A random tidbit I figured I'd toss up here as I continue working my way through translating Murat's letters in Louise's memoirs. I first came across this little anecdote--an observation of Murat by Sergeant Adrien Bourgogne in the aftermath of the Battle of Borodino--paraphrased in a couple biographies of Murat, but this morning I found …
“I dare to beseech you, Madame…”
Louise Murat includes in her memoirs six letters written by her father between 1813 through his defection from Napoleon (the last letter in this series, from immediately after his treaty with Austria was signed, can be read here from Jean Tulard's biography of Murat). The following letter is the first in the series, addressed by …
“My Father… showed less firmness than the Queen”
Picking back up with Louise Murat's memoirs, we reach Murat's fateful decision to abandon Napoleon and ally himself to Austria. Louise makes a compelling argument in defense of her father's choice; she also contrasts her father's visible torment over the decision with her mother's stoicism. Source: Souvenirs d’enfance d’une fille de Joachim Murat, by Louise …
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“My heart is still the same”
After months of negotiating, stalling, and vacillating, Murat very reluctantly put his pen to a treaty with the Austrians in January of 1814, officially aligning himself with the enemies of his brother-in-law Napoleon. The decision caused him great torment. Julie Récamier, temporarily staying in Naples as a guest of the king and queen, describes a …
“Their farewells were full of sadness”
In this excerpt from Louise Murat's memoirs, we arrive at the final meeting between Napoleon and Murat, and Murat's fateful decision to join the Allies--a decision which Louise argues was made for the good of Murat's subjects, and very much against his own personal inclinations. But Louise doesn’t balk from assigning some blame for her …
“The public insult made to his honor”
Continuing on with Louise Murat's memoirs, we reach what not only Louise herself, but most historians likewise regard as the pivotal moment in the Murat/Napoleon relationship: the unhappy conclusion of the 1812 campaign. Louise points out that prior to this, the two men had always managed to overcome their previous differences upon being reunited again …
“The failure of his absurd enterprise”
We left off yesterday with Countess Potocka's rather unflattering description of Murat following his triumphant entry into Poland in November of 1806; today we will continue with the Countess's recollection of Murat's clumsy and, ultimately, unsuccessful attempt to arrange a liaison with her. This occurs shortly after the arrival of Napoleon and the beginning of …
“He had the majestic air of actors who are playing kings”
In the interest of ensuring this blog maintains an objective view of its subject, from time to time I intend to post primary accounts that recollect Murat in a negative manner; my goal is to be Murat's biographer, not his hagiographer. And Murat, it must be admitted, was definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Hortense, …
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“My Father did not always tread this path with prudence”
In this excerpt from Louise Murat's memoirs, Louise describes the political factionalism of the Neapolitan court, and its effects on the relationship of the King and Queen, each of whom served as a figurehead for one of the rival factions. Louise also discusses a major political mistake made by Joachim in 1811 which precipitated a …
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“A very cruel blow to the self-esteem of my Father”
In this excerpt from Louise Murat's memoirs, Louise continues to discuss the accumulating circumstances which eventually led to her father's defection from Napoleon, focusing now on the way in which the Emperor undermined King Joachim during his campaign against Sicily in 1810. If there can be said to be a pivotal moment in the deteriorating …
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