MURAT, JOACHIM (1767-1815), king of Naples, younger son of an innkeeper at La Bastide-Fortuniere (Lot), was born on March 25, 1767. He studied canon law at Toulouse, but enlisted in a cavalry regiment, from which he was dismissed in 1790 for insubordination. Through the good offices of J. B. Cavaignac, he was enrolled in the New Constitutional Guard of Louis XVI. In 1795 he met Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he assisted on the 13th Vendemiaire, and to whom he acted as first aide-de-camp in Italy. He distinguished himself in the campaign of 1796 and '97, became commandant at Rome in 1798 and in the same year accompanied Bonaparte to Egypt. At the battle of the Pyramids he led his first famous cavalry charge, and for his exploits in Syria was made general of division (Oct. 1799). Returning to France with Bonaparte, he led into the orangery of Saint Cloud the 6o grenadiers whose appearance broke up the Council of Five Hundred (18th Brumaire), and for his success was made com mandant of the consular guard. On Jan. 20, 1800, he married Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the first consul. He com manded the French cavalry at the battle of Marengo, was made governor of the Cisalpine Republic, and in 180i, he forced the Neapolitans to evacuate the Papal States and to accept the Treaty of Florence. As governor of Paris (1804) he appointed the corn mission by which the duc d'Enghien was tried and shot ; in May he was made marshal of the empire; in Feb. 1805 he was made grand admiral, with the title of prince, and invested with the grand eagle of the Legion of Honour. For his prowess as corn mander of the Grand Army in the German campaign of 1805, Napoleon made him grand duke of Berg and Cleves (March 15, 1806). He subsequently commanded the cavalry at Jena, Eylau and Friedland, and in 1808 was made general-in-chief of the French armies in Spain. Though disappointed of the throne of Spain, he was made king of Naples on Aug. 1, in succession to Joseph Bonaparte.
King Joachim Napoleon, as he styled himself, entered Naples in September, and soon after wrested Capri from the British. At Naples he set up a sumptuous court, created a new nobility, nominated marshals, swept away the last relics of the effete feudal system, and effectively suppressed brigandage. From the first his relations with Napoleon were strained. The emperor up braided him sarcastically for his "monkey tricks" (singeries); Murat ascribed to the deliberate of the French generals who served with him, and even to Napoleon, the failure of his attack on Sicily in 181o. A breach was averted by Napoleon's invitation to Murat to command the cavalry of the Grand Army in the Russian Campaign of 1812; but although Murat dis played his usual intrepidity in the disastrous retreat, his sus picions of Napoleon, and his wife, Caroline, led him to throw up his command and return to Naples in December. The battle of
Leipzig found him again at Napoleon's side, but on Oct. 16, Met ternich opened a separate negotiation with him, and feeling that on his acceptance of Austrian advances depended his chance of con tinuing a king, Murat agreed to withdraw his support from Napoleon if his throne were guaranteed by England and Austria. Having obtained the emperor's leave to return to Naples, he en tered that city on Nov. 4, and immediately made overtures to the allies through the Austrian envoy. On Jan. II, 1814, a treaty was signed by which Austria guaranteed to Murat the throne of Naples, and promised her good offices to secure the assent of the other Allies. Secret articles further stipulated that Austria would endeavour to secure the renunciation by Ferdinand of his rights to Naples, in return for an indemnity to hasten the conclusion of peace between Naples and Great Britain, and to augment the Neapolitan kingdom at the expense of the States of the Church.
Meanwhile Murat had formally broken with Napoleon and on Jan. 16, the French envoy left Naples. But he now became the cat's-paw of the Allies, who, with the exception of Austria, refused to recognize his title. At the opening of the Congress of Vienna, Talleyrand affected not to know "the man" who was referred to as "the King of Naples," and his attitude was representative of the other congressistes who wished for the restoration of the Bourbons. The tortuous diplomatic proceedings which ensued roused Murat's suspicions, and, breaking with Austria as he had formerly broken with Napoleon, he determined to secure his throne by proclaiming the cause of united Italy. Already popu lar with the Neapolitans, his chances of success were enhanced by the escape from Elba of Napoleon, with whom he had been corresponding, but as soon as he mobilized his troops, the Allies commissioned Austria to deal with him. Ferdinand IV. was to be restored to Naples, on promising a general amnesty and giving guarantees for a "reasonable" system of government. Meanwhile Murat's popularity in Naples had waned, and his troops were routed at Tolentino on May 2; Austrians advanced on Naples, Ferdinand IV. was restored, while Queen Caroline and her children were deported to Trieste.