Battle of Austerlitz - Wikipedia

1/15/22, 9:56 PM Battle of Austerlitz - Wikipedia
Coordinates: 49°8′N 16°46′E
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December
Battle of Austerlitz
1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also
known as the Battle of the Three Part of the War of the Third Coalition
Emperors, was one of the most
important and decisive engagements of
the Napoleonic Wars. In what is widely
regarded as the greatest victory achieved
by Napoleon, the Grande Armée of
France defeated a larger Russian and
Austrian army led by Emperor Alexander
I and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II.
The battle occurred near the town of
Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire
(modern-day Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Rapp Presenting Prince Repnin-Volkonsky, François Gérard
Republic). Austerlitz brought the War of Date 2 December 1805
the Third Coalition to a rapid end, with
the Treaty of Pressburg signed by the Location Austerlitz, Moravia, Austria
Austrians later in the month.[6] The battle 49°8′N 16°46′E
is often cited as a tactical masterpiece, in Result French victory
the same league as other historic
engagements like Cannae or Treaty of Pressburg
Gaugamela. [7][8] Effective end of the Third Coalition
Territorial
Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and
After eliminating an Austrian army
changes creation of the Confederation of the Rhine
during the Ulm Campaign, French forces
seized Vienna in November 1805. The Belligerents
Austrians avoided further conflict until
French Empire Russian Empire
the arrival of the Russians bolstered

Austrian Empire
Allied numbers. Napoleon sent his army
north in pursuit of the Allies, but then Commanders and leaders
ordered his forces to retreat so he could
feign a grave weakness. Desperate to lure Emperor Napoleon I Emperor Alexander I
the Allies into battle, Napoleon gave
every indication in the days preceding the Mar Jean Gen Mikhail Kutuzov
engagement that the French army was in Bernadotte Gen Pyotr Bagration
a pitiful state, even abandoning the
Mar Louis-Nicolas GrDuke Konstantin
dominant Pratzen Heights near
Davout
Austerlitz. He deployed the French army Nikolai Repnin-
below the Pratzen Heights and Mar Jean-de-Dieu Volkonsky (POW)
deliberately weakened his right flank, Soult
enticing the Allies to launch a major Mar Jean Lannes Francis II, Holy
assault there in the hopes of rolling up Roman Emperor
the whole French line. A forced march Mar Jean-Baptiste
from Vienna by Marshal Davout and his Bessières GenMaj Franz
III Corps plugged the gap left by Mar Joachim Murat Weyrother
Napoleon just in time. Meanwhile, the Jean Rapp
heavy Allied deployment against the
French right weakened the allied center Strength
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Austerlitz 1/18
on the Pratzen Heights, which was 65,000–75,000[1] 84,000–95,000[2]

viciously attacked by the IV Corps of
Casualties and losses
Marshal Soult. With the Allied center
demolished, the French swept through 1,288 killed
16,000 killed and wounded
both enemy flanks and sent the Allies 6,991 wounded[3]

20,000 captured[5]
fleeing chaotically, capturing thousands 573 captured[4]
of prisoners in the process.
The Allied disaster significantly shook the

faith of Emperor Francis in the British-
led war effort. France and Austria agreed
to an armistice immediately and the
Treaty of Pressburg followed shortly
after, on 26 December. Pressburg took
Austria out of both the war and the Location within Czech Republic
Coalition while reinforcing the earlier
Show map of Czech Republic
treaties of Campo Formio and of
Show map of Central Europe
Lunéville between the two powers. The
treaty confirmed the Austrian loss of Show all
lands in Italy and Bavaria to France, and
War of the Third Coalition:
in Germany to Napoleon's German allies. It also Austria

imposed an indemnity of 40 million francs on the
defeated Habsburgs and allowed the fleeing
Russian troops free passage through hostile
territories and back to their home soil. Critically,
victory at Austerlitz permitted the creation of the
Confederation of the Rhine, a collection of German
states intended as a buffer zone between France
and Central Europe. The Confederation rendered
the Holy Roman Empire virtually useless, so the
latter collapsed in 1806 after Francis abdicated the [Interactive fullscreen map]
imperial throne, keeping Francis I of Austria as his current battle

