Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat was born on the 25th of March 1767 in La Bastide-Fortunière, a small village in southwestern France. His father Pierre Murat-Jordy worked as an innkeeper and postmaster while his mother Jeanne Loubières came from a local family. The couple intended for their son to enter the clergy and study at the seminary of the Lazarists in Toulouse. A cavalry regiment passed through the city in 1787 and changed everything. Murat ran away from the seminary and enlisted in the Chasseurs des Ardennes on the 23rd of February 1787. He later became known as the 12th Chasseurs after the unit was renamed. An affair forced him to resign from the army in 1789 and return home. He worked as a clerk for a haberdasher at Saint-Céré until he rejoined the military in 1790.
General Napoleon Bonaparte needed artillery during the autumn of 1795 when royalist forces rose against the government. Murat volunteered to gather cannons from the Camp des Sablons suburb outside Paris. He successfully transported these weapons to the center of the city while avoiding rioters. On the 5th of October 1795, Bonaparte used the captured guns to suppress the uprising with what historians call the whiff of grapeshot. This action saved the National Convention but did not earn immediate public credit for Murat. The young officer would later become Marshal of the Empire and Grand Duke of Berg. His role in this event marked his first major contribution to the French Revolution's survival. Napoleon remembered the deed even if official reports omitted it.
Napoleon appointed Murat as Marshal of the Empire on the 18th of May 1804. The title First Horseman of Europe reflected his exceptional skill with cavalry units. Murat led famous charges at battles including Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena, and Eylau between 1805 and 1807. During the Russian campaign of 1812, he distinguished himself at Smolensk and Borodino. Despite his riding prowess, Murat showed little concern for horse welfare during long marches. Napoleon created a massive force of 40,000 men and horses that suffered from hunger and exhaustion. Murat failed to provide caulkin shoes needed for icy roads during retreats. Polish cavalry officers and Caulaincourt knew about these logistical failures and adjusted their tactics accordingly. The lack of care for animals became a known problem within the Grande Armée.
Murat received the title of Grand Duke of Berg on the 15th of March 1806 after territorial concessions by Prussia. He held this position until the 1st of August 1808 when he became King of Naples. His rule required political maneuvering to maintain power while serving Napoleon's interests. The Congress of Vienna later sought to restore Ferdinand IV of the House of Bourbon to the Neapolitan throne. Britain supported this restoration effort particularly strongly. Murat switched sides multiple times as the balance of power shifted across Europe. He abandoned the Grande Armée after the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 to save his own throne. This decision demonstrated how personal survival often trumped loyalty to allies. His administrative challenges grew more difficult as European powers coordinated against him.
Napoleon abdicated on the 6th of April 1814 which triggered a series of military defeats for France. Murat switched sides again in an attempt to regain favor with Napoleon during his return from exile. On the 15th of March 1815, the Kingdom of Naples declared war on the Austrian Empire. An estimated 45,000 troops invaded the Papal States and Tuscany under Murat's command. Austrian forces numbered 94,000 but were widely distributed across northern Italy. Murat's eastern column reached Rimini on the 30th of March 1815 where they received hospitality from the Battaglini counts. He published the Rimini Proclamation in a final attempt to gain allies though it may have been backdated. The decisive defeat came at Tolentino on the 2nd and the 3rd of May when his forces collapsed.
Murat fled to Corsica after hearing about Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815. He attempted an impossible invasion of Calabria with only 200 men despite having commanded 80,000 previously. Napoleon later remarked that Murat tried to reconquer territory he failed to hold when he had full resources available. King Ferdinand IV of Naples captured him shortly after this failed operation. A trial for treason followed immediately upon his arrest. The court sentenced him to death by firing squad in Pizzo Calabro on the 13th of October 1815. His execution marked the end of a life that began as an innkeeper's son and ended as a fallen king. Four children survived him including Achille Charles Louis Napoléon Murat who died in Florida in 1847.
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Common questions
When was Joachim Murat born and where did he grow up?
Joachim Murat was born on the 25th of March 1767 in La Bastide-Fortunière, a small village in southwestern France. His father Pierre Murat-Jordy worked as an innkeeper and postmaster while his mother Jeanne Loubières came from a local family.
How did Joachim Murat begin his military career with Napoleon Bonaparte?
Joachim Murat volunteered to gather cannons from the Camp des Sablons suburb outside Paris during the autumn of 1795 when royalist forces rose against the government. He successfully transported these weapons to the center of the city while avoiding rioters on the 5th of October 1795 which allowed Napoleon to suppress the uprising.
What major titles did Joachim Murat receive between 1804 and 1808?
Napoleon appointed Joachim Murat as Marshal of the Empire on the 18th of May 1804 and later created him Grand Duke of Berg on the 15th of March 1806 after territorial concessions by Prussia. He held this position until the 1st of August 1808 when he became King of Naples following political maneuvering to maintain power.
Why did Joachim Murat switch sides multiple times during the Napoleonic Wars?
Joachim Murat switched sides multiple times as the balance of power shifted across Europe because personal survival often trumped loyalty to allies. He abandoned the Grande Armée after the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 to save his own throne and later attempted to regain favor with Napoleon during his return from exile.
When and how did Joachim Murat die after the Battle of Waterloo?
Joachim Murat was sentenced to death by firing squad in Pizzo Calabro on the 13th of October 1815 following a trial for treason. He had fled to Corsica after hearing about Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815 before attempting an impossible invasion of Calabria with only 200 men.