An archive of primary source material relating to Joachim Murat, Marshal of France and King of Naples
I've posted quite a few letters from Murat to his daughter Letitia here (see the letters list at the bottom of the Archive page); however, very letters still exist from Caroline Murat to any of her children (or at least, very few of them have been published anywhere). Below is one of Caroline's letters to …
Continue reading “The Emperor is excessively occupied with his future”
Mademoiselle Avrillion, who served as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Josephine, published her memoirs with the intention of “recounting with simplicity and in good faith what I have seen and heard during the more than twelve years I spent in the service of an excellent woman, who, in fatal circumstances, also had her own kind …
Continue reading “Deep down, the emperor did not like Prince Murat…”
Returning to the memoirs of General Belliard, Murat's close friend and chief of staff, we have a letter from Caroline Murat to Belliard, written on 20 October 1812, two days after her husband's defeat at the Battle of Tarutino. Caroline expresses her hope that the army will arrive in Moscow soon; Napoleon had just begun …
Continuing with excerpts from the memoirs of Madame Cavaignac. This part delves more into the events of 1811, which was possibly Murat's most difficult year on the throne of Naples, marking the lowest points not only in his relationship with Napoleon, but also with his wife Caroline. Madame Cavaignac, no fan of Caroline as illustrated …
Some more excerpts from the memoirs of Madame Cavaignac, with her views on the personalities of Joachim and Caroline Murat, and their quarrels and mutual infidelities in Naples. While her portrait of Murat is fairly balanced (and in my opinion, pretty astute, especially with her observations regarding his fear of Napoleon), Mme Cavaignac was clearly …
Marie Julie Olivier de Corancez Cavaignac was the wife of Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac, who, as an elected deputy of the Department of the Lot during the Revolution, was instrumental in Murat's re-entry into the army after an earlier dismissal. During Murat's reign in Naples, Cavaignac served in his ministry, where he was shown great favor by …
Part 7 of my translation of Albert Vandal's Le Roi et la Reine de Naples. Still in Paris in the aftermath of Napoleon's wedding to Marie-Louise, Caroline Murat continues to serve as an intermediary between her husband and the Emperor. New conflicts arise between the two men as Napoleon struggles to get his finances in …
As delighted as Murat initially was to be back in the field in 1812 after having been made to sit out during the 1809 campaign, it was not long before the rigors of the invasion of Russia, and his anxiety over the state of affairs in Naples, combined to set his mind towards returning home. …
Among the many things Murat inherited from Joseph Bonaparte upon replacing him as King of Naples in the summer of 1808 was the Order of the Two Sicilies, which Joseph had established in February. Generous by nature, Murat was soon enthusiastically doling out the decoration (pictured above, via eMedals) with reckless abandon. While some of …
Part 6 of my translation of Albert Vandal’s Le Roi et la Reine de Naples. While staying in Paris together for Napoleon's wedding to Marie-Louise, Murat and Caroline are reconciled after years of tension in their marriage. But in the aftermath of the imperial wedding, Murat and Napoleon have an explosive quarrel that marks a turning …
Continue reading “Her insinuating nature, adroitly dominating…”
Project Murat 