only official title. These achievements, however, Napoleon in command
did not establish a lasting peace on the continent. Napoleon not in command
Prussian worries about growing French influence
in Central Europe sparked the War of the Fourth
Coalition in 1806.
Contents
Prologue
Third Coalition
Forces
French Imperial army
Russian Imperial army
Austrian Imperial army
Preliminary moves
Battle
Battlefield
Allied plans and dispositions
French plans and dispositions
Battle begins
"One sharp blow and the war is over"
Endgame
Military and political results
Rewards
Popular culture
Historical views
Monuments and protection of the area
See also
Explanatory notes
Citations
General references
External links
Prologue
Europe had been in turmoil since the start of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1792.[9] In 1797,
after five years of war, the French Republic subdued the First Coalition, an alliance of Austria,
Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, and various Italian states.[10] A Second Coalition, led by Britain,
Austria and Russia, and including the Ottoman Empire, Portugal and Naples,[11] was formed in
1798, but by 1801, this too had been defeated, leaving Britain the only opponent of the new French
Consulate.[12] In March 1802, France and Britain agreed to end hostilities under the Treaty of
Amiens.[13]
But many problems persisted between the two sides, making implementation of the treaty
increasingly difficult.[14] The British government resented having to return the Cape Colony and
most of the Dutch West Indian islands to the Batavian Republic.[15][16] Napoleon was angry that
British troops had not evacuated the island of Malta.[17] The tense situation only worsened when
Napoleon sent an expeditionary force to crush the Haitian Revolution.[18][19] In May 1803, Britain
declared war on France.[20]
Third Coalition
In December 1804, an Anglo-Swedish agreement led to the creation of the Third Coalition.[21]
British Prime Minister William Pitt spent 1804 and 1805 in a flurry of diplomatic activity geared
towards forming a new coalition against France, and by April 1805, Britain and Russia had signed
an alliance.[22][a] Having been defeated twice in recent memory by France, and being keen on
revenge, Austria joined the coalition a few months later.[22]
Forces
French Imperial army
Before the formation of the Third Coalition, Napoleon had assembled an invasion force, called the
Armée d'Angleterre (Army of England) around six camps at Boulogne in Northern France. He
intended to use this force, amounting to 150,000 men,[24] to strike at England, and was so
confident of success that he had commemorative medals struck to celebrate the conquest of the
English.[25] Although they never invaded, Napoleon's troops received careful and invaluable
training for any possible military operation. Boredom among the troops occasionally set in,[26] but
Napoleon paid many visits and conducted lavish parades in order to boost morale.[27]
The men at Boulogne formed the core for what Napoleon would later call La Grande Armée.[28]
The army was organized into seven corps, which were large field units that contained 36 to 40
cannons each and were capable of independent action until other corps could come to the
rescue.[29] A single corps (properly situated in a strong defensive position) could survive at least a
day without support.[30] In addition to these forces, Napoleon created a cavalry reserve of 22,000
organized into two cuirassier divisions, four mounted dragoon divisions, one division of
dismounted dragoons and one of light cavalry, all supported by 24 artillery pieces.[29] By 1805, the
Grande Armée had grown to a force of 350,000 men,[31] who were well equipped, well trained,
and led by competent officers.[32]
Russian Imperial army
The Russian army in 1805 had many characteristics of Ancien Régime organization.[33] There was
no permanent formation above the regimental level,[34] and senior officers were mostly recruited
from aristocratic circles; commissions were generally given to the highest bidder, regardless of
competence.[35] The Russian infantry was considered one of the hardiest in Europe, however, and
there was fine Russian artillery, manned by trained professional soldiers, who regularly fought
hard to prevent their pieces from falling into enemy hands.[36]
Austrian Imperial army
Archduke Charles, brother of the Austrian Emperor, had started to reform the Austrian army in
1801 by taking away power from the Hofkriegsrat, the military-political council responsible for the
armed forces.[37] Charles was Austria's best field commander,[38] but he was unpopular at court
and lost much influence when, against his advice, Austria decided to go to war with France. Karl
Mack became the new main commander in Austria's army, instituting reforms on the eve of the
war that called for a regiment to be composed of four battalions of four companies, rather than
three battalions of six companies.[39]
Preliminary moves
In August 1805, Napoleon, Emperor of the
French since December the previous
year,[40] turned his sights from the English
Channel to the Rhine to deal with the new
Austrian and Russian threats.[41] On 25
September after a feverish march in great
secrecy,[42] 200,000 French troops began to
cross the Rhine[43] on a front of 260 km
(160 mi).[44][45] Mack had gathered the
greater part of the Austrian army at the
fortress of Ulm in Swabia.[46]
Napoleon swung his forces southward in a Napoleon takes the surrender of General Mack and the
wheeling movement that put the French at Austrian army at Ulm. Painting by Charles Thévenin.
the Austrian rear, while cavalry attacks were
launched through the Black Forest, keeping the Austrians at bay.[47] The Ulm Maneuver was well-
executed and on 20 October, 23,000 Austrian troops surrendered at Ulm, bringing the number of
Austrian prisoners of the campaign to 60,000.[45] Although this spectacular victory was soured by
the defeat of the Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar[48] the following day, French
success on land continued as Vienna fell in November. The French gained 100,000 muskets, 500
cannons, and intact bridges across the Danube.[49]
Russian delays prevented them from saving the Austrian armies; the Russians then withdrew to
the northeast, to await reinforcements and link up with surviving Austrian units.[50] Tsar
Alexander I appointed general Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov commander-in-chief of the combined
Russo-Austrian force.[51] On 9 September 1805, Kutuzov arrived at the battlefield, quickly
contacting Francis I of Austria and his courtiers to discuss strategy and logistics. Under pressure
from Kutuzov, the Austrians agreed to supply munitions and weapons in a timely manner. Kutuzov
also spotted shortcomings in the Austrian defense plan, which he called "very dogmatic." He
objected to Austrian annexation of the land recently under Napoleon's control, because this would
make the local people distrust the allied force.[52]
The French followed after Kutuzov, but soon found themselves in a difficult position. Prussian
intentions were unknown and could be hostile, the Russian and Austrian armies had converged,
and French lines of communication were extremely long, requiring strong garrisons to keep them
open. Napoleon realized that to capitalize on the success at Ulm, he had to force the Allies to battle
and defeat them.[53]
On the Russian side, Kutuzov also realized Napoleon needed to do battle; so instead of clinging to
the "suicidal" Austrian defense plan, Kutuzov decided to retreat. He ordered Pyotr Bagration to
contain the French at Vienna with 600 soldiers, and instructed Bagration to accept Murat's
ceasefire proposal so that the Allied Army could have more time to retreat. It was later discovered
that the proposal was false and had been used in order to launch a surprise attack on Vienna.
Nonetheless, Bagration was able to hold off the French assault for a time by negotiating an
armistice with Murat, thereby providing Kutuzov time to position himself with the Russian
rearguard near Hollabrunn.
Murat initially refrained from an attack, believing the entire Russian army stood before him.
Napoleon soon realized Murat's mistakes and ordered him to pursue quickly; but the allied army
had already retreated to Olmütz.[52] According to Kutuzov's plan, the Allies would retreat further
to the Carpathian region[54] and "at Galicia, I will bury the French."[52]
Napoleon did not stay still. The French Emperor decided to set a psychological trap in order to lure
the Allies out. Days before any fighting, Napoleon had been giving the impression that his army
was weak and that he desired a negotiated peace.[55] About 53,000 French troops—including
Soult, Lannes and Murat's forces—were assigned to take Austerlitz and the Olmütz road,
occupying the enemy's attention. The Allied forces, numbering about 89,000, seemed far superior
and would be tempted to attack the outnumbered French army. However, the Allies did not know
that Bernadotte, Mortier and Davout were already within the supported distance, and could be
called in by forced marches: Bernadotte from Iglau, and Mortier and Davout from Vienna which
would raise the French number to 75,000 troops.[56]
Napoleon's lure did not stop at that. On 25 November, General Savary was sent to the Allied
headquarters at Olmütz to deliver Napoleon's message expressing his desire to avoid a battle,
while secretly examining the Allied forces' situation. As expected, the overture was seen as a sign of
weakness. When Francis I offered an armistice on the 27th, Napoleon accepted enthusiastically.
On the same day, Napoleon ordered Soult to abandon both Austerlitz and the Pratzen Heights and,
while doing so, to create an impression of chaos during the retreat that would induce the enemy to
occupy the Heights.
The next day (28 November), the French Emperor requested a personal interview with Alexander I
and received a visit from the Tsar's most impetuous aide, Prince Peter Dolgorukov. The meeting
was another part of the trap, as Napoleon intentionally expressed anxiety and hesitation to his
opponents. Dolgorukov reported to the Tsar an additional indication of French weakness.[57]
The plan was successful. Many of the Allied officers, including the Tsar's aides and the Austrian
Chief of Staff Franz von Weyrother, strongly supported an immediate attack and appeared to sway
Tsar Alexander.[58] Kutuzov's plan to retreat further to the Carpathian region was rejected, and the
Allied forces soon fell into Napoleon's trap.
Battle
The battle began with the French army
outnumbered. Napoleon had some 72,000 men and
157 guns for the impending battle, with about 7,000
troops under Davout still far to the south in the
direction of Vienna.[59][60] The Allies had about
85,000 soldiers, seventy percent of them Russian,
and 318 guns.[59]
At first, Napoleon was not totally confident of

