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Home > Battle of Austerlitz


At the Battle of Austerlitz ( December 2, 1805), during Napoleonic War of the Third Coalition, a French force of approximately 73,000 under Napoleon decisively defeated a joint Russo-Austrian force of over 89,000, commanded by Russian General Kutuzov with General von Weyrother commanding the Austrian contingent. The battle was followed by the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Austerlitz (the modern town of Slavkov in the Czech Republic) lies approximately 20 km away of Brno.

The Battle of Austerlitz followed on Napoleon's significant defeat of the Austrian General MackKarl Freiherr Mack von Leiberich ( August 25, 1752 December 22, 1828), Austrian soldier, was born at Nenslingen, in Bavaria. In 1770 he joined an Austrian cavalry regiment, in which his uncle, Leiberich, was a squadron commander, becoming an officer seven at UlmUlm is a city in Germany, part of the Bundesland of Baden-Wurttemberg (about 100 km south-east of Stuttgart). Its population is slightly above 115,000. Ulm was also the birthplace of one of the 20th century's most famous persons Albert Einstein. History U. In an unprecedentedly (for that era) rapid concentration of French forces, Napoleon essentially defeated Mack by maneuver, resulting in the surrender of a major Austrian force protecting the northern approach to ViennaThis article is about the city and federal state in Austria. For other places or things called Vienna, see Vienna (disambiguation). Vienna ( German: Wien [viːn]) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austria's nine federal states Bundesland Wi, and subsequently leading to the capture of the Austrian capital.

Napoleon's forces held the Pratzen Heights, but Napoleon abandoned this strategically advantageous postion in favor of an unconventional manuver. Napoleon's right flank was intentionally made weak. To the Russo-Austrian forces, this weakness appeared to be a means of sweeping the French off of the field. However, when Kutuzov's forces attacked, Napoleon allowed his right flank to weaken somewhat before strengthening it with reinforcements to keep it from collapsing. The Russo-Austrian forces had fallen into the trap. The Russo-Austrians were occupied with attacking Napoleon's right flank, and the Russo-Austrians began to push the French back on the right. Then, out of the fog came 17,000 French troops marching towards Pratzen Heigts, a totally unexpected manuver. Kutuzov's forces, who had expected French counterattacks to be flanking side maneuvers, were surprised at the frontal attack, and the center was routed after heavy fighting. The French managed to take back the Pratzen Heights, and with the center broken, the Russo-Austrian armies on the side flanks were cut off from each other. The French forces then attacked from the Pratzen Heights at the Russo-Austrian left flank, and continued across the Heights to attack the Russo-Austrian right. The separated parts of the Russo-Austrian army were thus forced off of the field.

The French suffered 9,000 casualties and the Russo-Austrian armies lost about 25,000 men that were killed, wounded or captured. The Russians withdrew from Austria and the Austrians signed the Treaty of Pressburg ( 26 December 1805), conceding substantial territories to the French.

Austerlitz is sometimes known as the "Battle of Three Emperors" because it represented the clash of Napoleon I, Tsar Alexander I of RussiaAleksandr Pavlovich Romanov or Tsar Alexander I (The Blessed ( I ) ( December 23, 1777 December 1, 1825), Emperor of Russia (reigned March 23, 1801 December 1, 1825), son of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, afterwards Paul I of Russia, and Maria Fedorovna ,, and Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman EmpireFrancis II, Holy Roman Emperor who may also be referred to as Francis von Habsburg or Emperor Franz I of Austria ( February 12, 1768 March 2, 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until August 6, 1806, when the Empire was disbanded. personally directing the troops on the battlefield.

Austerlitz

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