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THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

MWANGI LAWRENCE NDONGA

ADMISSION NUMBER 007529

Contents

Background 2

War of the Third Coalition 2

War of the Fourth Coalition 2

War of the Fifth Coalition 3

War of the Sixth Coalition 3

War of the Seventh Coalition 3

Aftermath of Napoleonic Wars 3

Causes for the Defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte 4

References 6

Napoleonic Wars

Background

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionized European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to the application of modern mass conscription. French power rose quickly as Napoleon's armies conquered much of Europe but collapsed rapidly after France's disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812. Napoleon's empire ultimately suffered complete military defeat resulting in the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France. The Napoleonic Wars ended following Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo on 18 June 1815 and the Second Treaty of Paris.

War of the Third Coalition

Led by Napoleon Bonaparte, who crowned himself emperor in 1804, the French began planning for an invasion of Britain while London worked to build a new coalition with Russia, Austria, and Sweden. The anticipated invasion was thwarted when V.Adm. Lord Horatio Nelson defeated a combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in October 1805. This success was offset by an Austrian defeat at Ulm. Capturing Vienna, Napoleon crushed a Russo-Austrian army at Austerlitz on December 2. Defeated again, Austria left the coalition after signing the Treaty of Pressburg. While French forces dominated on land, the Royal Navy retained control of the seas.

War of the Fourth Coalition

Shortly after Austria's departure, a Fourth Coalition was formed with Prussia and Saxony joining the fray....