Joachim Murat: A Portrait In Letters

indeed resucitate those old post - only by discussing and sharing opinions - we can broaden our points of view and percetions, I find the military stuff very fascinating, but won't snub other non military aspects and to learn more about the personalities. So please visit the apporobriate thread and have your say, I certainly will read it and in case agree or disagree will give a feed back.

The quality of the presenters and the quality of the material on which they base their opinions leaves much to be desired. I warned you that the entire enterprise is overwhelmingly Brit-centric, not only to the detriment of the French bu also to the other major players in this period--the Prussians, Austrians, Russians. This arises, of course, because they lack prowess in foreign languages. And yes, as Hans-Karl suggested, visit the specific podcast threads. I'm lying in wait for the Marshal Monday to feature Jean-Boy before I unload, however.

Well, as to the lack of prowess in foreign languages, I'm very much in that position myself, as I had to realize, at least when it comes to listening. I'll have to listen to the episode once more so as to not completely embarrass myself by protesting vehemently against something I had merely misunderstood or misheard.

And a podcast on Lannes? Yes, please! If only to have you comment on it 😉.

I didn't know about Aglaé's suspected affairs - the most I knew about her was that she was good at amateur theatricals (but maybe that was a euphemism!). Michael Bruce was indeed the one who was involved with the escape of Lavalette. He also campaigned, along with Aglaé, for the release of Ney.

I did know that Aglaé was unhappy with her treatment at the royal court and that this in turn made Ney unhappy (I think he is supposed to have stormed into court and sworn at a bunch* of duchesses for their failure to treat his wife with due respect) however I didn't realise that Napoleon felt that this helped to influence Ney's decision to join the cause.

*Is there a collective noun for a group of duchesses? Perhaps a gaggle?

I've looked it up, Napoleon's comment on Aglaé is from the memoirs of Fleury de Chaboulon for the year 1815. The author claims to have had a lengthy interview with Napoleon.

Memoirs of the Private Life, Return, and Reign of Napoleon in 1815 - Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher, Pierre Alexandre Édouard baron Fleury de Chaboulon - Google Books

The French term for "affected cheature" is "une précieuse", btw. I am not sure if Fleury's account is very trustworthy though, so maybe take it with a grain of salt. I thought I had read a similar comment in one of the writings from Saint Helena but I could not find it and may have been mistaken. Napoleon's comments on Ney in general are rather unfriendly.

Hi Petra,

Thanks for looking it up. I didn't know about Fleury's account but it does seem in keeping with what I have read elsewhere (though that of course may have been based on Fleury - so who really knows?) Napoleon doesn't seem to have had a high opinion of Ney or his talents as a general - which makes you wonder why he kept putting him in command.

Thanks for your interest! I do not know about Sarah's attitude towards Ney (she seems dead set on Murat and still quite busy finding out more about him) but I'll let her know. As far as she's told me, she profited for these translations from some old books in French. I'm not sure if anything similar exists for Michel Ney, or if his correspondence is unpublished and buried somewheres in the archives of Paris.

Thanks Petra,

I think your friend's initiative in making Murat's correspondence available in English is excellent. It is one of those things I am surprised no one has done before. I wish her every success with it.

Oh, and don't feel you have to be a 'proper historian' to post here. I don't think you have to be. I'm certainly not one. I'm just here because I like playing with toy soldiers.

Have you made a post about that delightfully judgemental lady? I'd love to read more!

I fear I cannot help much with peripheral personalities, especially if they're British. I'm from Bavaria myself, so necessarily my first interest in the Napoleonic era was for Eugène de Beauharnais and his relations to the Bavarian royal family. And as Eugène never went to Spain (even if Castlereagh's brother apparently thought otherwise) and the Brits barely went anywhere else, there are very few British characters in his story.

However, I've recently re-read a French biography of marshal Soult, and that one definitely did meet some Brits 😁. I've just read the first impression of this marshal by future British historian William Napier (their meeting taking place in 1821).

Last but not least, I adore marshal Lannes ever since reading Maggie's book on him.

I wouldn't mind to read more on Eugène and being married into the Wittelsbacher, as Berthier was as well, must have had a pretty influence on him, he backed off when Boney returned from Elba.

It was, and it both supported and suffocated him. Though I am not sure he would have backed Napoleon's insane 100 Days' adventure in any case. He was not stupid, and he had had his own quarrels during the nerve-wracking days of spring 1814. When Napoleon left Elba, Eugène was at the Congress of Vienna and probably - like most people - could clearly see where things were going. As he wrote to his wife, he immediately decided to remain "neutre - archi-neutre!"

As to your interest, thanks a lot! I've started with another book presentation. But I'll try to put something together about Eugène and his Bavarian relations as well.