On 28 September, 1815, Murat made his fateful decision to reject the Austrian passports and offer of asylum brought to him by his former aide-de-camp, Francis Macirone, who had received them from Metternich; Murat was expected, under the designated terms, to abdicate and choose a name to live under as a private citizen (Caroline Murat …
Continue reading “Captivity and death are to me synonymous.”
The second part of General Belliard’s account of the events following his arrival in Naples in April 1815. Following Murat’s failed campaign against Austria, both the Austrians and English refuse to have any further dealings with him, and will negotiate terms only with his wife, Queen Caroline. Murat’s reign comes to an abrupt end; he …
General Augustin Daniel Belliard, Murat’s close friend and former chief of staff, recounts being sent by Napoleon to Naples to aid King Joachim as he finds himself now at war with his recent ally, Austria. (Part 1 of 2) Source: Mémoires du Comte Belliard, Vol I, 1842; pages 231-235. *** Named, by the Emperor, extraordinary …
Two letters from Caroline Murat, newly-crowned Queen of Naples; the first to her uncle, Cardinal Fesch; the second, to her sister-in-law/friend/rival Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland. Caroline has only recently arrived in Naples, and is not quite adjusted to her new home yet; her accommodations are dreadful, and she already feels forgotten by her …
Continuing with Murat-related extracts from the memoirs of Baron de Dedem, Dutch ambassador to the court of Naples. Dedem discusses Murat's 1810 expedition to conquer Sicily--the general perception of the populace (and Napoleon) that it would not succeed, and Murat's reaction to its ensuing failure (which Murat would blame at least partially on Napoleon). Source: Un …
Continue reading “Napoleon… had prepared the future defection”
In the aftermath of Murat's defeat at the battle of Tolentino, among those who accompanied him during his final months from Naples to France, Corsica, and ultimately to Pizzo, Calabria, was a valet by the name of Armand-Victor Blanchard. Armand left a brief but interesting account of Murat's final days, which can be found today …
In the last excerpt I posted from the memoirs of Dedem--who was no admirer of Murat--we see Dedem praise Murat for ruling in the interests of his subjects, for reforming and modernizing the Neapolitan administrative, financial, and judicial systems, and for instituting various public works projects. I've found some more excerpts that echo Dedem's sentiments …
Continue reading “The people perceived… the sad exchange they had made”
Continuing with another excerpt from the memoirs of Baron Dedem van den Gelder, ambassdor to Naples from the Kingdom of Holland. Dedem, who was very critical of Murat, here gives credit to Murat for the good he did as King of Naples; he also discusses Queen Caroline's contributions towards advancing female education, and her work …
A description of Murat at the battle of Borodino (7 September 1812), from the memoirs of General Louis-François Lejeune.
Apologies for the infrequent updates lately; I've been working on a side project involving Caroline Murat's 1810 letters to her husband, which may or may not turn into something bigger down the line. So here is one of those letters, written in the middle of Caroline's very long absence from Naples that lasted roughly nine …
Continue reading “This latest separation seems more unbearable…”
Project Murat 