Military career of Napoleon

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Emperor of the French

Napoleon
File:Jacques-Louis David - The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries - Google Art Project.jpg
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries by Jacques-Louis David, 1812
Nickname(s)"General Vendémiaire", "The Little Corporal", "Napoleon the Great"
Born(1769-08-15)August 15, 1769
Ajaccio, Corsica
DiedMay 5, 1821(1821-05-05) (aged 51)
Longwood, Saint Helena
AllegianceFrance
Service / branchTrained as an artillerist
Years of service1779–1815
RankCommander in Chief (Head of State)
CommandsArmy of Italy
Army of the Orient
French Army
Grande Armée
Battles / wars
AwardsGrand Master of the Legion of Honour
Grand Master of the Order of the Reunion
Grand Master of the Order of the Iron Crown
RelationsHouse of Bonaparte
Other workSovereign of Elba, writer
File:Napoleon I of France by Andrea Appiani (4x5 close cropped).jpg
This article is part of
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Napoleon
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Legacy
Napoleon's signature
File:Imperial Coat of Arms of France (1804-1815).svg

The military career of Napoleon spanned over 20 years. He led French armies in the French Revolutionary Wars and later, as emperor, in the Napoleonic Wars. Despite his rich war-winning record, Napoleon's military career ended in defeat. Napoleon has since been regarded as a military genius and one of the finest commanders in history. His wars and campaigns have been studied at military schools worldwide. He fought more than 80 battles, losing only ten, mostly towards the end when the French army was not as dominant.[1] The French dominion collapsed rapidly after the disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812. Napoleon was defeated in 1814 and exiled to the island of Elba, before returning to France. He was finally defeated in 1815 at Waterloo. He spent his remaining days in British custody on the remote volcanic tropical island of Saint Helena. In his long military career, Bonaparte celebrated 70 victories and suffered 10 defeats.[2]

