Battle of Austerlitz place on the map. Battle of Austerlitz. Reference. The encirclement of parts of the left flank of the allies

THE BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ of 1805, a general battle between the Russian-Austrian troops under the command of General of Infantry M. I. Kutuzov (the actual commander is Emperor Alexander I) and the French army of Napoleon I during the Russian-Austrian-French war of 1805. It took place on November 20 (December 2) in the Austerlitz area (now the city of Slavkov, Czech Republic). Russian-Austrian troops were in position in the area west of Olmutz (now Olomouc) waiting for reinforcements from Russia and Austrian troops from Italy. Napoleon strove for a general battle, hoping to defeat the enemy before reinforcements approached him. He spread rumors about the weakness of the French army and began secret negotiations with Austria for peace. Emperor Alexander I, ignoring the opinion of M. I. Kutuzov, who insisted on dragging out hostilities, decided to go on the offensive. The Russian-Austrian army on November 15 (27) - November 19 (December 1) marched from Olmutz to Austerlitz. During this time, Napoleon managed to pull up the corps of marshals J. B. Bernadotte (later the Swedish king Charles XIV) and L.N. I will give to my main forces. The battle plan, drawn up by the Austrian Quartermaster General Colonel F. Weyrother, assumed part of the forces to hold back the French troops in the center, and the main forces under the command of General of Infantry F.F. Buksgevden (43 thousand people) to bypass and destroy them. Napoleon decided, waging holding battles on the flanks, to break through the center of the allied forces with the main forces and defeat them piece by piece. On November 20 (December 2), the Russian-Austrian army (over 81 thousand people, including 15 thousand Austrians, 350 guns) launched a slowly developing offensive with the main forces on the Sokolnitz-Telnitz front. The French army (73 thousand people, 250 guns), hiding behind one division of the corps of Marshal N. Zh. Soult and the Davout corps approaching the battlefield on the right flank, dealt the main blow (46 thousand people) to the Pracen heights left by the Russian-Austrian troops, broke through the Russian-Austrian center (29 thousand people), and then bypassed the main forces of the allied forces, which withdrew with heavy losses. The Allies lost 27 thousand people (10 thousand killed and 17 thousand prisoners) and 155 guns, the French - up to 12 thousand people. The battle of Austerlitz led to the collapse of the 3rd anti-French coalition (see Anti-French coalitions). Austria withdrew from the war by signing the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805.

Lit .: Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky A.I. Description of the first war between Emperor Alexander and Napoleon in 1805. SPb., 1844; Bogdanovich M. I. History of the reign of Emperor Alexander I and Russia in his time. SPb., 1869. T. 2.

BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ November 20 (December 2), 1805 - a major pitched battle in the war between the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and the Third Anti-Napoleonic Coalition of Austria, Russia, Sweden, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Great Britain.

The battle near Austerlitz (the modern Czech city of Slavkov u Brna) has entered modern historiography as the “battle of the three emperors”, since the emperors of the three powers of France, Russia and Austria personally took part in the battle - Napoleon I, Alexander I and Franz II.

The allied Russian-Austrian army, the backbone of which was Russian troops, had rather large forces on the eve of the battle. Alexander I exhibited ca. 70 thousand people, Frederick II - 15 thousand. Napoleon's army opposing the allies totaled approx. 73 thousand. The united Russian-Austrian army was commanded by His Serene Highness Prince General M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov.

The battle of Austerlitz was preceded by Kutuzov's 425 km retreat in October 1805 from Braunau to Olmutz. Kutuzov's troops inflicted defeat on the Napoleonic generals - I. Murat at Amstetten and E. Mortier near Dürenstein. Kutuzov suggested to the Russian and Austrian emperors that they withdraw their troops to the Russian border and, having waited for the main Austrian army from Italy, go on a counteroffensive against Napoleon's army. Alexander I and Franz II ignored Kutuzov's proposal and decided to launch an immediate attack on the French army, which was in the Brno region.

The plan for the development of the operation was entrusted to the quartermaster general of the Austrian headquarters F. Weyrother. The plan was developed without taking into account the enemy's flank maneuver, without the necessary reconnaissance and detailed information about the situation. In addition, the plan of the Austrian general assumed an outdated cordon strategy, which was opposed by Kutuzov.

