12.2.4

Military Success

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Napoleon’s Military Success

Napoleon is best known for his success as a military commander. He was a skilled commander, had an enormous army, and inspired loyalty and respect from his soldiers.

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Battle of Austerlitz

  • In 1805, Napoleon won a famous victory at the Battle of Austerlitz against France’s old rival, Austria.
  • Napoleon only had 67,000 troops against 86,000 Austrian and Russian troops.
  • However, it was a victory for Napoleon’s army, and his side suffered only a quarter the number of casualties of his opponents.
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Battle of Trafalgar

  • However, Napoleon did also face a military blow in 1805 when his attempt to invade Britain was thwarted in the Battle of Trafalgar.
  • Napoleon had been amassing a French and Spanish navy which he intended to use to defeat the British Royal Navy.
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Admiral Nelson

  • In October 1805 the British sent a fleet led by Admiral Nelson to the cape of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain, to fight the French and Spanish navy.
  • The British did not lose any ships and suffered less than 2000 casualties, whilst Napoleon’s fleet lost 22 ships and suffered nearly 6000 casualties.
  • Nelson was killed, but the British had ruined Napoleon’s plans for an invasion.
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The French Empire

  • Nonetheless, Napoleon’s army went on to defeat Prussia in 1806 and Russia in 1807, gaining more land and more power.
  • By 1809, Napoleon was Emperor of a huge French Empire which incorporated large parts of Europe.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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