Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat (1767 – 1815) was Napoleon's cavalry commander, a Marshal of France and King of Naples from 1808 to 1815. Born the son of an innkeeper in Quercy, he made his name with his flamboyant uniforms and daring cavalry charges, and married Napoleon's youngest sister Caroline. After losing his kingdom in 1815 he landed at Pizzo in Calabria, was captured and shot.
| Lived | 1767 – 1815 |
|---|---|
| Active in | France (Quercy) · Italy · Egypt · Naples · Russia |
| Known for | Napoleon's cavalry marshal; King of Naples |
| Game start | 1796 · age 29 · Cavalry officer and aide-de-camp to Bonaparte (knightly rank) — The Horseman in the Plumed Hat |
Life at a glance
- 1767 Born on 25 March at La Bastide in Quercy (modern Labastide-Murat), son of an innkeeper.
- 1787 Leaves the seminary and joins a cavalry regiment.
- 1795 On 13 Vendémiaire, on Bonaparte's orders, he brings the guns from the camp at Sablons and plays a leading part in crushing the royalist rising.
- 1796 Becomes aide-de-camp to Bonaparte, now commander of the Army of Italy, and goes to Italy.
- 1799 In July his cavalry charge routs the Ottomans at Aboukir, and in November, in the coup of Brumaire, he drives the deputies out of the Orangerie at Saint-Cloud.
- 1800 Marries Bonaparte's youngest sister Caroline in January.
- 1805 A marshal since the previous year, he leads the cavalry at the Battle of Austerlitz, and the next year becomes Grand Duke of Berg.
- 1808 Crushes the Madrid rising of 2 May and in August becomes King of Naples.
- 1812 Commands the cavalry of the Grande Armée in the Russian campaign.
- 1815 Fighting Austria, he is beaten at Tolentino in May and loses his kingdom; in October he lands at Pizzo in Calabria, is captured and is shot on the 13th.
Family
The family members who appear with this character when you start the game. Years follow the historical record; where none survives, a ? is shown.
| Relation | Name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Pierre Murat | Dates unknown | Innkeeper of La Bastide |
| Mother | Jeanne Loubières | Dates unknown | |
| Wife | Caroline Bonaparte | 1782 – 1839 | Napoleon's youngest sister; married 1800 |
| Son | Achille | 1801 – 1847 | Later emigrated to Florida in the United States |
| Daughter | Letizia | 1802 – 1859 | Married the Marquis Pepoli |
| Son | Lucien | 1803 – 1878 | Later a senator of the French Second Empire |
| Daughter | Louise | 1805 – 1889 | Married Count Rasponi |
In the game
You begin in March 1796 in Nice as a cavalry officer of twenty-nine. Twenty-six-year-old Bonaparte has taken over the starving, bootless Army of Italy and has brought you, who dragged the guns to him on the night of Vendémiaire, as his aide-de-camp. You have no land or title, but a horse, a sword and the young general's trust, and back home your parents keep the inn. Later Bonaparte's sister Caroline comes into this life.
In the first event, “From Montenotte to Paris”, if you ride to Paris without rest carrying the captured colours, you win renown and promotion to brigadier. Accept the crown of Naples in 1808 and the Kingdom of Naples is yours to rule; from then on you must find a way to keep it between the emperor's letters and the envoys from Vienna.
In this scenario the eves of two turning points, “The Russian campaign” and “Waterloo”, come as Murat scenes. In real history the story passes Aboukir, Saint-Cloud, Austerlitz, Eylau, the Dos de Mayo, Naples, Moscow and Tolentino and ends at the castle wall of Pizzo in 1815; survive the crisis in Corsica and you live on as Count of Lipona and hear the news from St Helena in 1821. If the turning points change, other branches open, back to the Via Toledo in Naples and on to the Carbonari.
- Scenario guide The Horseman in the Plumed Hat
- Era guide Age of Revolution
- Related turning points What if Napoleon had won in Russia in 1812?, What if Napoleon had won at Waterloo?
Frequently asked questions
How did Murat become King of Naples?
In 1808, when Napoleon moved his brother Joseph to the throne of Spain, he gave the vacant throne of Naples to his brother-in-law Murat. Murat reigned as “Gioacchino Napoleone” and carried out reforms such as abolishing feudalism and introducing the law code.
How did Murat die?
After losing his kingdom in 1815 he hid in Corsica, and in October he landed at Pizzo in Calabria with a small force to win back his kingdom, but he was soon captured, court-martialled and shot on 13 October. His last words are said to have been “Spare my face, aim for my heart”.
Why did Murat abandon Napoleon?
In January 1814, as Napoleon's fortunes declined, he allied with Austria to keep the Kingdom of Naples. But in the Hundred Days of 1815 he sided with Napoleon again, fought Austria proclaiming Italian independence, and lost his kingdom after his defeat at Tolentino.
Sources
General histories of the Napoleonic Wars and of the Kingdom of Naples.