On November 16, a vanguard battle took place at Vishau, in which the superior Russian forces easily overturned the French squadrons. Napoleon withdrew his troops behind the village of Austerlitz, left the dominant Pracen heights and, in fact, provoked an attack on him in an open field. In addition, reinforcements were sent to Napoleon, and total number the French army increased to 200 thousand people. However, the French emperor, fearing to frighten off the allied command, deployed no more than 73 thousand troops along the front.

November 20, 1805 at 8 o'clock in the morning began one of the largest and bloodiest battles in world history - Austerlitz.

The left flank of the allies was commanded by the Russian infantry general F. Buksgevden, which included infantry columns of generals D. Dokhturov, A. Lanzheron and I. Przhibyshevsky and Kinmayer. The Russian-Austrian units under the command of Kutuzov were located in the center, as part of the columns of generals I. Kolovrat and M. Miloradovich and M. Kamensky. The right flank was commanded by P. Bagration, which included the troops of the Austrian general Prince Liechtenstein and the cavalry guards of Lieutenant General F. Uvarov. The guards reserve, which included the allied emperors, was commanded by the brother of Alexander I, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich.

The allied troops, according to the Austrian plan of Weyrother, launched an offensive along the Skolnitz-Telnitz front, intending to cut off the French army's road to Vienna.

Napoleon deployed his troops in the center, directly opposite the Pracen Heights, hoping thereby to trap the Allied troops, whose main forces had shifted to the left flank against the stubbornly defending French troops under the command of Marshal Davout.

Napoleon's calculation turned out to be absolutely correct, and when the allied troops rushed to the right flank of the French, Napoleon with a swift blow wedged into the Russian center, crushing the ranks of the heroically defending Russian guards, and the main blow (about 50 thousand people) under the command of the French marshals Soult and Bernadotte, sent to capture the Pracen Heights. After success in the battle for the Pratzen Heights, the French troops hit the left flank of the Russian-Austrian army. General F.F. Buksgevden began the retreat of the Russian units on the ice of a frozen reservoir, and Napoleon ordered an artillery strike on the ice, as a result of which several thousand retreating were killed. The retreat of the Russian troops on the left flank, which were encircled under the onslaught of Davout's lancers, was saved by a counterattack of the Russian cavalry guards under the command of General Depreradovich, which allowed the retreating Russian troops to get out of the encirclement bag.

The right flank of General Bagration fought steadfastly and coolly repelled all enemy attacks, but was forced to retreat due to the swift maneuver of Murat's Napoleonic cavalry, who arrived in time on the left flank of the French troops.

The allied Russian-Austrian army suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to retreat. The allied emperors left the battlefield before the end of the battle. Kutuzov was wounded and accidentally escaped capture. On the night of November 21, the Russian army regrouped and advanced to Hedin.

Disputes of historians about the losses in the battle of Austerlitz continue to this day. The generally accepted loss of allied troops killed, wounded and captured is approx. 27 thousand people, including 6 thousand Austrians, as well as approx. 180 guns. Napoleon lost approx. 12 thousand people killed and wounded.

The defeat at Austerlitz had a huge military and political significance. The day after the defeat of the allies, the Austrian emperor Franz II concluded a truce with Napoleon and signed the Treaty of Pressburg, under which all Russian troops were withdrawn from the territory of Austria, and Austria itself left the Third Anti-Napoleonic Coalition.

The battle of Austerlitz confirmed the failure of the old military concept of cordon strategy and linear tactics of warfare, and showed the advantages of a completely new French military system under the command of the talented commander Napoleon Bonaparte.

(November 20, old style) in 1805 near Austerlitz (the modern Czech city of Slavkov u Brna) and entered modern historiography as the battle of three emperors, since the emperors of France, Russia and Austria personally took part in it - Napoleon I, Alexander I and Franz II.

By the end of November 1805, there was a sharp turning point in the course of military operations in the main theater of the war: the Russian-Austrian army under the command of General of Infantry Mikhail Golenishchev-Kutuzov slipped away from Napoleon’s blows, and the opponents were in a waiting position, grouping the main part of their forces: the allies at Olmutz (now the city of Olomouc in the Czech Republic) in a position convenient for defense, and the French near Brunn (now the city of Brno in the Czech Republic).

