handsomely paid, no doubt.