innkeeper, he was born in the village of La Bastide-For-
tunière, in the departement of Lot, France, on 25 March
- Although he studied theology and canon law at the
University of Toulouse, he decided instead for a career in
the military and entered the French army in February - In 1792, he was commissioned an officer, rising
to the rank of chef d’escandron (chief of squadron) in the
16th Chasseurs in October 1795, when he participated
in Napoleon’s suppression of the royalist-inspired insur-
rection of a mob in Paris (3–5 October 1795), known as
13th Vendémiaire. Napoleon was appointed general of
the interior, and in 1796, when he became commander
of the French army in Italy, he named Murat as his chief
aide-de-camp, with the rank of colonel.
In Italy, serving by Napoleon’s side, Murat saw ac-
tion at the battles of Mondovi (21 April 1796), Bor-
ghetto (30 May 1796), and Tagliamento (March 1797),
as well as at the siege of Mantua (24 August 1796–2
February 1797). Advanced to the rank of brigadier gen-
eral, he was dispatched by Napoleon to the Congress of
Rastadt to arrange a treaty with the Austrians. He then
went to serve in the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, see-
ing action at Alexandria (2 July 1798) and at the battle
of the Pyramids (21 July 1798). In 1799, Murat per-
sonally commanded the invasion of what is now Syria.
During the battle of Aboukir (25 July 1799), he siezed
the Pasha Mustapha and took him prisoner. Wounded
during this battle, he was promoted to the rank of major
general.
Murat accompanied Napoleon back to France,
where he was made a commander of the Consular
Guard. In January 1800, he married Caroline, Napo-
leon’s youngest sister. Sent back to Italy he took com-
mand of the cavalry wing, leading them against the
Austrians at Marengo (14 June 1800). A series of battles
then consolidated the French hold on Italy.
In 1804, Napoleon named Murat as governor of
Paris and later that year promoted him to rank of mar-
shal of France. In February 1805, Napoleon, by now
crowned as emperor of France, bestowed on Murat the
title of Prince Murat. Dispatched to fight Austria as the
head of the French cavalry, Murat was instrumental in
the capture of the city of Ulm (15–20 October 1805).
Although Napoleon had ordered him to move against
the Austrian and Russian armies that fled from Ulm
along the Danube, he instead marched triumphantly
into Vienna on 11 November 1805. Napoleon later rep-
rimanded him for this act of insubordination, writing
that Murat had acted “like a bewildered idiot, taking not
the least notice of my orders.” However, he let Murat,
a brilliant cavalry leader, remain in command. Murat
again proved his worth at Austerlitz (2 December 1805),
a battle in which more than 27,000 Austrians and Rus-
sians drowned as they fled across a near-frozen lake. Na-
poleon rewarded his service in this battle by granting
Murat the title of Grand-Duc de Berg et de Clèves.
When England and Prussia joined Austria and
Russia in the war against France, Murat’s cavalry helped
defeat the Prussians at Jena (14 October 1806) and at
Lübeck (6 November 1806), where, with the assistance
of Marshals Soult and bernadotte, he forced the ca-
pitulation of Field Marshal Gebard von blücher. At
Eylau (8 February 1807), Murat personally led a cav-
alry charge—“the charge of eighty squadrons”—into the
midst of the enemy ranks. In 1808, Napoleon named
Murat as the king of Naples, and for a time he left the
battlefield and worked for his new kingdom, imple-
menting civil reforms that eventually led to disagree-
ments with Napoleon.
In 1812, Napoleon set out to invade and Russia
and, once again he called on Murat to serve as his com-
mander of cavalry. Murat led French forces at Borodino
(7 September 1812) and avoided being routed at Tarou-
tino (18 October 1812). Napoleon had to retreat from
Moscow and left for Paris, placing Murat in control of
the French forces in Russia. However, Murat preferred
his role of king of Naples, and at Vilna he abandoned
his army, fleeing back to Naples in December 1812.
Napoleon never berated him for this, instead allowing
him to take command of the French armies in southern
Europe. However, after Murat suffered a horrible defeat
at Leipzig (16–19 October 1813), he again went back
to Naples.
In January 1814, without Napoleon’s approval,
Murat signed a peace treaty with Austria. When Napo-
leon was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena, and
the reinstated Bourbon family reclaimed the throne of
Naples, Murat tried to have his title recognized by the
victorious allies. When this recognition was refused, he
backed Napoleon’s flight from Elba and return to power.
As soon as Napoleon landed in France, Murat declared
war on Austria, moving his army into Rome and Bo-
logna, and issued a declaration calling for the unifica-
tion of Italy under his control. The Austrians, under the
command of General Wilhelm Neipperg, invaded Italy
and, on 3 May 1815, confronted Murat at Tolentino,muRAt, JoAchim