Kutuzov did not consider it expedient to give a general battle before the arrival of reinforcements from Russia and the concentration of scattered remnants of the Austrian troops. Moreover, the postponement of a decisive battle worsened the position of Napoleon, since during this time he could not receive significant reinforcements. Despite this, in the main apartment of the allied army, it was decided not to wait, but to act. The presence of Emperors Alexander I and Franz II in the army deprived Kutuzov of the necessary independence.

Alexander I, ignoring the opinion of Kutuzov, adopted the plan of the Austrian General Franz Weyrother, which provided for an offensive based on an outdated strategy without taking into account enemy maneuvers and sufficient data on the situation.

The plan called for three columns to strike the main blow on the right flank of the enemy and move north. The fourth column was supposed to advance through the Pracen heights to Kobelnitz, the fifth column was instructed to pin down the enemy, providing a bypass maneuver for the main forces.

Napoleon, who was informed in advance by intelligence about the plans of the allies, took up a position behind the Goldbach and Bozenitsky streams, planning to split the Russian-Austrian troops with a strike on the center, go to the flank and rear of the main grouping of the allies and destroy them separately.

On December 1 (November 19, old style), the allied army, having completed a 60-kilometer march in four days, took up positions on the Kovalovits - Pracen heights line.

By the beginning of the battle, the Russian-Austrian army, the backbone of which was Russian troops, had 81.5 thousand people and 350 guns, the French - 73 thousand people and 250 guns.

The battle began on December 2 (November 20, old style) at 7 o'clock in the morning with the advance of the Russian-Austrian troops. Bypassing columns of lieutenant generals Dmitry Dokhturov, Alexander Langeron and Ignatius Przhibyshevsky, deployed in two lines, under the command of General Fyodor Buksgevden attacked the right flank of the French army. The fourth column of allied troops under the command of Generals Johann Kolovrat and Mikhail Miloradovich advanced to the Pratsen Heights, which dominated the valley west of Austerlitz. The fifth column of General Johann Liechtenstein (Austrian cavalry) and the vanguard of the allied army under the command of Lieutenant General Pyotr Bagration covered the right flank of the allied army. The reserve (Russian guard) is located behind the heights.

The main forces of the allied army, meeting with the growing resistance of the approaching parts of the French corps of Marshal Louis Davout, occupied Telnits, Sokolnits and Sokolnitsky castle. To reinforce them, Alexander I ordered the column of Kolovrat-Miloradovich to leave the Pratsensky heights and follow to the main forces. Napoleon took advantage of this miscalculation - at 9 o'clock the corps of Marshal Nikola Soult attacked the Pracen Heights. The column of Kolovrat-Miloradovich, having suffered losses, retreated.

An attempt by the Russian guards and the Liechtenstein column to stop the French corps of Marshals Jean Bernadotte and Joachim Murat was also unsuccessful - by 11 o'clock the Pracen Heights were with the French. Having deployed 42 guns on them, the corps of Soult and Bernadotte attacked the rear and flank of the bypassing columns. French troops went on the offensive.

Unable to withstand the onslaught of the French, the Russian-Austrian troops began to withdraw along the entire front. The bypassing columns, drawn into the battle, were forced to retreat. They were surrounded and had to make their way through the French troops that had come out to their rear along the narrow passage between the lakes Monitz and Zachan, suffering heavy losses.

By the end of the day, the Allied forces retreated across the Litava River and the Rausnitz stream, losing 27 thousand people and 185 pieces of equipment. French losses amounted to over 12 thousand people.

The defeat was crushing. Austria was forced to conclude on January 7 (December 26, old style) in Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia) a difficult peace treaty for her with France. Russia withdrew troops to its territories. Thus, the third anti-French coalition fell apart.

Napoleon's victory in the battle of Austerlitz showed the advantages of the new military system of the French army - the tactics of columns combined with the loose formation of shooters - over the military system and linear tactics of the Russian-Austrian army. An important role was played in this by gross miscalculations in the organization of hostilities on the part of the allied army - poor intelligence, underestimation of the enemy's forces.

