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Napoleonic Wars

Global conflicts from 1803 to 1815, featuring coalitions against Napoleon and French domination of Europe.

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Napoleonic Wars

Ruedi33a · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of global conflicts from 1803 to 1815 fought by European coalitions against Napoleon's French Empire.[1] British historians sometimes call the nearly continuous warfare from 1792 to 1815 the Great French War.[2]

19th century Napoleonic Prisoner of War graffiti, Crawick Glen, Sanquhar, Scotland
19th century Napoleonic Prisoner of War graffiti, Crawick Glen, Sanquhar, Scotland. Image: Rosser1954 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Life and work

Bonaparte returned to France from Egypt on 23 August 1799 and seized control of the government on 9 November in a bloodless coup.[3] Britain declared war on France in May 1803, ending the uneasy truce created by the Treaty of Amiens.[4] Napoleon issued the Berlin Decree on 21 November 1806, establishing the Continental System to close French-controlled territory to British trade.[5] Historians disagree on the precise transition point between the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars; one suggested starting date is 18 May 1803.[6]

Basel, Switzerland, Napoleonic Wars Medal of Francis II by P. J. Treu
Basel, Switzerland, Napoleonic Wars Medal of Francis II by P. J. Treu. Image: Berlin-George · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The invasion resulted in a catastrophe for France and almost completely destroyed Napoleon's Grande Armée.[7] In October 1813, at Leipzig, the Sixth Coalition achieved a victory over Napoleon.[7] In March 1814, Paris was taken by coalition forces; this compelled Napoleon to abdicate, after which he was sent into exile on Elba.[7] Having fled his exile during February 1815, Napoleon regained authority in France for a period lasting roughly one hundred days.[7]

Coalition wars
Coalition wars. Image: Ruedi33a · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the cited sources add

H. M. Scott's 1992 article in The Historical Journal discusses the concept of a Second Hundred Years' War from 1689 to 1815.[8][2] Zamoyski's 2018 biography "Napoleon" provides details on the Russian campaign and Napoleon's abdication.[9][7] The Encyclopedia of the War of 1812, published by ABC-CLIO in 2012, is cited regarding the start date of the Napoleonic Wars.[10][6]

Map of battles of Napoleonic wars
Map of battles of Napoleonic wars. Image: Иван Севастьянов · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Map of Napoleonic Wars
Map of Napoleonic Wars. Image: GualdimG · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Basel, Switzerland, Napoleonic Wars Medal of Francis II by P. J. Treu (better version)
Basel, Switzerland, Napoleonic Wars Medal of Francis II by P. J. Treu (better version). Image: Berlin-George · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars: Volume 2: Fighting the Napoleonic Wars", Cambridge University Press, 2023; "The Napoleonic Wars" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Scott, "Review: The Second 'Hundred Years War' 1689–1815", The Historical Journal, 1992, p. 443–469; Rapport 2013, p. 4 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Jones 1994, p. [https://archive.org/details/cambridgeillustr00jone_0/page/193 193–194] (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kagan 2007, p. 42–43 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Schroeder 1994, p. 307–310 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: McLynn 1998, p. 215; Spencer C. Tucker, "The Encyclopedia of the War of 1812", ABC-CLIO, 2012, p. 499 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Napoleonic Wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Zamoyski, "Napoleon: A Life", Basic Books, 2018, p. 480 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. H. M. Scott, "The Second ‘Hundred Years War’, 1689–1815", The Historical Journal (1992), doi:10.1017/s0018246x00025887. OpenAlex metadata CC0; paper not read. doi.org
  9. Open Library record, ISBN 9780465055937 ("Napoleon"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  10. Open Library record, ISBN 9781851099573 ("The encyclopedia of the War of 1812"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Napoleonic Wars (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Named in this entry

First French EmpireFrench RevolutionContinental EuropeAustrian EmpireRussian EmpireLisbonSpanish EmpirePortuguese Empire

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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