Napoleonic Wars
Year | Britain | Russia | Austria | Prussia | Holy Roman Empire |
Conf of the Rhine |
Nether. | Spain | Portugal | Major Battles and Events | Status Changes and Explanations |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1789 | P | P | P | P | P | - | P | P | P | Storming of the Bastille (Jul 14) | French Revolution begins. European monarchies wary but not yet intervening. |
1790 | P | P | P | P | P | - | P | P | P | Leopold II becomes Holy Roman Emperor, adopting a cautious approach to maintain stability. | |
1791 | P | P | P | P | P | - | P | P | P | Flight to Varennes (Jun 20-21) | Austria and Prussia issue the Declaration of Pillnitz, expressing concern but not committing to action. |
1792 | AAW | P | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | P | P | P | Battle of Valmy (Sep 20) | France declares war on Austria, fearing intervention. Prussia joins Austria to support monarchy and contain revolution. |
1793 | AAW | P | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | AAW | AAW | P | Execution of Louis XVI (Jan 21) | Britain, Spain, and Netherlands join war, alarmed by regicide and French expansionism. First Coalition forms. |
1794 | AAW | P | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | AAW | AAW | P | Battle of Fleurus (Jun 26) | Coalition maintains united front against French Republic's military successes. |
1795 | AAW | P | AAW | P | AAW | - | SF | P | P | Battle of Quiberon Bay (Jul) | Prussia and Spain make separate peaces due to military defeats and internal issues. Netherlands becomes French client state after invasion. |
1796 | AAW | P | AAW | P | AAW | - | SF | P | P | Battle of Lodi (May 10) | Napoleon's Italian campaign pressures Austria, while other powers remain neutral or aligned with France. |
1797 | AAW | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Treaty of Campo Formio (Oct 17) | Austria forced to make peace after military defeats. Spain allies with France against Britain. Holy Roman Empire weakened. |
1798 | AAW | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Battle of the Nile (Aug 1-3) | French invasion of Egypt prompts formation of Second Coalition, though not all powers immediately join. |
1799 | AAW | AAW | AAW | P | AAW | - | SF | SF | P | Battle of Zürich (Sep 25-26) | Russia and Austria join Second Coalition to check French expansion. Napoleon's coup in France (18 Brumaire). |
1800 | AAW | P | AAW | P | AAW | - | SF | SF | P | Battle of Marengo (Jun 14) | Russia withdraws due to disagreements with allies. Napoleon's victories in Italy pressure Austria. |
1801 | AAW | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Battle of Copenhagen (Apr 2) | Austria forced to make peace after defeats. Britain left isolated, leading to peace negotiations. |
1802 | P | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Treaty of Amiens (Mar 25) | General peace established. All major powers seek respite from war, though tensions remain. |
1803 | AAW | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Britain declares war due to French expansionism and violation of Amiens terms. Other powers remain neutral. | |
1804 | AAW | P | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | P | Napoleon crowned Emperor (Dec 2) | Napoleon's coronation alarms other powers but doesn't immediately trigger war. |
1805 | AAW | AAW | AAW | P | AAW | - | SF | SF | P | Battle of Trafalgar (Oct 21) Battle of Austerlitz (Dec 2) |
Austria and Russia join Britain in Third Coalition, fearing Napoleon's growing power. British naval victory at Trafalgar destroys French-Spanish fleet, securing British naval supremacy. However, Napoleon's decisive victory at Austerlitz over Austria and Russia on land changes the balance of power in Europe. |
1806 | AAW | AAW | P | AAW | Dissolved | SF | SF | SF | P | Battles of Jena-Auerstedt (Oct 14) | Prussia enters war after French violations of territory. Holy Roman Empire dissolved; Confederation of Rhine formed as French buffer zone. Despite British naval supremacy after Trafalgar, Napoleon dominates continental Europe. |
1807 | AAW | P | P | P | - | SF | SF | SF | AAW | Battle of Friedland (Jun 14) | Russia makes peace at Tilsit after defeats, temporarily aligning with France. Portugal refuses Continental System, leading to invasion. Britain, secure at sea after Trafalgar, unable to significantly influence events on the continent. |
1808 | AAW | SF | P | P | - | SF | SF | AAW | AAW | Siege of Saragossa (Jun-Aug) | Peninsular War begins. Spain switches sides after French invasion and installation of Joseph Bonaparte as king. British naval supremacy allows it to support Spanish resistance. |
1809 | AAW | SF | AAW | P | - | SF | SF | AAW | AAW | Battle of Wagram (Jul 5-6) | Austria attempts to break French dominance (War of Fifth Coalition) but is defeated at Wagram. British expeditionary force to Netherlands fails at Walcheren. |
1810 | AAW | SF | P | P | - | SF | SF | AAW | AAW | Austria forced to make peace and align with France. Continental System at its height, straining Franco-Russian relations. Britain continues to support guerrilla warfare in Spain. | |
1811 | AAW | ONW | P | P | - | SF | SF | AAW | AAW | Russia begins opposing Continental System, preparing for potential conflict with France. British forces under Wellington strengthen position in Portugal. | |
1812 | AAW | AAW | SF | SF | - | SF | SF | AAW | AAW | Battle of Borodino (Sep 7) | Napoleon invades Russia. Prussia and Austria reluctantly support France due to political pressure. British forces advance in Spain. |
1813 | AAW | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | Dissolving | SF | AAW | AAW | Battle of Leipzig (Oct 16-19) | After Napoleon's retreat from Russia, Prussia and Austria join Sixth Coalition. French satellite states begin to defect after Leipzig. Wellington advances into southern France. |
1814 | AAW | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | Dissolved | AAW | AAW | AAW | Battle of Paris (Mar 30-31) | Allied invasion of France. Netherlands liberated and joins allies. Napoleon abdicates; Confederation of Rhine dissolved. First Treaty of Paris. |
1815 | AAW | AAW | AAW | AAW | - | - | AAW | AAW | AAW | Battle of Waterloo (Jun 18) | Napoleon returns from Elba. Seventh Coalition quickly forms to prevent his resurgence. Final defeat at Waterloo. Second Treaty of Paris. |
Legend:
AAW: Actively at War with France
ONW: Opposed but not at War
P: At Peace
SF: Supported France
-: Not Applicable (entity didn't exist at this time)