The skillful use of military cunning, the concentration of forces in the direction of the main attack (50 thousand out of 73 thousand people), the successful choice of the moment of attack led Napoleon I to one of the brightest victories in his life.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

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Battle of Austerlitz- the decisive battle of the Napoleonic army against the armies of the third anti-Napoleonic coalition, created by the European powers. The battle went down in history as the “battle of the three emperors”, since the armies of the emperors of Austrian Franz II and Russian Alexander I fought against the army of Emperor Napoleon I in this battle. This is one of the largest battles of the Napoleonic era. It happened on November 20 (December 2), 1805, near the Moravian town of Slavkov u Brna (now in the Czech Republic).

Forces and plans of the parties

The allied army consisted of approx. 85 thousand people (60 thousand Russian army, 25 thousand Austrian army with 278 guns) under the general command of General M. I. Kutuzov. Napoleon's army numbered 73.5 thousand people. Demonstration of superior forces, Napoleon was afraid to scare the allies. In addition, foreseeing the development of events, he believed that these forces would be sufficient for victory. On the night of December 2, 1805, the allied troops prepared for battle in this order:

The first three Russian columns of lieutenant generals D.S. Dokhturov, A.F. Lanzheron and I.Ya. Przhibyshevsky formed the left wing under the general command of Infantry General F.F. The 4th Russian-Austrian column of lieutenant generals I.K. Kolovrat and M.A. Miloradovich is a center directly subordinated to Kutuzov. The 5th column of Lieutenant General P.I. Bagration (13 thousand people) and the Austrian prince I. Liechtenstein (4600 people) made up the right wing, commanded by Bagration. The Guards Reserve was located behind the 4th column (3500 people) and was commanded by Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. The Austrian and Russian emperors were with the 4th column. The battle plan, proposed by the Austrian general Weyrother, consisted of bypassing the French army with the left wing, on which there was up to half of the entire allied army. Weyrother defined the size of the French army as no more than 40 thousand people, spoke extremely low of Napoleon's leadership qualities and did not provide for any retaliatory actions on his part. Kutuzov, who did not agree with Weyrother's plan, did not offer his own plan of attack, being well aware of the size of the French army pursuing him. At the same time, Kutuzov did not submit his resignation to the tsar, thus sharing the responsibility for the defeat with Alexander and Weyrother.

The course of the battle

Battle map

Napoleon was aware that the actual command of the allied army did not belong to Kutuzov, but to Alexander, who was inclined to accept the plans of the Austrian generals. The allied army that launched the offensive fell into the trap that Napoleon carried out: He guessed that the Austrian command would seek to cut it off from the road to Vienna and from the Danube in order to encircle or drive it to the north, into the mountains, and for this it would undertake a wide bypass movement with the left wing against the right flank of the French army, in which the front of the allied army will inevitably have to stretch. Napoleon concentrated his troops in the center, against the Pracen Heights, giving the Austrian command the appearance of the possibility of a quick encirclement of his army, and at the same time preparing his troops for a swift strike on the center of the allies. The offensive of the French troops on the Pracen Heights began at 9 o'clock in the afternoon, when the left wing of the Allies, which had begun a flank movement at dusk, according to Napoleon, was sufficiently far from the center. The small center of the Russian army, which consisted of one Guard (3,500 people), providing heroic resistance to the French troops and turning them to flight with counterattacks, had no other choice but to retreat under the onslaught of the main forces of the French army (St. 50 thousand people were sent to the Pracen Heights ). After occupying the Pracen Heights, Napoleon directed the attack of the main forces on the left wing of the allies, which turned out to be engulfed from the front and rear. Only then, the commander of the left wing of the allies, F. Buksgevden, seeing the general picture of the battle, began to retreat. Part of his troops was thrown back to the ponds and was forced to retreat along frozen ice. Napoleon, noticing this movement, ordered to hit the balls on the ice. However, as later studies of French historians showed, during this retreat, from 800 to 1000 people drowned in ponds and died from artillery fire, while Napoleon spoke in a victory bulletin about 20,000 drowned. The right wing of the allied army under the command of Bagration, who clearly and calmly controlled his troops, putting up stiff resistance, was also forced to retreat after Napoleon sent his left wing and Murat's cavalry against him to help him. Emperors Alexander and Franz fled from the battlefield long before the end of the battle. Alexander trembled and wept, losing his composure. His flight continued in the following days. The wounded Kutuzov barely escaped captivity.

