Bernadotte - Ungrateful, not a traitor
The Marshal that everyone loves to hate is the focus of the latest monthly marshal instalment, as Rachael Stark returns to talk about the life, tempestuous character, and controversies of Marshal Bernadotte, King of Sweden.
Twitter: @zwhitehistory | @Bookish_Rachael
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/thenapoleonicist
So the Prince de Ponte Corvo - as hinted - was covered in the last episode. I see that my epic crusade about Auerstedt or Auerstaedt is failing abysmaly, even if such interested persons as Zack are still clinging to Auerstudt instead of Auersteadt - I fear that all my efforts to persue correct pronounciation is wasted. Of course it is very difficult to deal with the Prince de Ponte Corvo's illustrious life in one episode. I got interested in him, when he was as usual bashed again in diverse fora by Boney fawners -
Davout the Duc de Auerstaedt - prounounced Auerstead - like in instead down at Auerstedt / Auerstaedt. I was just rolling up the case at looking at the original orders given by Boney / Berthier and the response of the Prince de Ponte Corvo, starting with Foucart and finding other and missing orders in Girod de l'Ains biography and then starting an epic discussion in Markus Stein's forum - also in the old Napoleon org series, needless to say that I came to the conclusion that the Prince de Ponte Corvo was hardly to be blamed at all and that Boney and Berthier were ready to jump onto him and cover up their messy orders. The Prince then performed very ably in the persuit of the Prussian army, particular at Halle, but then again he came under attack by Boney / Berthier at Barby. In 1807 he showed a solid performance and in my view was only second to Lannes - but when he was wounded - he was more or less retired and only employed again in 1809 - to command the Saxons, what a fall in favour. In 1813 he did well as commander of the Nord Armee, or Northern Army, and despite harsh critics by the Prussian - his operational art of war enabled such victories as Groß Beeren and Dennewitz.
"Bernadotte was chosen by the Suedish officials [...]"
Actually, more like one over-zealous young official who pushed everbody else, at least from what I recall. Sweden only wanted some French guy in order to be in Napoleon's good graces. So, if Bernadotte had not been one of Napoleon's marshals, would they have been okay with him? Probably not.
And I can't help but think that once they were kings, they both had the same obligation to care for their subjects and to fight for their interests. It may have been a much harder decision for Murat due to his close relationship with Napoleon, and this might explain his wavering course from 1813 to 1815. (His correspondence with Eugène sometimes borders on ridiculous.) I know it's hard to understand for people who just see Napoleon as "Boney the ogre" but there were people who genuinely cared for him. Murat surely was one of those. But their relationship had soured ever since Murat had become king of Naples. Napoleon occasionally treated Murat pretty shamefully.