Joachim Murat - marshal and associate of Napoleon - a man of insane courage, ready to sacrifice himself to save his comrades, won the love and reverence of his subordinates. He was their idol. Napoleon, loving him, believed that he brought him success, and did everything he could for him. He said that this man was brave only at the sight of the enemy, and in the office he was a simple braggart and insane.
Childhood and youth
Joachim Murat (1767–1815) was born on March 25, 1767 in Gascony (France), the village of Labastide-Fortuniere (now Labastide-Murat) in the department of Lot. He was the youngest and latest child in the family. His father was, according to one version, an innkeeper, according to another, a groom for the princes of Tylerans, and in his dreams he saw the boy as a priest. He was sent to a seminary, from which he escaped, not feeling the desire to become a priest.
The young man was a real Gascon: desperate and hot, he loved horses very much. At the age of 20, he enters the passing equestrianjaeger regiment. But two years later he was dismissed from the army and returned to Labastide-Fortunier. At this time, one important event takes place that influenced the biography of Joachim Murat - the Great French Revolution. In 1791 he was reinstated in the army.
Already a year later he served his first officer rank of sub-lieutenant. In 1793 he became a captain. Soon he, hot, ardent, an ardent republican, is removed from command of the squadron. Left without work, in 1794 he went to Paris, where fate brings him together with General Bonaparte. This meeting changed his life dramatically.
Beginning of takeoff. Suppression of royalist rebellion
In October 1795, there was a revolt of royalists in Paris seeking to restore the monarchy. The government of the republic - the Directory - appoints Napoleon as the defender of his interests. There were no sufficient forces for this, and Bonaparte speaks with regret about the artillery located in Sablon, which cannot be transported through the rebel camp.
Murat takes up this case. It was necessary to hurry, as the royalists could take possession of the guns. Murat rushes like the wind, knocking down everyone and everything in its path. Breaking into the Sablon camp, the detachment overturned the rebels, who, not expecting an onslaught, quickly retreated. Having captured the guns, he delivered them to Napoleon, who dispersed the royalists with grapeshot.
It was this feat of Murat that marked the beginning of his rapid career. Murat's lack of military knowledge was compensated by courage and energy, and later by practice.
Rapprochement withNapoleon
Brave Murat did not go unnoticed. Already in 1796, he became Napoleon's adjutant, who was impressed by the courage of Colonel Murat and the love of the soldiers he commanded for him. His subordinates simply idolized him. They believed him and were selflessly devoted. Napoleon decided that fate itself favored him, sending Murat.
Italian hike
In the Italian campaign, Murat, having shown his courage, becomes a brigadier general. His bold and swift cavalry attacks on the Austrians always ended in victories, bringing rich trophies and prisoners. It seemed to Napoleon that luck itself was carrying him on horseback, pointing the way to victory. This was in the battles of Rivoli, Rovereto, San Giorgio and others. Over time, the mere name of Colonel Joachim Murat threw the enemy into confusion, and his swift onslaught put them to flight.
Egyptian expedition 1798-1801
The horse units of the French showed miracles of courage and superiority over the Mamluk units. This was facilitated by the discipline and training of the soldiers who had passed the Italian campaigns. During the conquest of Palestine by Napoleon, the Syrian army is formed, where Murat plays one of the important roles.
With only a thousand men under his command, the brave general crushed the camp of the Damascus Pasha and captured the city of Tiberias. He also repulsed the landing of the Turks near Abukir. In a personal battle with Mustafa Pasha and his Janissaries, he captured him, but was wounded in the lower part of the face, under the jaw. After that, together with Napoleon, he returned toFrance.
Participation in the coup of 1799
All the events that took place brought together two such different people as Napoleon and Murat so much that all decisions of the future emperor were made with the participation of the latter. Bonaparte trusted him so much that in all subsequent events the brave and devoted Joachim Murat was in the foreground. He played an important role in the coup that brought Napoleon to power, decisively supporting a wavering friend, instilled in him self-confidence.
He played a decisive role in the dispersal of the legislative assembly - the "Council of Five Hundred", when he entered the Council with a small detachment of grenadiers with rifles at the ready and drums. There was a muffled and continuous roar of drums. The grenadiers ran into the palace. The deputies, seeing Murat leading his soldiers as if into battle, rushed to run, realizing that he was ready for anything, not knowing that Napoleon had forbidden him to arrest or kill them. Bonaparte becomes first consul, intending to soon become emperor.
Murat's marriage
Besides military affairs, the two associates were connected by another important event concerning the Murat family. In 1800 he married Caroline Bonaparte, the sister of the future emperor. She was eighteen years old. Upon arrival in Paris, she fell in love with a brave general, who by that time was 30 years old. Joachim reciprocated.
Napoleon was against marriage, dreaming of marrying off his favorite to General Moreau. But Carolina insisted on her own, which she never regretted. After a longresistance brother agreed. The Murat family had four children: two sons and two daughters. In 1804, two more important events took place in Murat's life. He becomes the mayor of Paris and receives the title of Marshal of France.
Conquest of Europe
Dreaming of becoming emperor, Napoleon begins to conquer Europe. In 1805, Murat was appointed commander of the reserve cavalry of the Great Army. His task was to deliver directed strikes. Until this year, the main European adversary was Austria, which in September formed an alliance with Russia against Napoleon.
The first battles brought victory to the Austro-Russian alliance. Napoleon's Marshal Murat distinguished himself here too, capturing the only surviving bridge across the Danube River. The Austrians decided to blow it up. He personally convinced the commandant that a truce had been declared, and then with a sudden blow prevented them from carrying out the order. On this bridge, the French were able to cross to the left bank, blocking the path of the retreating army of Kutuzov.