Results and significance of Austerlitz

Allied troops lost up to 27 thousand people, and most of the 21 thousand were Russians. The losses of the French, according to various sources, amounted to 9-12 thousand people. After this battle, the Austrian emperor Franz told Alexander that it was pointless to continue the fight. The result of the battle was the exit from the war of Austria and the collapse of the Third Anti-French Coalition of European Powers. Russia continued the war with France as part of the Fourth Coalition.

The defeat at Austerlitz made a great impression on the Russian public, who considered the Russian army invincible since the battle of Narva, but did not cause a decline in spirit in the Russian army and people.

The battle of Austerlitz in popular historical literature is often regarded as an example of a battle that led to the complete defeat of the enemy. In fact, this battle, certainly one of the most outstanding fought by Napoleon, is an example of the opposite. After the defeat that the allied army suffered at all points, the bulk of the Russian troops (about 50 thousand people), under pressure and shelling, managed to retreat in an organized manner, taking with them more than half of the artillery and formed the basis of the troops fighting at Preussisch-Eylau. The French, having won, found themselves in a position not very favorable for the pursuit and development of success against a retreating, but numerous and fierce enemy.

Often called the "battle of the three emperors": Napoleon, Alexander I and Franz II of Austria. Russia and the Habsburg monarchy united against France in the framework of the third coalition (the tradition of anti-French alliances developed after the events great revolution when the power of the Bourbon monarchy was overthrown). London also acted against Paris, although the British had nothing to do with the Austerlitz events.

the day before

Alexander was provoked to war by the whole of St. Petersburg and personally by his chief adviser, Adam Czartoryzhsky. The emperor decided to personally lead the army. Austria joined the coalition against France because of Napoleon's plans to partition Italy and Germany. Alexander had a deep personal dislike for Napoleon. On the eve of the war in France, the Duke of Enghien was shot. Russia protested against the shedding of Bourbon blood. In response, Napoleon wrote a letter to Alexander, in which he transparently hinted at his guilt in the murder of his own father, Paul, during the palace coup of 1801.

In August 1805, Bonaparte began to transfer his Grand Army from the English Channel coast deep into German lands. The Austrians were already active in Bavaria. Soon they suffered several episodic defeats (although the general battle had not yet taken place). On October 15, Napoleon entered Vienna without resistance from the Austrians. On the eve of Franz evacuated from the capital, hoping to have time to connect with the Russian Tsar and together strike at a common enemy. The Battle of Austerlitz was drawing near.

Capture of the Danube bridge

The French were in a hurry to give a general battle, trying to defeat the coalition until Prussia entered it. After the capture of Vienna great army occupied the only bridge across the Danube, which the Austrians did not destroy during the evacuation. This path opened a direct road to the location of the Russian army. The year of the Battle of Austerlitz was generally extremely happy for Napoleon - he was helped not only by his own talents, but also by blind luck.

Although formally the Russian army was led by Alexander Pavlovich, Mikhail Kutuzov also influenced the decisions. The king dreamed of defeating the "Corsican monster", everywhere he took the initiative, but he lacked the knowledge of a professional military man. Because of this, there were regular conflicts between Kutuzov (a student of the legendary Suvorov) and Alexander.

Kutuzov evacuation

The Battle of Austerlitz took place in, as already mentioned, 1805 and took place for the Russian army in an atmosphere of nervousness and suspicion that the Austrians had deliberately surrendered the Danube bridge and were already preparing to go over to the side of the French. Kutuzov had 45 thousand people at his disposal, Napoleon had almost 100 thousand. Having learned about the rapid approach of the enemy, the commander-in-chief ordered to move away from Krems towards the positions south of Olmutz.

On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, the Russian army had already lost 12,000 men. These forces ended up in the rearguard, which rushed to block the path to the main forces for the Napoleonic army. While the doomed regiments held back the French advance, Kutuzov was able to carry out an organized retreat of the remaining army in an extremely short time. Although the soldiers were exhausted even before the general battle, the commander-in-chief managed to save the main Russian forces from shameful surrender. As a result, Kutuzov nevertheless broke through to Olmutz, where at that time the headquarters of two emperors was located: Alexander I and Franz II.

coalition forces

The memorable battle of Austerlitz took place under the following conditions. Guards and other additional reinforcements have just arrived in Europe from Russia. Together with the forces that Kutuzov evacuated, about 75 thousand people were at the disposal of Alexander I.

