Nunzio Otello Francesco Gioacchino

Nunzio Otello Francesco Gioacchino (c. 1792, Ottoman Empire – after 1828) was a soldier and servant during the Napoleonic Wars. Born to an Egyptian family in Ottoman Egypt, Otello was taken by French officials during their expedition to Egypt in 1798 under general Napoleon Bonaparte. Otello was a gift to Joachim Murat and became his servant when he was 6 years old.

In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte led an expedition to Egypt ordered by the Directorate of France. After successive defeats, hundreds of Mamelukes defected and joined the ranks of Napoleon. Napoleon would use these Mamelukes to officially create a Mameluke corps, the precursor to the Mamelukes of the Imperial Guard. On October 19, 1799, Jean-Baptiste Kléber proclaimed that every General of France would receive 10 Mamelukes, while every General of Brigade would receive 6 Mamelukes.

Similarly to Roustam Raza, Otello was one of these Mamelukes offered as a gift to French generals. Joachim Murat would eventually keep Otello as his personal servant. Otello at the Siege of Capri, 1808. Otello is tending to Murat's gray Arabian horse. During the Austerlitz Campaign, Otello accompanied Murat and served as Murat's servant and assistant. At the Battle of Austerlitz, Otello captured a Russian standard and presented it to Napoleon.

On July 15, 1808, Napoleon appointed Murat to be King of Naples. Otello traveled to Naples with Murat after their victories in Europe, and would become a celebrity and national icon. Otello was given a distinguishable Mameluke uniform, with bright red harem pants, and a golden embroidered green jacket. He was the spectacle of attention, accompanying Murat during public festivals, royal parades, and diplomatic travels. Otello would frequently stay behind with Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples, acting as servant to the estate of Capodimonte, the royal residence of the Murats in Naples.

Otello accompanied Murat during domestic campaigns as well. During the Capture of Capri, Otello tended to Murat's Arabian horse following the conclusion of the engagement. Joachim Murat and his staff at the Battle of Ostrava, 1812. Otello can be seen wearing a red and white outfit with a white turban alongside Murat's staff. The peak of Otello's military career came in 1812, when he accompanied Murat into Russia. During one morning stationed in Russia, Murat traveled with Otello and his coachman to survey the terrain for the day. Two Polish Cossacks, presumably patrolling the countryside, were spotted on the surrounding hills. After initially passing by, the Cossacks recognized the flamboyant uniform of Murat and began to rapidly charge towards the King. Murat, distracted and unaware of the situation, was nearly killed before Otello and the coachman called out for Murat to draw his sword. Otello swiftly rode to Murat's aid, in defense of the King. During the fight, Otello deflected an attack from one of the Cossacks' lance and cut off his right arm, right as he was ready to impale Murat, causing the other Cossack to flee. Victorious, Murat hailed Otello and the coachman as heroes.

In 1813, after Otello and Murat's return to Naples from Russia, Murat rewarded Otello greatly for his actions on campaign. He granted the Neapolitan cross to Otello, presented him with a royal estate of his own at Castellamare in the countryside of Naples, gifted him a royal carriage for transportation, and most importantly, officially granted Otello his freedom. Otello continued to serve Murat, and would often attend his royal banquets, becoming a national icon, loved and honored by the Neapolitan people. However, at the Battle of Tolentino, Otello was forced to flee with Murat to Naples, then finally to France to join Napoleon's forces for the Waterloo Campaign.

Initially separating from Murat in France, Otello found himself accompanied by other Mamelukes in the city of Marseille. These Mamelukes would be garrisoned there until the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Following Napoleon's defeat, the Second restored Bourbon monarchy orchestrated the Second White Terror, targeting those sympathetic to Napoleon and those who assisted his government during the Hundred Days. As part of these crackdowns, a Bourbon mob orchestrated reprisal attacks against the Mamelukes stationed in Marseille, killing 18. Otello was able to survive the massacre and escaped Marseille.

On the 25th of August, 1815, Otello fled to Corsica along Murat's entourage to the town of Bastia. Murat took on the title 'Count of Campo Mello', and resided in a relative's estate. After being discovered by the town who celebrated his arrival, Murat was forced to retreat to Vescovato for his own anonymity. Upon reaching his home, Otello encountered his father-in law, who was worried of detection and arrest.

Later life Schloss Frohsdorf in the Austrian countryside. Heavy renovations done after 1945 showcase design changes. Otello eventually accompanied Caroline Bonaparte after the death her husband, Joachim Murat. Although subject to suspicion by Neapolitan officials, many denied his involvement with Murat, and thanks to his high stature with the Neapolitan people, he was allowed to return to his estate in Castellamare. However, in 1817, Caroline purchased the Schloss Frohsdorf in Lower Austria for 400,000 groschen (around 10,000,000 euros today) under the pseudonym of 'Lipona,' an anagram for 'Napoli.' Caroline brought countless paintings, artifacts, and furniture with her from Naples, around 5 boatloads worth of decorations, along with her new husband, Francesco MacDonald. Otello accompanied Caroline to the estate, where he would live as the primary servant of the house until Caroline sold it to General Alexander Yermolov, a Russian veteran of the Napoleonic Wars in 1828. It is unknown what the fate of Otello was after this sale, as he did not accompany Caroline to America in 1830. In fact, many viewed Mamelukes negatively due to their public perception of embodying excessive violence, tyranny, and illicit sexuality during the Napoleonic Wars. However, following the romanticism of African soldiers with the Second French Empire under Napoleon III, Otello and various other Mamelukes such as Roustam Raza began to be portrayed in paintings, woodcuts, prints, and artwork. Mamelukes and the Kingdom of Naples would continue to receive attention in Italian audiences as Italian historians began to look to their past during Risorgimento, and began to study Joachim Murat specifically for his Rimini proclamation, the precursor to an official call towards Italian unification.