Battle record summary

Date Battle Conflict Opponent Location Outcome
29 Aug – 19 Dec 1793 Siege of Toulon War of the First Coalition Kingdom of Great BritainKingdom of NaplesSpainKingdom of SardiniaFile:Flag of Royalist France.svgKingdom of Sicily French Republic Victory
24–28 Apr 1794 Saorgio War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchyKingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
21 Sep 1794 First Dego War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchyKingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
5 Oct 1795 13 Vendémiaire French Revolution Kingdom of France French Republic Victory
11–12 Apr 1796 Montenotte War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchyKingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
12–13 Apr 1796 Millesimo War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchyKingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
14–15 Apr 1796 Second Dego War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchyKingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
16 Apr 1796 Ceva War of the First Coalition Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
21 Apr 1796 Mondovi War of the First Coalition Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
7–9 May 1796 Fombio War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
10 May 1796 Lodi War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
30 May 1796 Borghetto War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
4 Jul 1796 – 2 Feb 1797 Siege of Mantua War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
3–4 Aug 1796 Lonato War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
5 Aug 1796 Castiglione War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
4 Sep 1796 Rovereto War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
8 Sep 1796 Bassano War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
14–15 Sep 1796 San Giorgio[3] War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
6 Nov 1796 Second Bassano War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Defeat
12 Nov 1796 Caldiero War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Defeat
15–17 Nov 1796 Arcole War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
14–15 Jan 1797 Rivoli War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
16 Jan 1797 La Favorite [fr] War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
16 Mar 1797 Valvasone War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
21–23 Mar 1797 Tarvis War of the First Coalition Habsburg monarchy Habsburg Italy Victory
10–12 Jun 1798 Malta Mediterranean Campaign Sovereign Military Order of Malta Malta Victory
2 Jul 1798 Prise d'Alexandrie French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman Empire Mameluk Egypt Victory
13 Jul 1798 Shubra Khit French invasion of Egypt and Syria File:Flag of the Mameluks.svgOttoman Empire Mameluk Egypt Victory
21 Jul 1798 Pyramids French invasion of Egypt and Syria File:Flag of the Mameluks.svgOttoman Empire Mameluk Egypt Victory
21–22 Oct 1798 Revolt of Cairo French invasion of Egypt and Syria File:Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1453-1844).svg French-occupied Egypt Victory
11–19 Feb 1799 Siege of El Arish French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman Empire Mameluk Egypt Victory
3–7 Mar 1799 Siege of Jaffa French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire Victory
20 Mar – 21 May 1799 Siege of Acre French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman EmpireKingdom of Great Britain Ottoman Empire Defeat
16 Apr 1799 Mount Tabor French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire Victory
25 Jul 1799 Abukir French invasion of Egypt and Syria Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Great Britain French-occupied Egypt Victory
26 May 1800 Chiusella River War of the Second Coalition Habsburg monarchy Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
31 May 1800 Turbigo War of the Second Coalition Habsburg monarchy Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
14 May – 1 Jun 1800 Siege of Fort Bard War of the Second Coalition Habsburg monarchy Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
14 Jun 1800 Marengo War of the Second Coalition Habsburg monarchy Kingdom of Sardinia Victory
15–20 Oct 1805 Ulm War of the Third Coalition Habsburg monarchy Electorate of Bavaria Victory
2 Dec 1805 Austerlitz War of the Third Coalition Habsburg monarchyRussian Empire Archduchy of Austria Victory
14 Oct 1806 Jena War of the Fourth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaElectorate of Saxony Kingdom of Prussia Victory
24 Oct 1806 Berlin War of the Fourth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaElectorate of Saxony Kingdom of Prussia Victory
23 Dec 1806 Czarnowo War of the Fourth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Prussia Victory
3 Feb 1807 Allenstein War of the Fourth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Prussia Victory
7–8 Feb 1807 Eylau War of the Fourth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Prussia Victory
14 Jun 1807 Friedland War of the Fourth Coalition Russian Empire Kingdom of Prussia Victory
30 Nov 1808 Somosierra Peninsular War Spain Spain Victory
1–4 Dec 1808 Siege of Madrid[4] Peninsular War Spain Spain Victory
20 Apr 1809 Teugen-Hausen War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Kingdom of Bavaria Victory
20 Apr 1809 Abensberg War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Kingdom of Bavaria Victory
21 Apr 1809 Landshut War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Kingdom of Bavaria Victory
21–22 Apr 1809 Eckmühl War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Kingdom of Bavaria Victory
23 Apr 1809 Ratisbon War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Principality of Regensburg Victory
21–22 May 1809 Aspern-Essling War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Austrian Empire Defeat
5–6 Jul 1809 Wagram War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Austrian Empire Victory
10–11 Jul 1809 Znaim War of the Fifth Coalition Austrian Empire Austrian Empire Victory
26–27 Jul 1812 Vitebsk French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Victory
16–18 Aug 1812 Smolensk French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Victory
5 Sep 1812 Shevardino French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Victory
7 Sep 1812 Borodino French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Victory
15–18 Nov 1812 Krasnoi French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Defeat
26–29 Nov 1812 Berezina French invasion of Russia Russian Empire Russian Empire Withdrawal
2 May 1813 Lützen War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Saxony Victory
20–21 May 1813 Bautzen War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Saxony Victory
22 May 1813 Reichenbach War of the Sixth Coalition Russian Empire Kingdom of Saxony Victory
26–27 Aug 1813 Dresden War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireKingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire Kingdom of Saxony Victory
16–19 Oct 1813 Leipzig War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireKingdom of PrussiaRussian EmpireSwedenGrand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Kingdom of Saxony Defeat
30–31 Oct 1813 Hanau War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of Bavaria Duchy of Frankfurt Victory
29 Jan 1814 Brienne War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
1 Feb 1814 La Rothière War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireKingdom of BavariaKingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Defeat
10 Feb 1814 Champaubert War of the Sixth Coalition Russian Empire French Empire Victory
11 Feb 1814 Montmirail War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
12 Feb 1814 Chateau-Thierry War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
14 Feb 1814 Vauchamps War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
17 Feb 1814 Mormant War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireKingdom of BavariaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
18 Feb 1814 Montereau War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireFile:Flagge Königreich Württemberg.svg French Empire Victory
5 Mar 1814 Berry-au-Bac [fr] (1814)[5] War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
7 Mar 1814 Craonne War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
9–10 Mar 1814 Laon War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Defeat
12–13 Mar 1814 Reims War of the Sixth Coalition Kingdom of PrussiaRussian Empire French Empire Victory
20–21 Mar 1814 Arcis-sur-Aube War of the Sixth Coalition Austrian EmpireKingdom of BavariaRussian Empire French Empire Defeat
26 Mar 1814 Saint-Dizier War of the Sixth Coalition Russian Empire French Empire Victory
16 Jun 1815 Ligny Hundred Days Kingdom of Prussia United Kingdom of the Netherlands Victory
18 Jun 1815 Waterloo Hundred Days Kingdom of PrussiaUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandKingdom of HanoverUnited Kingdom of the NetherlandsDuchy of NassauFile:Flagge Herzogtum Braunschweig (1814-1830).svg United Kingdom of the Netherlands Defeat