The Austrian army of Franz II was much smaller. It numbered 15 thousand people. This was due to two circumstances. First, Napoleon had already defeated one Austrian army before he even entered Vienna. Secondly, another, well-equipped and larger Habsburg army at the same time was fighting hard in the Venetian region, where it was opposed by forces under the command of Marshal Massena (Napoleon instructed him to clear the north-east of Italy from the enemy).

The dispute between Kutuzov and Alexander I

At best, the Allies had a 90,000-strong army, which was facing the battle of Austerlitz. The date of the general battle has not yet been determined. The Russian-Austrian regiments could still retreat. Kutuzov insisted on this plan. He understood that not all the exhausted soldiers who were listed with the emperor on paper were ready to fight a well-trained enemy that minute.

Kutuzov feared a general battle. He wanted to continue the retreat to the east, begun after the French had crossed the Danube. The commander-in-chief relied on prolonging the war. He was going to give Prussia time to decide to join the third coalition, but faced serious resistance from his own sovereign. Alexander did not want to endure the approaching battle.

The tsar, in his desire to immediately give battle to the French, was supported by all the guards that had just arrived from Russia. The sovereign had personal favorites, such as, for example, the prince and adjutant general Pyotr Dolgorukov, who was approached precisely because he shared a similar point of view. Alexander Pavlovich considered it shameful to run from Napoleon and hide from him in the open spaces of poor mountainous Moravia. He was filled with pride. Kutuzov thought coldly and sensibly, but he could not influence the final decision of the king.

Bonaparte's trick

Meanwhile, Napoleon, who was pursuing Kutuzov, also stopped near Olmutz, in a place called Brunn. He was afraid of only one thing: lest Alexander I drag out the war and go east. Bonaparte was far from his native France. Moreover, he knew that Prussian Prime Minister Christian von Haugwitz was coming to him with an ultimatum. Therefore, Napoleon was so eager for a general battle: the battle of Austerlitz was supposed to immediately end the war with the third coalition.

To achieve his goal, the French emperor connected all the acting and diplomatic talent. He was able to foresee what was going on in the Russian headquarters in those decisive days. As a result, Napoleon played against the wise Kutuzov and, on the contrary, began to incite Alexander Pavlovich to a denouement.

Bonaparte skillfully pretended that he was weakened, frightened and most of all afraid of the upcoming battle. First of all, he inspired the Russian headquarters that now was the best time to attack his army. To do this, Napoleon ordered his outposts to retreat. He also sent a parliamentarian to Alexander in the person of Adjutant General Savary. He was supposed to offer a truce, ask for a personal meeting between the Russian tsar and the French emperor. If Alexander had refused him, then there would have been a proposal to send to Napoleon himself confidant. All these cunning diplomatic tricks led to the fact that the battle of Austerlitz in 1805 did take place.

Recent negotiations

When Savary arrived at the Russian headquarters, real rejoicing began there. The military received confirmation that Napoleon had chickened out and was close to his most terrible defeat. Until that moment, the great French commander had never behaved in such a way - was this not the main evidence of his predicament?

Kutuzov, who warned the tsar about the danger, was refuted and disgraced. Alexander did not meet with Napoleon personally, but sent the already mentioned Dolgorukov to him. At the negotiations, the prince behaved impressively, adamantly and arrogantly. Subsequently (already after the victory), Napoleon mocked the self-confident Dolgoruky for a long time, recalling that the parliamentarian behaved with him as "with a boyar who was threatened with exile in Siberia."

At the negotiations, Bonaparte again pretended to be upset and embarrassed. At the same time, he did not overplay and did not agree to the abandonment of Italy and some other areas (such were the terms of the peace transmitted by Dolgorukov). But even this did not weaken the impression of the timidity and uncertainty of the French emperor. Soon Dolgorukov returned to Alexander Pavlovich and joyfully reported that Napoleon, more than ever, was vulnerable. Then the Russian tsar accepted final decision give the enemy a fight. He hoped that many years later, the descendants would remember in what year the battle of Austerlitz took place (it happened, but it was remembered as a triumph not of Alexander, but of Napoleon).

