Joachim Murats Descendants In The (Great War) World War 1

Joachim Murats descendants in the (Great War) World war 1

1. Louis Napoléon Achille Charles Murat (1872-1943)

A vivid figure from a family known for its colorful characters, Louis Napoléon Achille Charles Murat was the great-grandson of Joachim Murat, King of Naples. He began his military career in the French Army, serving from 1891 to 1903 and rising to the rank of lieutenant in the 9th Régiment de Cuirassiers (Heavy Cavalry) stationed in Noyon.

With maternal roots in Mingrelia (present-day Georgia), Murat’s path took a dramatic turn when he joined the Russian Imperial Army during the Russo-Japanese War. Following the Russian defeat, he remained in service, riding with the Kuban Cossack Regiment from 1905 to 1909, and later serving on the staff of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich until 1911.

At the outbreak of World War I, Murat was in Argentina. Upon learning of the war’s declaration, he returned to Russia and was assigned to several general staffs. By 1917, he was fighting as a colonel in the 12th Starodubovsk Dragoons. During the Russian Revolution, he joined the White Army, continuing to fight in the Carpathians.

After the civil war, Murat returned to France in 1921, where he made a modest living as a translator. In recognition of his service, he was named a Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honor in 1928. He proudly continued to claim his Russian decorations, including the Orders of Saint Vladimir and Saint George, adorned “with all possible swords and citations.”

He passed away in Nice on June 14, 1943,

2. Alexandre Murat (1889–1926)

Alexandre served as a French artillery officer and a direct descendant of the King of Naples. During World War I, he served as a battery commander and was cited for distinction in combat. His commendation praised him for “obtaining from his battery an excellent performance through the precision of fire which he always directed personally from the most exposed observation posts,” and for maintaining morale and discipline “through his calm demeanor and disregard for danger, even amid heavy losses.”

He was one of eight children of Prince Murat who served in the Great War. Among them, Louis Murat fell at the champ d’honneur (field of honor), and several others were wounded—a remarkable testament to the family’s deep involvement and sacrifice during the conflict.

3.Joachim, 6th Prince Murat (1885-1938)

Joachim began World War I as a cavalry lieutenant. He later commanded the Fort des Sartelles during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, where his exemplary conduct earned him the Croix de Guerre with three citations. Subsequently, he served as an interpreter at the General Headquarters of the Royal Flying Corps, based in Saint-Omer from August 1914 to November 1915. After the war, Murat was elected deputy for the Lot in the 1919 French legislative election and served in the Chamber of Deputies until 1929.

4.Prince Charles Murat (1892–1973):

Cavalryman in the Dardanelles Prince Charles Murat brought the legacy of the Napoleonic cavalry to the battlefields of World War I. Initially serving in the French Army, he was later assigned to the Moroccan Tirailleurs, colonial infantry units known for their fierce combat prowess.

During the Gallipoli campaign in the Dardanelles, Charles fought in brutal close-quarters combat and was wounded in the head. His courage under fire earned him one of France’s highest honors: he was named a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur for acts of bravery.

5. Prince Gérôme Murat (1898–1992)

Gérôme took part in numerous operations as a machine gunner with the Salmson, Squadron MF 1, making him an aviator of the Murat family. On February 25, 1918, after an aerial battle over the Vosges, his plane caught fire, forcing him to make an emergency landing. As a result of the incident, he had to have one of his legs amputated.

6. Prince Louis Murat (1896-1916)

A volunteer (registration number 2771/308 - Class 1916), he served as marshal of the houses with the 5th Regiment of Foot Cuirassiers. He went to the front on the night of the 17th to the 18th, in the area of the village of Lihons, on the Santerre plateau in the eastern part of the Somme department, during the Battle of the Somme. He was killed on August 21, 1916, just north of Lihons.