[lower-alpha 1]

References

  1. ↑ For comprehensive coverage, see Chandler (1973).[6] For an overall view of the military history of the era see Trevor N. Dupuy and R. Ernest Dupuy, The Encyclopedia of Military History (2nd ed., 1970) pp. 730–770.
  1. ↑ Roberts says his losses came at Siege of Acre (1799), Battle of Aspern-Essling (1809), Battle of Leipzig (1813), Battle of La Rothière (1814), Battle of Laon (1814), Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube (1814), and Battle of Waterloo (1815). Andrew Roberts, "Why Napoleon merits the title 'the Great,'" BBC History Magazine (1 November 2014)
  2. ↑ Andrew Roberts, Napoleon: A Life (2014)
  3. ↑ Michael V. Leggiere; Phillip R. Cuccia. Napoleon and the Operational Art of War. BRILL, Leiden (2020). p. 166
  4. ↑ United States Military Academy. Summaries of Selected Military Campaigns. West Point, New York (1953). p. 22
  5. ↑ Jean Tranié et Juan-Carlos Carmigniani, Napoléon : 1814 – La campagne de France, Pygmalion/Gérard Watelet, 1989, 315 p.
  6. ↑ David G. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) excerpt and text search

Further reading

Main article: Napoleonic Wars § Further reading
  • Chandler, David G. The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) 1172 pp; a detailed guide to all major battles excerpt and text search
  • Crowdy, Terry. Napoleon's Infantry Handbook (2015)
  • Dupuy, Trevor N. and Dupuy, R. Ernest. The Encyclopedia of Military History (2nd edition 1970) pp 730–770
  • Elting, John R. Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grand Armee (1988)
  • Esdaile, Charles. Napoleon's Wars: An International History 1803–1815 (2008), 621pp
  • Gates, David. The Napoleonic Wars 1803–1815 (NY: Random House, 2011)
  • Hazen, Charles Downer. The French Revolution and Napoleon (1917) online free
  • Nafziger, George F. The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign (2014)
  • Parker, Harold T. "Why Did Napoleon Invade Russia? A Study in Motivation and the Interrelations of Personality and Social Structure," Journal of Military History (1990) 54#2 pp 131–46 in JSTOR.
  • Pope, Stephen (1999). The Cassel Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. Cassel. ISBN 0-304-35229-2.
  • Riley, Jonathon P. Napoleon as a General (Hambledon Press, 2007)
  • Rothenberg, Gunther E. (1988). "The Origins, Causes, and Extension of the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon". Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 18 (4): 771–793. doi:10.2307/204824. JSTOR 204824. JSTOR 204824
  • Rothenberg, E. Gunther. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon (1977)
  • Schneid, Frederick C. (2011). The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Mainz: Institute of European History.
  • Shoffner, Thomas A. Napoleon's Cavalry: A Key Element to Decisive Victory (2014)
  • Smith, Digby George. The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book: Actions and Losses in Personnel, Colours, Standards and Artillery (1998)
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