victory. In a letter written to Minister of Foreign
Affairs Talleyrand, Napoleon requested Talleyrand
not tell anyone about the upcoming battle because
he did not want to disturb Empress Joséphine.
According to Frederick C. Schneid, the French Napoleon with his troops on the eve of battle.
Emperor's chief worry was how he could explain to Painting by Louis-François, Baron Lejeune
Joséphine a French defeat.[61]
Battlefield
The battle took place about six miles (ten kilometers) southeast of the city of Brno, between that
city and Austerlitz (Czech: Slavkov u Brna) in what is now the Czech Republic. The northern part
of the battlefield was dominated by the 700-foot (210-meter) Santon Hill and the 880-foot (270-
meter) Zuran (Žuráň) Hill, both overlooking the vital Olomouc/Brno road, which was on an
east/west axis. To the west of these two hills was the village of Bellowitz (Bedřichovice), and
between them the Bosenitz (Roketnice) stream went south to link up with the Goldbach (Říčka)
stream, the latter flowing by the villages of Kobelnitz (Kobylnice), Sokolnitz (Sokolnice), and
Telnitz (Telnice).
The centrepiece of the entire area was the Pratzen (Prace) Heights, a gently sloping hill about 35 to
40 feet (10 to 12 meters) in height. An aide noted that Napoleon repeatedly told his marshals,
"Gentlemen, examine this ground carefully, it is going to be a battlefield; you will have a part to
play upon it."[62]
Allied plans and dispositions
The Allied council met on 1 December to discuss proposals for the battle. Most of the Allied
strategists had two fundamental ideas in mind: making contact with the enemy and securing the
southern flank that held the communication line to Vienna. Although the Tsar and his immediate
entourage pushed hard for a battle, Emperor Francis of Austria was more cautious and, as
mentioned, he was seconded by Kutuzov, the Commander-in-chief of the Russians and the Allied
troops.[63] The pressure to fight from the Russian nobles

and the Austrian commanders, however, was too strong,
and the Allies adopted the plan of the Austrian Chief-of-
Staff, Franz von Weyrother.[63] This called for a main
drive against the French right flank, which the Allies
noticed was lightly guarded, and diversionary attacks
against the French left. The Allies deployed most of their
troops into four columns that would attack the French
right. The Russian Imperial Guard was held in reserve
while Russian troops under Bagration guarded the Allied
right. The Russian Tsar rudely stripped Kutuzov of his
authority as Commander-in-Chief and gave it to Franz Allied (red) and French (blue) deployments
von Weyrother. In the battle, Kutuzov could only at 1800 hours on 1 December 1805
command the IV Corps of the Allied army, although he
was still the nominal commander because the Tsar was
afraid to take over in case his favoured plan failed.[52]
French plans and dispositions
Napoleon was hoping that the Allied forces would

attack, and to encourage them, he deliberately
weakened his right flank.[64] On 28 November
Napoleon met with his marshals at Imperial
Headquarters, who informed him of their qualms
about the forthcoming battle. He shrugged off their
suggestion of retreat.[65]
Napoleon's plan envisaged that the Allies would

throw many troops to envelop his right flank in
French cuirassiers taking position
order to cut the French communication line from
Vienna.[52] As a result, the Allies' centre and left
flank would be exposed and become vulnerable.[66] To encourage them to do so, Napoleon
abandoned the strategic position on the Pratzen Heights, faking the weakness of his forces and his
own caution.[65] Meanwhile, Napoleon's main force was to be concealed in a dead ground opposite
the Heights.[67] According to the plan, the French troops would attack and recapture the Pratzen
Heights, then from the Heights they would launch a decisive assault to the center of the Allied
army, cripple them, and encircle them from the rear.[52][66]
If the Russian force leaves the Pratzen Heights in order to go to the right side, they will
certainly be defeated.
— Napoleon
The massive thrust through the Allied centre was conducted by 16,000 troops of Soult's IV Corps.
IV Corps' position was cloaked by dense mist during the early stage of the battle; in fact, how long
the mist lasted was vital to Napoleon's plan: Soult's troops would become uncovered if the mist
dissipated too soon, but if it lingered too long, Napoleon would be unable to determine when the
Allied troops had evacuated Pratzen Heights, preventing him from timing his attack properly.[68]
Meanwhile, to support his weak right flank, Napoleon ordered Davout's III Corps to force march
all the way from Vienna and join General Legrand's men, who held the extreme southern flank that
would bear the heaviest part of the Allied attack. Davout's soldiers had 48 hours to march 110 km
(68 mi). Their arrival was crucial in determining the success of the French plan. Indeed, the
arrangement of Napoleon on the right flank was very risky as the French had only minimal troops
garrisoning there. However, Napoleon was able to use such a risky plan because Davout—the
commander of III Corps—was one of Napoleon's best marshals, because the right flank's position
was protected by a complicated system of streams and lakes,[52] and because the French had
already settled upon a secondary line of retreat through Brunn.[69] The Imperial Guard and
Bernadotte's I Corps were held in reserve while the V Corps under Lannes guarded the northern
sector of the battlefield, where the new communication line was located.[52]
By 1 December 1805, the French troops had been shifted in accordance with the Allied movement
southward, as Napoleon expected.[66]
Battle begins
The battle began at about 8 a.m. with the first allied lines attacking the village of Telnitz, which
was defended by the 3rd Line Regiment. This sector of the battlefield witnessed heavy fighting in
this early action as several ferocious Allied charges evicted the French from the town and forced
them onto the other side of the Goldbach. The first men of Davout's corps arrived at this time and
threw the Allies out of Telnitz before they too were attacked by hussars and re-abandoned the
town. Additional Allied attacks out of Telnitz were checked by French artillery.[70]
Allied columns started pouring against the French right, but