But Murat allowed himself to be fooled in the same way by Kutuzov, who informed him of the truce. Stopped Murat began to double-check these data. This time was enough for the Russians to get out of the encirclement. This campaign ended with the victory of the Napoleonic troops over the allies in the battle of Austerlitz. Despite the defeat, Russia refused to sign peace with France.
Military campaigns 1806–1807
In 1806, the war with Russia and Prussia begins. Murat's cavalry became a participant in all major battles of military companies 1806–1807years. The Napoleonic army won one battle after another. Murat captured several fortresses. In the battle of Heilsberg, he fought with the Russian cavalry. General Lassalle saved him from death, after which Murat fought him off.
Commander-in-Chief in Spain
In 1808, he became the commander-in-chief of the French army in Spain, part of which, located behind the Pyrenees, did not submit to Napoleon. The emperor's troops faced a people's war for the first time. Murat distinguished himself in Spain by brutally suppressing the uprising in Madrid. In the same year, Napoleon makes his marshal King of Naples. True, his wife Caroline ruled the kingdom.
Military company in Russia
Napoleon, intending to fight the Russians on their territory, did not fully realize all the adventurism of this event. If the Pyrenean mountains and the people became an obstacle in Spain, then in Russia even greater trials awaited him. The victories in Europe, where the Russian armies acted as puppets in the struggle for foreign rulers and foreign lands, played a cruel joke on them. Their overconfidence led to their collapse.
Firstly, the values have changed, as the Russians had to fight for their land, for their home. Secondly, vast territories, where the distances between villages were more than a dozen kilometers. Thirdly, autumn thaw and Russian frost. The French before Russia fought in warm countries, so they had nothing to even compare with. And most importantly, Russian soldiers are not Austrians, Saxons, Bavarians, who fled only fromone type of Murat's cavalry.
The cavalrymen of Murat Joachim in the Russian campaign of 1812 amounted to 28 thousand, were in reserve and fought in the forefront. After crossing the Russian border, failure accompanied them in everything. So, immediately after the border, a battle took place near the village of Ostrovno. The corps of AI Osterman-Tolstoy and two French corps participated in it. The Russian infantry withstood the attacks of Murat's cavalrymen.
The Battle of Borodino showed the marshal from the best side. He was in the thick of the battle, leading the cavalry. He fought with the Russians on sabers, was surrounded and survived, thanks to the French infantry. Not hiding behind the backs of his subordinates, he managed to survive. The French army lost 40 generals killed here. Russian Cossacks loved Murat for his selfless bravery and courage. During a lull, he went out without fear alone to inspect the positions. The Russians greeted him, and General Miloradovich rode up to chat with him.
Escape
The occupation of Moscow did not bring much satisfaction to the French, Borodino was to blame. The battle did not bring the desired victory, although the French continue to consider Napoleon the winner today, but he himself could not say this with certainty. In the Battle of Tarutino, Murat's vanguard was completely defeated, the French army practically lost its cavalry. It was the beginning of the end.
Cunning Kutuzov forced the French to retreat along the old Smolensk road. There was no provisions and fodder, in December the first not very severe frosts began. The guerrillas constantly attacked detachments and convoys. It was clear that this was a disaster. On December 6, 1812, Napoleon abandons his troops, leaving Murat as commander in chief, and flees to France. Murat was not with the army for long, a month later, having transferred command to General de Beauharnais, he left for Naples without the permission of the emperor.
Leipzig. Battle of the Nations
Returning with detachments of recruits to the army, Napoleon won two victories (at Lützen and at Bautzen) over the Russian-Prussian troops. Murat was with him again. In Saxony, near Leipzig, a battle took place, which later became known as the “Battle of the Nations”. It was opposed by the army of Austria and Sweden, supported by the Sixth Coalition, which included Austria, Sweden, Russia, Prussia, Spain, Great Britain, Portugal. After the defeat of France, Murat returned to Naples.
Betrayal
Arriving in Naples, Murat entered into negotiations with the allies, trying to retain the rule of the kingdom. But the monarchs of Europe did not want to recognize him, considering him an impostor. After Napoleon's triumphant return to France, he again returned to him, but was not received by the emperor. He declared war on the Austrians, hoping to win over the people with the help of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe reunification of Italy. Gathered 80 thousand soldiers, but in the battle of Tolentino he was defeated by the Austrians.
After Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Murat again enters into negotiations with Austria, seeking to retain the Kingdom of Naples. The condition of the Austrians was his abdication from the throne, and he agrees. Austria granted him a passport and assigned him a place of residence in Bohemia, where his family was evacuated. He is by the seagoes to Corsica, where he is treated like a king.
The death of Murat
He again decides to regain the throne and, deploying a flotilla, goes to Sicily. But the storm scattered his ships, and on the remaining two he decides to head to Austria. Sailed to Kolabri, landed with 28 soldiers. With all the regalia, he appeared in Monte Leon, where he fell into the hands of the gendarmes. They found a proclamation with an appeal to the Italian people. The court was charged with organizing the uprising. He was sentenced to death. Murat only managed to send a letter to his family. On October 13, 1815, the sentence was carried out.
In exile on the island of St. Helena, Napoleon, recalling the events and associates, gave Murat an exhaustive description, recognizing that he loved Murat, just like he loved his emperor. He regretted that he had let him go from himself in the last days, since Murat was nobody without him. For his beloved emperor, he was an indispensable assistant and right hand.
