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134 - MURAT (JOACHIM). THE "SIEGE OF FORT CAPRI".
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Estimate €300 - €400
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Description
MURAT (JOACHIM). THE "SIEGE OF FORT CAPRI". Letter signed "Joachim Napoleon" as King of Naples, addressed to General Jacques-David-Martin Campredon, Chief of Engineers in his army. S.l., 6 October 1808. 1/3 p. in-4, address on spine, remnant of red wax armorial seal, postal mark "Le Roi"; small tear to address leaf due to opening without affecting text. "Order a colonel of the engineers to embark immediately for Capri, to be in charge of the siege of Fort Capri; send sappers with bags and tools and a few officers of the engineers; inform me in an hour that everything has left...". CAPRI TAKEN BACK FROM THE BRITISH. The island, a veritable natural fortress facing the Sorrento peninsula on the Gulf of Naples, had been controlled by the English under Colonel and future General Hudson Lowe since the departure of the Bourbon sovereign. Joachim Murat considered this enemy presence so close to his capital unacceptable, and ordered its conquest. General Lamarque effectively led the siege of the island from 4 October, capturing it on 17 October. This exploit was brilliantly recounted by Alexandre Dumas in 1842 in his book Le Speronare. LEADER OF THE NAPLES GENIE AND JOACHIM MURAT'S MINISTER OF WAR FOR A TIME, GENERAL JACQUES-DAVID-MARTIN CAMPREDON (1761-1837) had studied at the Mézières school at the end of the Ancien Régime. He served in Italy from 1796 to 1801, and again from 1805. Employed in Naples, where he was commander-in-chief of the engineers, he led the siege of Gaète and was appointed division general. He then moved to the Neapolitan army, still as chief engineer, while retaining command of the French army engineers stationed in Naples. In 1809, he was appointed Minister of War of the kingdom, and held this position until 1812, when he was recalled to French service: he then took part in the Russian campaign, led the siege of Riga and commanded the engineers at Danzig: he was wounded there and taken prisoner at the capitulation. He continued his career until 1831, when he was made a baron by Louis XVIII and a peer of France by Louis-Philippe I.
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About the sale The Empire at Fontainebleau - Second day
Auction location
Auction time 06/21/2026 at 10:30 AM
Pictures credits:
Michel Bury and Henri du Cray
See original version (French)
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