not at the desired speed, so the French were mostly
successful in curbing the attacks. Actually, the Allied
deployments were mistaken and poorly timed: cavalry
detachments under Liechtenstein on the Allied left flank
had to be placed in the right flank and in the process they
ran into, and slowed down, part of the second column of
infantry that was advancing towards the French right.[65] At
the time, the planners thought this slowing was disastrous,
but later on it helped the Allies. Meanwhile, the leading
Capture of a French regiment's eagle elements of the second column were attacking the village of
by the cavalry of the Russian guard, by Sokolnitz, which was defended by the 26th Light Regiment
Bogdan Willewalde (1884) and the Tirailleurs, French skirmishers. Initial Allied
assaults proved unsuccessful and General Langeron ordered
the bombardment of the village. This deadly barrage forced
the French out, and at about the same time, the third column attacked the castle of Sokolnitz. The
French, however, counterattacked and regained the village, only to be thrown out again. Conflict in
this area ended temporarily when Friant's division (part of III Corps) retook the village. Sokolnitz
was perhaps the most contested area in the battlefield and would change hands several times as
the day progressed.[71]
While the Allied troops attacked the French right flank, Kutuzov's IV Corps stopped at the Pratzen
Heights and stayed still. Just like Napoleon, Kutuzov realized the importance of Pratzen and
decided to protect the position. But the young Tsar did not, so he expelled the IV Corps from the
Heights. This act quickly pushed the Allied army into its grave.[52]
"One sharp blow and the war is over"
At about 8:45 a.m., satisfied at the weakness in the enemy centre, Napoleon asked Soult how long
it would take for his men to reach the Pratzen Heights, to which the Marshal replied, "Less than
twenty minutes, sire." About 15 minutes later, Napoleon ordered the attack, adding, "One sharp
blow and the war is over."[72]
A dense fog helped to cloud the advance of St.

Hilaire's French division, but as they went up the
slope the legendary 'Sun of Austerlitz' ripped the
mist apart and encouraged them forward.[71]
Russian soldiers and commanders on top of the
heights were stunned to see so many French troops
coming towards them.[73] Allied commanders
moved some of the delayed detachments of the
fourth column into this bitter struggle. Over an
hour of fighting destroyed much of this unit. The
other men from the second column, mostly
inexperienced Austrians, also participated in the The decisive attacks on the Allied center by St.
struggle and swung the numbers against one of the Hilaire and Vandamme split the Allied army in two
and left the French in a golden tactical position to
best fighting forces in the French army, eventually
win the battle.
forcing them to withdraw down the slopes.
However, gripped by desperation, St. Hilaire's men
struck hard once more and bayoneted the Allies out
of the heights. To the north, General Vandamme's division attacked an area called Staré Vinohrady
("Old Vineyards") and, through talented skirmishing and deadly volleys, broke several Allied
battalions.[74]
The battle had firmly turned in France's favour, but it was far from over. Napoleon ordered
Bernadotte's I Corps to support Vandamme's left and moved his own command center from Žuráň
Hill to St. Anthony's Chapel on the Pratzen Heights. The difficult position of the Allies was
confirmed by the decision to send in the Russian Imperial Guard; Grand Duke Constantine, Tsar
Alexander's brother, commanded the Guard and counterattacked in Vandamme's section of the
field, forcing a bloody effort and the only loss of a French standard in the battle (a battalion of the
4th Line Regiment was defeated). Sensing trouble, Napoleon ordered his own heavy Guard cavalry
forward. These men pulverized their Russian counterparts, but with both sides pouring in large
masses of cavalry, no victory was clear.
The Russians had a numerical advantage but soon the tide swung as Drouet's Division, the 2nd of
Bernadotte's I Corps, deployed on the flank of the action and allowed French cavalry to seek refuge
behind their lines. The horse artillery of the Guard also inflicted heavy casualties on the Russian
cavalry and fusiliers. The Russians broke and many died as they were pursued by the reinvigorated
French cavalry for about a quarter of a mile.[75] The casualties of the Russians in Pratzen included
Kutuzov, who was severely wounded, and his son-in-law Ferdinand von Tiesenhausen who was
killed.[52]
Endgame
I was... under fierce and continuous canister fire... Many soldiers, now incessantly
engaged in battle from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., had no cartridges left. I could do nothing but
retreat...
— Lieutenant General Przhebishevsky[76]
Meanwhile, the northernmost part of the battlefield was also witnessing heavy fighting. Prince
Liechtenstein's heavy cavalry began to assault Kellerman's lighter cavalry forces after eventually
arriving at the correct position in the field. The fighting initially went well for the French, but
Kellerman's forces took cover behind General Caffarelli's infantry division once it became clear
Russian numbers were too great. Caffarelli's men halted

