Murat's star began to shine when his regiment was posted to Paris in 1795. That October a royalist mob formed to violently overthrow the government, and General Napoleon Bonaparte was appointed to lead the defense. Napoleon ordered Murat to retrieve the artillery guns from the Place de Sablons, but when Murat and his men rode for the guns they encountered a group of soldiers of the National Guard who were also trying to take the guns. Some of the National Guard's leadership had declared the government as invalid, and in response Murat threatened to cut them down if they took the guns. The guardsmen backed off and abandoned the guns to Murat and his men. Murat's men rushed the guns back to Napoleon, who was now armed with artillery whereas the mob had none, and Napoleon successfully dispersed the mob with a "whiff of grapeshot", thereby saving the government. From then on, Murat's career was tied to Napoleon's. He received a promotion to chef de brigade less than two weeks later, and when Napoleon was appointed the commander of the Army of Italy in 1796, Murat requested to go along and became an aide-de-camp to Napoleon.
On the Italian campaign of 1796, Murat proved he could lead cavalry well into battle. His first cavalry charge was at the Battle of Dego , and he fought the next week at Ceva and Mondovi . In May he was promoted to général de brigade and alongside Junot he was given the honor of taking captured enemy flags back to Paris. Back in action with the Army of Italy, Murat commanded the cavalry at Borghetto, traveled to Genoa and Livorno, seized the camp at Migliaretto, fought at Lavis, Bassano , and Céréa, and was wounded at Saint-Georges. In December of 1796 he was placed in charge of all the cavalry of General Rey's division and then later the advance guard, and he fought at Monte Baldo in January. In March Murat fought at Tagliamento and Gradisca, and then for the rest of 1797 he bounced between various units.
In January of 1798 Murat was named commander of a brigade of dragoons in Baraguey d'Hilliers division in the Army of England that would later become the Army of the Orient. Taking part in the expedition to Egypt, Murat and his men fought and participated in many of the major battles, including Alexandria, the Battle of the Pyramids , Salahieh, and at the Siege of Acre. By this time Murat had already cemented his reputation as the epitome of a cavalry officer, daring and full of style. He designed his own uniforms, colorful and sometimes gaudy, but always unique and eye catching.
In the summer of 1799, a Turkish force threatened the French and Napoleon gave Murat command of the advance guard for the Battle of Abukir. As the French exploited a gap in the Turkish lines, Murat saw an opportunity and galloped to the Turkish commander's tent, intent on taking the enemy commander prisoner. Leaping off his horse, he then strode into the commander's tent. As the Turkish commander thought he was about to be killed, he raised a pistol and fired at Murat, hitting him in the mouth. Murat, in a dramatic gesture, spit out the pieces of his flesh that were no longer attached to his cheek and slashed at the Turkish commander's hand, slicing off two fingers and disarming the commander of the pistol. Later that day Napoleon promoted Murat to général de division for his performance throughout the battle, and when Napoleon decided to leave Egypt and return to France, he included Murat as one of the select few to accompany him.
Once back in France, Murat assisted Napoleon's coup d'état in November and then in December he was appointed commander of the Consular Guard. The next month he married Napoleon's sister Caroline, becoming even more tied to Napoleon's future. When Napoleon led the Army of the Reserve over the Alps to battle the Austrians, Murat was given command of the cavalry. In this command Murat seized Verceil and won at Turbigo, then seized Plaisance and took part in the Battle of Marengo. Afterwards he received a sabre of honor for his conduct during the battle. Later that year Murat took command of a corps of troops that occupied Tuscany and drove the Neapolitans out of the Papal States, and then in 1801 he signed an armistice with the King of Naples.
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