Joachim Murat, the brother-in-law of Napoleon, was the King of Naples from 1808 to 1815, and was renowned for his bravery on the battlefield. What more unusual skill was he also known for?
Answer: His dress sense. He often wore extravagant clothes and designed and created his own uniforms, a fact that led to his nickname of ‘the Dandy King.’ His fate, however, was to be charged with treason and executed by firing squad on May 19, 1815. Very brave to the end, he was also ever concerned about appearances. He called out to the firing squad: “Soldiers! Do your duty! Straight to the heart but spare the face. Fire!”
Source: 1812 – Napoleon’s Fatal March on Moscow by Adam Zamoyski; General Historical Texts