the Russian assaults and permitted Murat to send two
cuirassier divisions (one commanded by d'Hautpoul and
the other one by Nansouty) into the fray to finish off the
Russian cavalry for good. The ensuing mêlée was bitter
and long, but the French ultimately prevailed. Lannes
then led his V Corps against Bagration's men and after
hard fighting managed to drive the skilled Russian
commander off the field. He wanted to pursue, but
Murat, who was in control of this sector in the battlefield,
was against the idea.[77]
By 1400 hours, the Allied army had been
Napoleon's focus now shifted towards the southern end dangerously separated. Napoleon now had
of the battlefield where the French and the Allies were the option to strike at one of the wings, and
still fighting over Sokolnitz and Telnitz. In an effective he chose the Allied left since other enemy
double-pronged assault, St. Hilaire's division and part of sectors had already been cleared or were
Davout's III Corps smashed through the enemy at conducting fighting retreats.
Sokolnitz, which persuaded the commanders of the first
two columns, Generals Kienmayer and Langeron, to flee
as fast as they could. Buxhowden, the commander of the Allied left and the man responsible for
leading the attack, was completely drunk and fled as well. Kienmayer covered his withdrawal with
the O'Reilly light cavalry, who managed to defeat five of six French cavalry regiments before they
too had to retreat.[77]
General panic now seized the Allied army and it abandoned the field in all possible directions. A
famous episode occurred during this retreat: Russian forces that had been defeated by the French
right withdrew south towards Vienna via the Satschan frozen ponds. French artillery pounded
towards the men, and the ice was broken due to the bombardment. The men drowned in the cold
ponds, dozens of Russian artillery pieces going down with them. Estimates of how many guns were
captured differ: there may have been as few as 38 or more than 100. Sources also differ about
casualties, with figures ranging between 200 and 2,000 dead.[78] Many drowning Russians were
saved by their victorious foes.[4] However, local evidence, only later made public, suggests that
Napoleon's account of the catastrophe may have been totally exaggerated; on his instructions the
lakes were drained a few days after the battle and the corpses of only two or three men, with some
150 horses, were found. However, Tsar Alexander I confirmed the incident after the wars.[79]
Military and political results

Allied casualties stood at about 36,000 out of an army of 89,000, which represented about 38% of
their effective forces. The French lost around 9,000 out of an army of 66,000, or about 13% of
their forces. The Allies also lost some 180 guns and about 50 standards. The great victory was met
by sheer amazement and delirium in Paris, where just days earlier the nation had been teetering
on the brink of financial collapse. Napoleon wrote to Josephine, "I have beaten the Austro-Russian
army commanded by the two emperors. I am a little weary....I embrace you."[80] Napoleon's
comments in this letter led to the battle's other famous designation, "Battle of the Three
Emperors." However, Emperor Francis of Austria was not present at the battlefield. Tsar
Alexander perhaps best summed up the harsh times for the Allies by stating, "We are babies in the
hands of a giant."[81] After hearing the news of Austerlitz, British Prime Minister William Pitt
referred to a map of Europe, "Roll up that map; it will not be wanted these ten years."[82]
France and Austria signed a truce on 4 December and the Treaty of Pressburg 22 days later took
the latter out of the war. Austria agreed to recognize French territory captured by the treaties of
Campo Formio (1797) and Lunéville (1801), cede land to Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden, which
were Napoleon's German allies, pay 40 million francs in war indemnities and cede Venice to the
Kingdom of Italy. It was a harsh end for Austria but certainly not a catastrophic peace. The
Russian army was allowed to withdraw to home territory and the French ensconced themselves in
Southern Germany. The Holy Roman Empire was extinguished, 1806 being seen as its final year.
Napoleon created the Confederation of the Rhine, a string of German states meant to serve as a
buffer between France and Prussia. Prussia saw these and other moves as an affront to its status as
the main power of Central Europe and it went to war with France in 1806.
Rewards
Napoleon's words to his troops after the battle were full of praise: Soldats! Je suis content de vous
(English: Soldiers! I am pleased with you).[83] The Emperor provided two million golden francs to
the higher officers and 200 francs to each soldier, with large pensions for the widows of the fallen.
Orphaned children were adopted by Napoleon personally and were allowed to add "Napoleon" to
their baptismal and family names.[84] This battle is one of four for which Napoleon never awarded
a victory title, the others being Marengo, Jena, and Friedland.[85]
Popular culture
Artists and musicians on the side of France and her conquests
expressed their sentiment in populist and elite art of the time.
Prussian music critic E. T. A. Hoffmann, in his famous review
of Beethoven's 5th Symphony,
The Battle of Austerlitz, 2 December

singles out for special abuse a certain Bataille des
1805 by Joseph Swebach-
trois Empereurs, a French battle symphony by
Desfontaines
Louis Jadin celebrating Napoleon's victory at
Austerlitz.[86]
Leo Tolstoy memorably dramatized the battle as the conclusion of Book 3 and Volume 1 of War
and Peace, making it a crucial moment in the lives of both Andrei Bolkonsky, who is badly
wounded, and of Nikolai Rostov.[87]: 118, 152–169
Archibald Alison in his History of Europe (1836) offers the first recorded telling of the apocryphal
story that when the Allies descended the Pratzen Heights to attack Napoleon's supposedly weak
flank,
The marshals who surrounded Napoleon saw the advantage, and eagerly besought him
to give the signal for action; but he restrained their ardour ... "when the enemy is
making a false movement we must take good care not to interrupt him."[88]
In subsequent accounts, this Napoleonic quote would go through various changes until it became:
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."[89]
In his poem "Grass", Carl Sandburg refers to the battle in the line, "Pile the bodies high at
Austerlitz and Waterloo".
Historical views
Napoleon did not succeed in defeating the Allied army as

thoroughly as he wanted,[85] but historians and enthusiasts
alike recognize that the original plan provided a significant
victory, comparable to other great tactical battles such as
Cannae.[90] Some historians suggest that Napoleon was so
successful at Austerlitz that he lost touch with reality, and what
used to be French foreign policy became a "personal
Napoleonic one" after the battle.[91] In French history,
Austerlitz is acknowledged as an impressive military victory,
and in the 19th century, when fascination with the First Napoleon and Francis II after the
Empire was at its height, the battle was revered by the likes of Battle of Austerlitz
Victor Hugo, who "in the depth of [his] thoughts" was hearing
the "noise of the heavy cannon rolling towards Austerlitz."[92]
In the 2005 bicentennial, however, controversy erupted when neither French President Jacques
Chirac nor Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin attended any functions commemorating the
battle.[93] On the other hand, some residents of France's overseas departments protested against
what they viewed as the "official commemoration of Napoleon," arguing that Austerlitz should not
be celebrated since they believed that Napoleon committed genocide against colonial people.[93]
After the battle, Tsar Alexander I laid all the blame on Kutuzov, the Commander-in-chief of the
Allied Army.[94] However, it is clear that Kutuzov's plan was to retreat farther to the rear where the
Allied Army had a sharp advantage in logistics. Had the Allied Army retreated further, they might
have been reinforced by Archduke Charles's troops from Italy, and the Prussians might have joined
the coalition against Napoleon. A French army at the end of its supply lines, in a place which had
no food supplies, might have faced a very different ending from the one they achieved at the real
battle of Austerlitz.[95]
Monuments and protection of the area

