Murat Achille

Murat Achille (1845–1895), Prince Charles-Luis Napoleon Achille Murat, Flügel-Adjutant of Emperor Napoleon III, grandson of Joachim Murat, Marshal and brother-in-law of Napoleon I and ex-King of Naples. He was born in the USA, in Bordentown (New Jersey). His father was Lucien Murat (1803-1878); his mother was an American lady – Caroline Georgiana Frazer (1810 – 1879). After Achille graduated from the Military Institute, he was enlisted as a lieutenant in the French army. Initially, he was stationed in Algiers, where he lived together with his wife – Salome Dadiani. In Paris, Achille made the acquaintance with Salome Dadiani, daughter of Prince Davit Dadiani and Ekaterine Chavchavadze, and married her in 1868.

Until 1870 Achille stayed in Algiers. He and Salome arrived in Georgia and settled in Zugdidi, in one of the wooden cottages of the Dadiani housing estate. Achille was engaged in entrepreneur- ship, including wine making. He introduced several French sorts of vine to Samegrelo. At the same time, he cultivated famous local sort of wine Ojaleshi, which faced the danger of extinction. Achille used to produce excellent wines and successfully exported them to Eu- rope. He had good relations with local populace. He built roads, schools and hospitals in the Samegrelo province. He had a chancellery in Zugdidi, several business managers worked for him. Achille Murat regularly watched the developments in France, though he did not return to live there. He died in Zugdidi. In a sense, his death was cloaked in mystery. The official version ascribed his death to cerebral hemorrhage. However, rumor had it that he committed suicide.