The course of the battle

On December 2, 1805, on the first anniversary of Napoleon's coronation, the armies of the three emperors met near the Moravian town of Austerlitz. The idea of ​​the French was simple. First, they left the Pracen heights to the Russian-Austrian army, and then concentrated their own divisions in front of them. The location of the commanders was as follows: Soult was in the center, Davout controlled the right flank. Murat and Lannes stood on the left. It was supposed to inspire the enemy with the idea of ​​cutting off the French army from the Vienna road, after which the French could bypass the enemy from the right flank.

The Battle of Austerlitz went exactly according to Napoleon's tactical plan. He stormed the heights, wedged into the very core of the thinned Austro-Russian army, dismembered it and crushed the weakest flank. The Battle of Austerlitz began at 7 am at sunrise and ended at 6 pm, when darkness fell, with the defeat of Alexander and Franz.

Russian troops were pressed against the half-frozen ponds. Retreating, many soldiers drowned or died from French buckshot. Entire regiments were destroyed, others capitulated and surrendered. In a tough battle with the Napoleonic grenadiers, the Russian cavalry guards were almost completely exterminated. The French marshals marveled at the bravery of Alexander's soldiers and the ignorance of his gallant generals. For example, Fyodor Buksgevden, who commanded 22 squadrons of cavalry and 29 infantry battalions, spent the entire battle fiddling around in the third-rate battlefield, where he was held by a small enemy detachment, instead of helping the main Russian army, which was dying in the heat of battle. When the infantry general finally began to rebuild, he did it so clumsily that it was his soldiers who fell into impenetrable ponds. Napoleon, drawing attention to the maneuver of the enemy, gave the order to fire cannonballs on the ice.

Triumph and tragedy

Alexander and Franz fled the battlefield before the final disaster occurred. The retinue of monarchs abandoned them, and they themselves lost sight of each other after their horses rushed into different sides. Kutuzov was wounded and almost captured.

The decisive battle of the War of the Third Coalition is most often compared to the Battle of Cannae and the Battle of Gaugamela as one of the most striking examples of an unconditional victory over an enemy who had superior numbers. Russians and Austrians lost about 27 thousand people, 180 guns and 40 banners.

The coalition army threw a huge convoy, provisions and artillery. In the evening, the victorious Napoleon rode across a plain strewn with corpses. He was surrounded by enthusiastic soldiers, retinue, adjutants. Everyone joyfully greeted their emperor. The French, out of 80,000 men, lost less than 9,000.

Franz, on whose territory the battle took place, immediately after the flight told Alexander that he was not able to continue the fight. The Russian Tsar agreed with this. Soon Napoleon personally met Habsburg in his camp near Austerlitz. The date was polite. The winner demanded that the Russian troops immediately leave Austria. Franz agreed to all demands. The Battle of Austerlitz haunted neither the Austrians nor the Russian military for years. When Napoleon fought in Russia in 1812, many people who served in the army not only liberated their homeland from the enemy, but also took revenge on the French for the defeat at Austerlitz, which became best known to posterity from Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.

Effects

The main political outcome of the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 was the signing of the Peace of Pressburg. Charles Talleyrand asked Napoleon to be more modest in his demands, but the victor deprived Austria of Venice, Dalmatia and Istria. These provinces passed to the Italian kingdom (its ruler was Bonaparte himself). Austria also gave Swabia to the Elector of Württemberg, and Tyrol to Bavaria. Habsburg paid an indemnity of 8 million florins in cash and 32 million through promissory notes.

The Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 consolidated the hegemony of Napoleon's empire in Europe. The victory allowed him to take the Kingdom of Naples from the Bourbons (which, unfortunately, joined the third coalition). Bonaparte also freely engaged in a new dismemberment and redrawing of the map of a split Germany. When the battle of Austerlitz became a fait accompli, numerous German sovereigns entered the Confederation of the Rhine, subject to France. Napoleon was recognized as the protector of this entity with its capital at Frankfurt. In 1806 Franz renounced the title of Holy Roman Emperor. The thousand-year history of this state has remained in the past.