The area where the Battle of Austerlitz took place is protected by law as a landscape monument
zone. Its value lies in the historical peculiarities of the place, in the historical connections of
settlements, landscapes and terrain formations, and in the overall landscape image. The area
extends to 19 today's municipalities:[96]
Blažovice Křenovice Šlapanice Újezd u Brna

Holubice Podolí Slavkov u Brna Velatice
Hostěrádky-Rešov Ponětovice Sokolnice Žatčany
Jiříkovice Prace Telnice Zbýšov
Kobylnice Sivice Tvarožná
Near Prace is the Peace Memorial. It was designed and built in the Art Nouveau style by Josef
Fanta in 1910–1912. The World War I postponed the monument's dedication until 1923. It is 26
metres (85 ft) high, square, with four female statues symbolizing France, Austria, Russia and
Moravia. Within is a chapel with an ossuary. A small museum commemorates the battle. Every
year, the events of the Battle of Austerlitz are commemorated in a ceremony.
The Staré vinohrady height near Zbýšov saw the bloody collision of the French and Russian
guards. In 2005, the Monument to the Three Emperors has been erected here.
Stará Pošta ("Old Post") in Kovalovice is an original building from 1785, which now serves as a
hotel and restaurant. On 28 November 1805, the French cavalry general Murat set up his
headquarters here. On the day of the battle, the Russian general Bagration had his headquarters
here. After the battle, Napoleon slept in this house and held preliminary negotiations about an
armistice. A small museum commemorates these events.
On Santon Hill in Tvarožná is a small white chapel. The hill was a mainstay of the French position
and allowed the French artillery to dominate the northern portion of the battlefield. Below the hill,
the yearly historical reenactments take place.
On Žuráň Hill where Napoleon had his headquarters, a granite monument depicts the battlefield
positions.
In Šlapanice there are a number of mass graves with a monument.
See also
Gare d'Austerlitz
Military career of Napoleon Bonaparte
Explanatory notes
a. The Baltic was dominated by Russia, something Britain was not comfortable with, as it
provided valuable commodities like timber, tar, and hemp, crucial supplies to the British
Empire. Additionally, Britain supported the Ottoman Empire against Russian incursions
towards the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, French territorial rearrangements in Germany
occurred without Russian consultation and Napoleon's annexations in the Po valley
increasingly strained relations between the two.[23]
Citations
1. French numbers at the battle vary depending on the account; 65,000, 67,000, 73,000, or
75,000 are other figures often present in the literature. The discrepancy arises because about
7,000 men of Davout's III Corps were not at the battle right when it started. Including or not
including these troops is a matter of preference (in this article, they will be included as
separate from the 67,000 French soldiers originally on the field). David G. Chandler, The
Campaigns of Napoleon. p. 416 gives 67,000 (without Davout's III Corps)
2. Allied numbers at the battle vary depending on the account; 73,000, 84,000, or 89,000 are
other figures often present in the literature. Andrew Uffindell, Great Generals of the Napoleonic
Wars. p. 25 gives 73,000. David G. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon. p. 417 gives
85,000. In Napoleon and Austerlitz (1997), Scott Bowden writes that the traditional number
given for the Allies, 85,000, reflects their theoretical strength, and not the true numbers present
on the battlefield.
3. Andrew Roberts: Napoleon
4. Chandler 1966, p. 432.
5. Andrew Roberts, Napoleon, A Life. p. 390
6. de Méneval 1910, pp. 233–308, Chapter V.
7. Farwell p. 64. "Austerlitz is generally regarded as one of Napoleon's tactical masterpieces and
has been ranked as the equal of Arbela, Cannae, and Leuthen."
8. Dupuy p. 102
9. Hall & Davis 1957, p. 31.
10. Schroeder 1996, pp. 172–174.
11. Pearson 1994, p. 5.
12. Schroeder 1996, pp. 178–180, 226–228.
13. Schroeder 1996, p. 226.

14. Grainger 2004, pp. 129–130.
15. Schroeder 1996, pp. 241–243.
16. Grainger 2004, pp. 33.
17. Chandler 1966, p. 304.
18. Chandler 1966, p. 320.
19. Grainger 2004, p. 55.
20. Grainger 2004, p. 221.
21. Jorgensen 2004, pp. 25–28.
22. Chandler 1966, p. 331.
23. Chandler 1966, p. 328.
24. Grehan & Mace 2013, p. 17.
25. Lane-Poole 1894, p. 250.
26. Gallaher 2008, p. 122.
27. Chandler 1966, p. 323.
28. Addington 1984, p. 29.
29. Chandler 1966, p. 332.
30. Wood 1997, p. 16.
31. Chandler 1966, p. 333.
32. Kuehn 2015, p. 93.
33. Gerges 2016, p. 171.
34. Wasson 2014, p. 43.
35. Mikaberidze 2005, pp. xx–xxxi.
36. Fisher & Fremont-Barnes 2004, p. 33.
38. Uffindell, p. 155.
40. Lyons 1994, p. 113.
41. Chandler 1966, pp. 325–326.
42. Kobtzeff 2016, p. 378.
43. Cook & Paxton 1981, p. 85.
44. Brooks, p. 108.
46. Schneid 2005, pp. 113–114.
47. Gerges 2016, p. 158.
48. Tibbetts 2016, p. 420.
49. Chandler 1966, p. 407.
50. Bassett 2015, pp. 233–234.
51. Kagan 2006, p. 368.
52. Lê Vinh Quốc, Nguyễn Thị Thư, Lê Phụng Hoàng, pp. 154–160
53. Chandler 1966, p. 409.
54. Brose, Eric Dorn. German history, 1789–1871: From the Holy Roman Empire to the
Bismarckian Reich. p. 46.
55. McLynn, p. 342.
56. Chandler 1966, p. 410.
57. Chandler 1966, pp. 410–411.
58. Chandler 1966, p. 411.

