Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat was Napoleon's cavalry commander and King of Naples, and was shot by a firing squad. Born in 1767 in the Lot, the son of an innkeeper, he was intended for the church and expelled from seminary, enlisting in a cavalry regiment instead. He came to Bonaparte's attention in Paris in October 1795, fetching the cannon that fired the whiff of grapeshot dispersing a royalist rising. He served in Italy and Egypt, and in 1799 supported the coup of 18 Brumaire with troops. He married Napoleon's sister Caroline in 1800. He was the finest cavalry leader of the age. He commanded the reserve cavalry at Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau — where a charge of some eleven thousand horsemen through the Russian centre saved the French army — and Friedland. His personal courage was extreme and his uniforms were extravagant to the point of absurdity, with plumes, gold lace and fur, which he wore deliberately so his men could see him. He was made Grand Duke of Berg and then, in 1808, King of Naples, where he abolished feudalism, introduced the Napoleonic code and put down brigandage. He commanded the cavalry in Russia in 1812, was left in charge of the retreating army when Napoleon went ahead to Paris, and abandoned it himself. In 1814 he negotiated with Austria to keep his throne, betraying Napoleon. In 1815 he changed back, declared for Italian independence, and was beaten at Tolentino. He landed in Calabria that October with a handful of men, was captured, and executed, giving the order to fire himself.
- Lived: 1767 CE – 1815 CE
- Nationality: French
- Roles: military_leader, cavalry_commander, king
