After listening to the podcast episodes about Murat and the origins of the Peninsular War I keep wondering about the same question, so I thought I'd just ask it before it gives me headaches. Both episodes blamed to a high degree Murat personally for the beginning of the Spanish uprising, or at least for the unrest in Madrid that would later become such an important date for the Spanish and their nation.
What precisely is the reason for that? How should he have acted instead, was he too harsh (which he of course was from today's perspective) or was he not harsh enough (as he did not manage to completely suppress the unrest, as far as that was even possible at all (which I doubt). And in how far was this Murat's responsibility? Did Murat not do exactly what Napoleon wanted him to do? Napoleon's letters seem to indicate that Murat rather wanted to listen to public opinion, and that Napoleon put an end to that. Also, Napoleon seems to have been quite happy with Murat's initial reaction in general, he merely criticised that Murat had not occupied some strategic points in the city? In this case, isn't the blame on Napoleon rather than on Murat?
Apparently I’m not really making myself clear as to the content of my question; apologies for that. I’ll try again: My question refers to some remarks made in two podcast episodes about Murat’s behaviour in Madrid in April and May 1808. Those remarks were in particular about his attitude towards the (self-proclaimed) new king Ferdinand and to Godoy, and to his reaction to the uprisings on the second of May (and following days). Without wanting to spoil anything of the podcast, the remarks were to the effect that Murat’s actions in Madrid went to show how Murat was »not the brightest button in the box«, how he »lacked understanding how to get people on your side«, how he »screws up on an epic scale«, »lacks the ability to see things on a larger scale" etc. Some of this is echoed in this comment to another post, I think.
Which of course implies that Murat had the option to make his own decision and to act in a different way. And that’s precisely my question: What should Murat have done, and how was he to do it, considering Napoleon’s orders?