60. David Nicholls, Napoleon: a biographical companion pp. 9–10.
61. Frederick C. Schneid, Napoleon's conquest of Europe: the War of the Third Coalition, p. 137
62. Chandler 1966, pp. 412–413.
63. Chandler 1966, p. 416.
64. Richard Brooks (editor), Atlas of World Military History. p. 109
66. Gregory Fremont-Barnes, Napoleon Bonaparte: leadership, strategy, conflict, p. 19
67. Chandler 1966, p. 413.
68. Gregory Fremont-Barnes (2010). Napoleon Bonaparte: leadership, strategy, conflict. Great
Britain: Osprey Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-84603-458-9.
69. Chandler 1966, p. 412.
70. Fisher & Fremont-Barnes 2004, pp. 48–49.
73. Chandler 1966, p. 425.
74. Fisher & Fremont-Barnes 2004, pp. 49–50.
76. Grant, p. 203
78. Abbott, John S.C. (1888). "Chapter XXXL: Austerlitz" (https://archive.org/details/historynapoleo
n02abbogoog/page/n482/mode/2up). In Low, Sampson; Abbot Mead, Susan (eds.). The
History of Napoleon Bonaparte (https://archive.org/details/historynapoleon02abbogoog). L
(3rd ed.). London, United Kingdom of Great Britain: Harper & Brothers Publishers. pp. 475–
486 – via Internet Archive.
79. Rose, J. Holland (1 July 1902). Poole, Reginald L. (ed.). "The Ice Incident at the Battle of
Austerlitz" (https://academic.oup.com/ehr/article-abstract/XVII/LXVII/537/511831) (PDF). The
English Historical Review. Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain: Oxford University Press
(OUP)/Longmans, Green & Company, Limited/Johnson Reprint Corporation Limited. XVII (67):
537–538. doi:10.1093/ehr/XVII.LXVII.537 (https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fehr%2FXVII.LXVII.537).
ISSN 0013-8266 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0013-8266). JSTOR 00138266 (https://www.jst
or.org/stable/00138266). LCCN 05040370 (https://lccn.loc.gov/05040370). OCLC 474766029
(https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/474766029).
80. Chandler 1966, pp. 432–433.
82. Stanhope's Life of the Rt Hon. William Pitt (1862), vol. iv, p. 369
83. Napoleon's Proclamation following Austerlitz. Dated 3 December 1805. Translated by
Markham, J. David.
84. Chandler 1966, p. 439.
86. Rumph, Stephen (Summer 1995). "A Kingdom Not of This World: The Political Context of E. T.
A. Hoffmann's Beethoven Criticism". 19th-Century Music. 19 (1): 50–67. doi:10.2307/746719
(https://doi.org/10.2307%2F746719). JSTOR 746719 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/746719).
87. Tolstoy, Leo (1949). War and Peace. Garden City: International Collectors Library.
88. Archibald Alison, History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in 1789
to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815, Volume 5, London: Thomas Cadell, 1836, p. 476.
89. Quote Investigator: "Never interfere" (https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/07/06/never-interfer
e/)
90. Adrian Gilbert (2000). The Encyclopedia of Warfare: From Earliest Time to the Present Day (ht
tps://books.google.com/books?id=MZoO7SIwMVIC&pg=PA133). Taylor & Francis. p. 133.
ISBN 978-1-57958-216-6. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
91. McLynn, p. 350.
92. France's history wars (http://mondediplo.com/2006/02/14postcolonial), Accessed 20 March
2006
93. BBC – Furore over Austerlitz ceremony
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4491668.stm), Accessed 20 March 2006
94. David Nicholls, Napoleon: a biographical companion, p. 138
95. Ian Castle, Christa Hook, Austerlitz 1805: the fate of empires, pp. 89–90.
96. "Bojiště bitvy u Slavkova" (https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/bojiste-bitvy-u-slavkova-7663994) (in
Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
General references
Addington, L. F. (1984). The Patterns of War Since the Eighteenth Century. Bloomington,
Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-25330-132-1.
Bassett, R. (2015). For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619–1918. New Haven,
Connecticut: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-30021-310-2.
Brooks, Richard, ed. (2000). Atlas of World Military History. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-
7607-2025-8.
Castle, Ian. Austerlitz 1805: The Fate of Empires. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-
84176-136-2
Castle, Ian. Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Eagles of Europe. Pen & Sword Books, 2005.
ISBN 1-84415-171-9.
Chandler, D. G. (1966). The Campaigns of Napoleon. New York: Simon & Schuster.
OCLC 185576578 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/185576578).
Cook, C.; Paxton, J. (1981). European Political Facts 1789–1848. London: Palgrave
Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-34903-308-9.
de Méneval, Claude-François (1910). de Méneval, Napoléon Joseph Erenst; Collier, Peter
Fenelon (eds.). Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte: The Court of the First Empire (https://www.ar
chive.org/details/memoirsofnapoleo01meneiala) (PDF). II. New York: P.F. Collier & Son
Publishers. ISBN 9781355218760. OCLC 566100622 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56610062
2). Retrieved 15 June 2021 – via Internet Archive.
Dupuy, Trevor N. 1990). Understanding Defeat: How to Recover from Loss in Battle to Gain
Victory in War. Paragon House. ISBN 1-5577-8099-4.
Farwell, Byron (2001). The Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-century Land Warfare: An Illustrated
World View. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. ISBN 0-393-04770-9.
Fisher, T.; Fremont-Barnes, G. (2004). The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise and Fall of an Empire.
Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84176-831-1.
Gallaher, J. G. (2008). Napoleon's Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme.
Campaigns and Commanders 15. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.
ISBN 978-0-80613-875-6.
Gerges, M. T. (2016). "Chapter 6: Ulm and Austerlitz". In Leggiere, M. V. (ed.). Napoleon and
the Operational Art of War: Essays in Honor of Donald D. Horward. History of Warfare no. 110.
Leiden: Brill. pp. 221–248. ISBN 978-90-04310-03-2.
Goetz, Robert. 1805: Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Destruction of the Third Coalition (Greenhill
Books, 2005). ISBN 1-85367-644-6.
Grainger, J. D. (2004). The Amiens Truce: Britain and Bonaparte, 1801–1803. Woodbridge:
Boydell Press. ISBN 978-1-84383-041-2.
Grehan, J.; Mace, M. (2013). British Battles of the Napoleonic Wars 1793–1806: Despatched
from the Front. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-78159-332-5.
Hall, Walter Phelps; Davis, William Sterns (1957). The Course of Europe Since Waterloo
(4th ed.). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Jorgensen, C. (2004). The Anglo-Swedish Alliance Against Napoleonic France. London:
Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-23028-774-7.
Kagan, F. (2006). The End of the Old Order: Napoleon and Europe, 1801–1805. London:
Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-30681-645-1.
Kobtzeff, O. (2016). "Napoleonic Wars: Art of War, Diplomacy and Imperialism". In
GardnerH.KobtzeffO. (ed.). The Ashgate Research Companion to War: Origins and
Prevention. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-31704-110-8.
Kuehn, J. T. (2015). Napoleonic Warfare: The Operational Art of the Great Campaigns. Santa
Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-44083-308-3.
Lane-Poole, S. (1894). Coins and Medals: Their Place in History and Art (2nd ed.). London: E.
Stock. OCLC 1114793772 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1114793772).
Lyons, M. (1994). Napoleon Bonaparte and the Legacy of the French Revolution. New York:
St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-31212-123-5.
Marbot, Jean-Baptiste Antoine Marcelin. "The Battle of Austerlitz," Napoleon: Symbol for an
Age, A Brief History with Documents, ed. Rafe Blaufarb (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's,
2008), 122–123.
McLynn, Frank (1997). Napoleon: A Biography (https://archive.org/details/napoleonbiograph00
mcly). New York: Arcade Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-55970-631-7.
Mikaberidze, A. (2005). Russian Officer Corps of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. New
York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-61121-002-6.
Pearson, R. (1994). The Longman Companion to European Nationalism 1789–1920. London:
Routledge. ISBN 978-1-31789-777-4.
Roberts, Andrew (2014). Napoleon, A Life. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0-670-02532-
9.
Schneid, F. C. (2005). Napoleon's Conquest of Europe: The War of the Third Coalition.
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. ISBN 978-0-27598-096-2.<
Schroeder, P. W. (1996). The Transformation of European Politics, 1763–1848 (1st pbk ed.).
Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19820-654-5.
Tibbetts, J. (2016). 50 Great Military Leaders of All Time. New Delhi: Vij Books. ISBN 978-9-
38550-566-9.
Tolstoy, Leo. War and Peace. London: Penguin Group, 1982. ISBN 0-14-044417-3
Uffindell, Andrew (2003). Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars. Kent: Spellmount Ltd.
ISBN 1-86227-177-1.
Wasson, J. N. (2014). Innovator or Imitator: Napoleon's Operational Concepts and the
Legacies of Bourcet and Guibert. Pickle Partners. ISBN 978-1-78289-587-9.
Wood, W. J. (1997). Civil War Generalship: The Art of Command. Westport, Connecticut:
Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-27595-054-5.
External links
(In French) Austerlitz order of battle (http://www.pousse-pion.fr/blog/wan/ordre-de-bataille-aust
erlitz/)
Austerlitz (http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/1/slavkov-e.htm)
(In German) The Battle of Austerlitz 2005 (http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/1/slavkov-d.htm)
(In French) Austerlitz 2005: la bataille des trois empereurs (http://www.vialupo.com/austerlitz)
(In French) Austerlitz Online Game (http://www.pousse-pion.fr/mp/La-bataille-d-Austerlitz.php)
(Pousse-pion éditions, 2010)
Austerlitz: The Battle of the Three Emperors (https://web.archive.org/web/20060825071354/htt
p://www.napoleonicminiatureswargame.com/austerlitz.html) (Napoleonic Miniatures Wargame
Society of Toronto)
Austerlitz AKA The Battle of Austerlitz (1960) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053638/) at IMDb

