‘Let’s go then,’ said Massena, and then paused to glare at Napoleon. ‘With your permission, sire.’
‘Yes, yes, of course. Go.’
With the doctor gently guiding Massena by the arm, the two made their way towards the crest of the hillock. Berthier coughed. ‘Sire?’
‘Yes.What is it?’
‘Should I call an end to the shooting party?’
Napoleon turned to his chief of staff with a frown. ‘No. There’s nothing anyone else can do for Massena. Let the guests enjoy themselves. Except you, of course. You’ve done enough harm for one day. Return to the carriages and wait for the rest of us there.’
For a second it seemed as if Berthier would protest, but the warning glint in Napoleon’s eye challenged the chief of staff to defy him. He drew a sharp breath, clamped his mouth shut and bowed his head before turning to stride away. Napoleon watched him for a moment, and then turned back towards his hide and called out for another gun.
A week later, towards the middle of May, as the imperial party was preparing to return to Paris, a despatch arrived from Murat. There had been riots in Madrid and a mob had killed over two hundred French soldiers. Murat had responded by declaring martial law and ordering his troops on to the streets. Over two thousand Spaniards had been killed before order was restored. Napoleon lowered the report and stared at the staff officer who had brought it from Madrid.
‘Major Chabert, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, sire.’
‘Were you in Madrid at the time of the uprising that Marshal Murat tells me of ?’
‘Yes, sire.’
‘Well, then, explain the situation to me in your own words.’
Chabert swallowed nervously. ‘As you command, sire. I think the trouble began with some of our men.You know what they are like, sire. They have a bit of a drink, and then begin to help themselves.’
‘Which is why I insisted that strict discipline be maintained, and that our men be restricted to the suburbs of Madrid.’
A look of surprise flitted across Major Chabert’s face and Napoleon sighed bitterly. ‘I take it that Murat did
‘Well, no, sire. Many were billeted in the centre of the city.’
Napoleon closed his eyes briefly and winced. Once again Murat had failed to obey the express orders of the Emperor, and thousands of Spaniards and some soldiers had died as a result.Worse still, there would be a simmering atmosphere of resentment that would make it all the harder to ensure that the junta would call for Joseph to be the new King. Napoleon’s first instinct was to recall Murat, have him brought in front of his Emperor and berate him severely. But that would only undermine French authority in Spain even further; and besides, whatever his occasional faults, Murat was his brother-in-law and had served with him from the early days. Napoleon knew that he had no choice in the matter. Murat had set the course for relations between the French army and the Spanish people for the immediate future. Any sign of weakness now would endanger whatever influence France still had over its neighbour.With a sigh Napoleon opened his eyes again.
‘You are to return to Murat and tell him that he is to stamp on the slightest sign of rebellion. We will not tolerate disorder. He is also to apply pressure on the junta and impress upon them the importance of offering the crown to Joseph Bonaparte at the earliest possible opportunity. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sire.’
‘Very well. One last thing, Chabert.You are to tell Murat, from me, that in future I will expect him to carry out my orders to the letter and that if he fails me again I will replace him with someone more competent, which should not prove to be much of a challenge.’
Napoleon hoped that a show of ruthlessness now would intimidate the Spanish people enough to prevent any further displays of resistance to the French forces stationed there. But in the days that followed news reached him of popular uprisings spreading across Spain. There were riots in Salamanca, Valladolid and Ciudad Rodrigo. The mayors of Cadiz, Cartagena and Badajoz, who had welcomed French intervention, were all set upon by mobs and butchered. The city of Seville had risen in open revolt against the French occupation and the revolutionary junta there had even had the temerity to ask the British governor of Gibraltar for arms and money to support their rebellion.
In Madrid at least, Murat retained control by judicious use of force. While he tamed the common people he worked on persuading the members of the ruling junta to strengthen their ties with France.Those members who proved to be intractable were offered bribes and threats until they came round, and early in April the junta issued a proclamation, in the presence of Murat and a company of grenadiers, to offer the throne of the kingdom of Spain to Joseph Bonaparte.
Napoleon felt a surge of relief as he read of the proclamation. He immediately sent for his brother, who had returned to Paris from Bayonne with the imperial party, and had not yet set out to return to his kingdom in southern Italy.
As Joseph sat in the Emperor’s study in the Tuileries and read through the official invitation to ascend the Spanish throne, Napoleon paced up and down the length of the room. At length Joseph lowered the document.
‘Well?’ Napoleon crossed the study towards him and tapped the sheet of paper. ‘You see, they want you.’
‘In Madrid at least. I am not so sure that this sentiment is shared by the regional juntas.’
‘Pah!’ Napoleon waved his hand dismissively. ‘Once they learn that the Madrid junta has made this offer, and that you have accepted it, they will quieten down and follow the lead from the capital.’
‘I hope you are right,’ Joseph responded doubtfully.‘I have heard that much of the country is in open rebellion.’
