French Rev Penninsular War - 1814

Peninsular War, Austrian Campaign, Russian Campaign, War of 4th coalition

Causes of the Peninsular War

-Portugal refused to follow continental blockade

-Portugal was allied with Britain

-Spanish political tensions

-Nationalism

When was the Peninsular War

1808-1814

Charles is forced to abdicate and Napoleon’s brother Joseph I becomes King of Spain

August 1808

When was the battle of Vimeiro and who won

August 1808, Britain under Wellesley

It enabled Britain to establish ports and bases in Portugal

When did Napoleon enter Madrid and with how many troops

Dec 4, 1808 with 80,000 troops

What challenges did the French face in Spain

-Spanish Guerrilla warfare, angry catholic peasants → claimed more lives than formal battles

-Supply lines + communications difficult to maintain in mountainous peninsula

-French policy of living off the land difficult to achieve

-Harsh winter

Why was Napoleon forced to leave Spain in January 1809

To combat the Austrian campaign

What were the lines of Torres Vedras

A series of forts and earthworks in Portugal used as a base for Anglo Spanish forces 1809-1810

What nickname did Napoleon give the Peninsular War

‘The Spanish Ulcer’ due to the war of attrition, slow progress

When was the battle of Vitoria and what was it’s significance

June 1813 → Allowed the British/Spanish to enter Madrid and then progress to a British invasion of south west France

Joseph I also fled as a result

When was the battle of Toulouse and what was it’s significance

10 April 1814 → The final battle of the Napoleonic Wars, marked France’s complete loss

How many French and allied Soldiers were killed in Spain

240,000

Why did Austria re enter war with France in Feb 1809

-French setbacks in the Peninsula encouraged them

-Rise in Austrian Nationalism

What reforms had the Austrian army made since Austerlitz

-new corps structure

-conscription

-more developed tactics that mirrored Napoleon

BUT they were still set back by old fashioned commanders

Why did the Austrians initially have an advantage

Napoleon’s intelligence was wrong and he did not know about Austrian planning

When did Austria invade French Bavaria, and what was the response

April 1809, Bavarian forces retreated and Napoleon made his way from Paris to try and rescue the situation

When was the Battle of Eckmuhl and what happened

21/22 April 1809, Napoleon was able to defeat Austrian forces and they retreated

When was the Battle of Essling and what happened

May 1809, Napoleon lost 20,000 men and was forced to retreat to and island on the Danube

It was his first defeat on mainland Europe, proved that he could be defeated

When was Wagram and what happened

5/6th July 1809 → French won but 34,000 men lost, harder battle than previously

Explain Treaty of Schonbrunn

14 October 1809 → Austria forced to sign humiliating peace treaty after Wagram, lost lots of land 1/6 population

Was the Austrian campaign successful

Yes but losses had been huge and battles were less easily won

Name some causes of failure in the Austrian campaign

-soldiers sourced from satellite states that were less loyal to Napoleon

-French army contained less veterans and more new recruits

-Peninsular war diverted French troops and demoralised soldiers

-Napoleon was overly confident

Name some causes of the Russian campaign

-Continental system was ruining Russian economy, 31 Dec 1810 Tsar broke the trade embargo

-Fears that Napoleon’s ambitions for Poland would take land Russia had seized in the 1790s

-French annexation of Oldenburg (duke was married to Tsar’s sister)

-Napoleon’s marriage to Austrian princess in 1810 rather than a Russian one

-Napoleon did not follow through on his promises to help Russia’s ambitions in the Mediterranean

When did Napoleon enter Russia

June 24 1812

Why could Napoleon not engage in direct battle with the Russians

-they were practising a war of attrition

-their scorched earth policy and retreats focused on depleting the French force

When and what was the first major battle of the Russian campaign

The battle of Borodino 7 September 1812

It allowed Napoleon to advance into Moscow

When did Napoleon enter Moscow and what did he do there

14 September 1812, he arrived to an empty city

It was set on fire by the governor

Napoleon waited for a peace deal from the Tsar until he left on 18 October but it never came

How many soldiers did Napoleon begin the Russian Campaign with

650,000

Why was the length of the campaign an issue

Napoleon had not planned for it, he did not have adequate supply lines, rations, clothing or medical supplies

-the scorched earth policy meant living off the land was not possible so many soldiers died of starvation

What diseases did the troops in the Russian campaign suffer from

Dysentery and typhoid

Why did Napoleon withdraw from Moscow on 18 October 1812

limited provisions + no peace request from Tsar Alexander I

Who attacked the French troops on their retreat apart from the Russian army

Cossack and peasant bands

When did Napoleon abandon his army

5 December 1812

How many soldiers of the 650,000 made it out of Russia

10,000 of which only 1,000 were fit for future military service

Was the Russian campaign a success

Complete failure, Napoleon had lost his Grand Armee and his defeat triggered the war of the fourth coalition and Prussia and Austria also chose to break their forced alliances with France and joined Russia

Who was in the Fourth Coalition

Russia (+Sweden), Prussia, Austria, Britain

When did Prussia declare war on France

March 1813

Why did Napoleon sign an armistice in April 1813

He had some victories (eg Bautzen) but did not follow through on a Prussian retreat

When was the battle of Nations and who did it involve

16-19 October 1813, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden

Why was Napoleon forced to retreat across Germany after 3 days

He was outnumbered 2-3

What did Napoleon refuse that resulted in the empire falling apart

a generous peace deal

When and what was the Treaty of Chaumont

March 1814, the allies agreed to preserve the coalition until Napoleon was defeated

When did the allies enter Paris and force Napoleon to accept their terms

30 March 1814

When and what was the Treaty of Fontainebleau

April 1814, set out that Napoleon was to give up his throne and be exiled to Elba (he kept his title of Emperor and 200,000 salary)