(In Czech) View on battle place – virtual show (http://www.virtualczech.cz/kraj-/927-bitva-u-slav
kova)
Bellum.cz – "Battle of Austerlitz 2nd December 1805" (http://www.bellum.cz/en/battle-of-austerl
itz.html)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Austerlitz&oldid=1064743963"
This page was last edited on 10 January 2022, at 00:35 (UTC).
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;

additional terms may apply. By using
this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Battle of Austerlitz - Wikipedia

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Battle of Austerlitz - Wikipedia

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1/15/22, 9:56 PM Battle of Austerlitz - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 49°8′N 16°46′E

the arrival of the Russians bolstered

on the Pratzen Heights, which was 65,000–75,000[1] 84,000–95,000[2]

both enemy flanks and sent the Allies 6,991 wounded[3]

The Allied disaster significantly shook the

in Germany to Napoleon's German allies. It also Austria

imperial throne, keeping Francis I of Austria as his current battle

French Imperial army

Russian Imperial army

Austrian Imperial army

At first, Napoleon was not totally confident of

Allied plans and dispositions

troops.[63] The pressure to fight from the Russian nobles

French plans and dispositions

Napoleon was hoping that the Allied forces would

Napoleon's plan envisaged that the Allies would

Allied columns started pouring against the French right, but

"One sharp blow and the war is over"

blow and the war is over."[72]

A dense fog helped to cloud the advance of St.

— Lieutenant General Przhebishevsky[76]

Russian numbers were too great. Caffarelli's men halted

Military and political results

The Battle of Austerlitz, 2 December

Napoleon did not succeed in defeating the Allied army as

Monuments and protection of the area

Blažovice Křenovice Šlapanice Újezd u Brna

In Šlapanice there are a number of mass graves with a monument.

13. Schroeder 1996, p. 226.

58. Chandler 1966, p. 411.

Austerlitz AKA The Battle of Austerlitz (1960) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053638/) at IMDb

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Austerlitz&oldid=1064743963"

This page was last edited on 10 January 2022, at 00:35 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;

You might also like