Napoleon and the Archduke Charles

by F. Loraine Petre

Napoleonic Library (17)

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The Archduke Charles was the most formidable of Napoleons continental foes but only once came into direct conflict with him: this was in the 1809 Franco-Austrian campaign in the Danube Valley.Smarting from Austrias humiliations in 1805, the Archduke launched a surprise attack upon the French whilst Napoleon was occupied in distant Spain. Outnumbered, the French faced disaster but, with typical energy and decisiveness Napoleon arrived just in time. In five days of marching and fighting he show more repulsed the Austrians at Abensburg and Eckmhl. The road to Vienna was now oPen & he pushed on but he underestimated his enemy, being thrown back by the Archduke Charles as he tried to cross the Danube.Failing to follow up his success, the Archduke hesitated too long and when Napoleon attempted to cross the river a second time, at the Battle of Wagram, he succeeded.F. Loraine Petres penetrating analysis of this pivotal campaign was first published in 1909 on the centenary of the great conflict, to become one of his celebrated series of works on Napoleons wars. show less

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Napoleon and the Archduke Charles
Original publication date
1909
People/Characters
Napoleon Bonaparte; Charles, Archduke Field Marshal Louis John Joseph Laurentius; Davout, Marshal Prince Louis Nicolas; Hiller, General Johann Baron von
Important events
Battle of Abensburg (1809-04-20); Battle of Aspern-Essling (1809-05-21 and 22); Battle of Raab (1809-06-14); Battle of Thann (1809-04-19); Battle of Wagram (1809-07-05 and 06)
First words
With the signature of the Treaty of Tilsit and the secret clauses attached to it, Napoleon seemed to be, at last, the arbiter of the destinies of all Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Nieman, and from the Baltic to Sicily.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)It seems remarkable that, with the incompleteness of his success, Napoleon should have in the end been able to dictate such terms as those of the Treaty of Schönbrünn. Francis and his friends of the war party would have renewed operations had they dared, but they had thrown away, by the dismissal of the Archduke Charles, their best, perhaps their only general, and probably they felt that a renewal of the struggle could but end in fresh and more decisive defeat, with the inevitable consequence of the obliteration of Austria from the map of Europe, and of the House of Habsburg from the list of reigning families.
Original language
English UK

Classifications

Genres
History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
940.2History & geographyHistory of EuropeHistory of EuropeEurope: Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, Napolean
LCC
DC234 .P4History of Europe, Asia, Africa and OceaniaFrance – Andorra – MonacoHistory of FranceModern, 1515-Revolutionary and Napoleonic period, 1789-1815
BISAC

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Languages
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Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
8
ASINs
2