You must point the cannon where Napoleon told you - what do you do?

A perfumed Joachim Murat orders twelve former soldiers where to aim at his execution in Pizzo Calabro-what would you do when loyalty and fate collide? You must point the cannon where Napoleon told you - what do you do? In this episode, we follow Joachim Murat from innkeeper's son to king and back to a courtyard where he refuses a blindfold and gives orders at his own execution. The episode traces key choices, shifting identities, and the moments that forced him to become someone else-what makes a person keep going when every sign says stop? Person: Joachim Murat Date: 13 October 1815; born 25 March 1767 Location: Pizzo Calabro; La Bastide-Fortunière; Toulouse; Paris Event: Seizure of cannons at Camp des Sablons (5 October 1795) Topic: rise from innkeeper’s son to king; refusal of blindfold; orders to twelve soldiers - Born to Pierre Murat-Jordy in La Bastide-Fortunière and trained for the priesthood at the Lazarist seminary in Toulouse before leaving at nineteen - Enlisted in the Chasseurs des Ardennes (1787), resigned by 1789, worked as a draper’s assistant measuring fabric in Saint-Céré - Joined the National Guard in 1790, attended the Fête de la Fédération, and declared he would “rather die than stop being a patriot” - Rode through the night to seize artillery at Camp des Sablons and place cannons in Paris on 5 October 1795, a move crucial to quashing a royalist insurrection - At forty-eight in Pizzo Calabro, asked for cologne, refused a blindfold, and instructed twelve soldiers-men once under his command-exactly where to aim To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].