An innkeeper's son who became King of Naples and Napoleon's brother-in-law, he commanded the cavalry at Austerlitz before trying to reconquer his kingdom with two hundred and fifty men. Shot in Calabria in 1815, he gave the order to fire himself and asked that his face be spared. His Paris monument is empty.
The story
Joachim Murat was born on 25 March 1767 at La Bastide-Fortunière, an innkeeper's son. He enlisted in the cavalry, rose through every rank, and became by sheer nerve what his contemporaries called the first sabre in France.
In 1800 he married Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister. He commanded the cavalry at Austerlitz, at Jena, at Eylau — charges that made his legend and sometimes saved the day.
In 1808 he became King of Naples. The throne went to his head: in 1814 he betrayed Napoleon to keep it, then turned again in 1815 when the Empire came back. Both sides now held him for a traitor.
After Waterloo he attempted the impossible: to retake Naples by landing in Calabria with two hundred men. He was arrested, court-martialled in two hours, and shot at Pizzo on 13 October 1815. He is said to have given the order to fire himself, asking that his face be spared.
His body stayed in Calabria; Caroline Bonaparte lies in Florence. The monument in Division 39 is a cenotaph, where the inscriptions of the two branches of the family are set out in two columns.
The grave
This is not a grave: the body of the King of Naples stayed in Calabria, where he was shot. The monument in Division 39 bears a stele adorned with a stone bas-relief painted red, by an unknown hand — colour is rare at Père-Lachaise, and all the more striking on a cenotaph. The inscriptions are many and spread over two columns, separating the descendants of Joachim from those of Caroline Bonaparte. His wife, for her part, rests in Florence: the royal couple is buried in three cities and two countries.
On site, do not miss
The stone bas-relief painted red, and the two columns of inscriptions where the branches of the family part.
Visitors' questions
Where is Joachim Murat's monument?
In Division 39, chemin Masséna, first row, in the old part of the cemetery — the Division of Abbé Sicard, Cambacérès and Parmentier. But it is a cenotaph: the body is in Calabria.
Antoine ParmentierIs Murat's body at Père-Lachaise?
No: shot at Pizzo, in Calabria, on 13 October 1815, he remained there. His wife Caroline Bonaparte rests in Florence. The monument in Division 39 is a cenotaph, like those of Monge, Bugatti and Andranik.
Gaspard MongeHow did he die?
Shot. After Waterloo he tried to win back Naples by landing in Calabria with two hundred and fifty men; arrested, court-martialled in two hours, he was executed on 13 October 1815 and is said to have given the order to fire himself.
Marshal NeyHow did he become king?
Through his marriage to Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, in 1800: the Emperor gave him the throne of Naples in 1808. An innkeeper's son, a cavalryman nicknamed “le premier sabreur de France” — the finest swordsman in France — he had risen through every rank.
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