Tell about Napoleonic Wars ?

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The Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts that took place at the start of the 19th century, when Napoleon led the new French republic into battle against a revolving opposition of allied European states.

Driven by revolutionary zeal and militaristic ingenuity, Napoleon oversaw a period of intense warfare against six coalitions, proving his leadership and strategic acumen time and time again, before finally succumbing to defeat, and abdication, in 1815. Here are 10 facts about the conflicts.

Napoleon Bonaparte was the central, and defining, figure of the Napoleonic Wars. They are typically considered to have commenced in 1803, by which time Napoleon had been First Consul of the French Republic for four years.

Napoleon’s leadership brought stability and military confidence to France in the aftermath of the revolution and his combative leadership style undoubtedly shaped the conflicts that came to constitute the Napoleonic Wars.

Without the French Revolution the Napoleonic Wars would never have happened. The ramifications of the revolt’s violent social upheaval extended far beyond France’s borders, triggering other conflicts across the globe that became known as the “Revolutionary Wars”.

Neighbouring powers viewed France’s revolution as a threat to established monarchies and, anticipating intervention, the new republic declared war on Austria and Prussia. Napoleon’s ascent through the French military was undoubtedly driven by the increasingly influential role he played in the Revolutionary Wars.

This was the date that Britain declared war on France, ending the short-lived Treaty of Amiens (which had brought a year of peace to Europe) and sparking what became known as the War of the Third Coalition — the first Napoleonic War.

The escalating agitation that prompted Britain to declare war on France in 1803 was entirely justified. Napoleon was already planning an invasion of Britain, a campaign he intended to fund with the 68 million Francs the United States had just paid France for the Louisiana Purchase.

The Napoleonic Wars are typically separated out into five conflicts, each named after the alliance of nations that fought France: The Third Coalition (1803-06), the Fourth Coalition (1806-07), the Fifth Coalition (1809), the Sixth Coalition (1813) and the Seventh Coalition (1815).

The Third Coalition was composed of the Holy Roman Empire, Russia, Britain, Sweden, Naples and Sicily.

The Fourth included Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Saxony and Sicily.

The Fifth was Austria, Britain, Tyrol, Hungary, Spain, Sicily and Sardinia.

Napoleon’s reputation as a brilliant and innovative battlefield strategist was already established when the Napoleonic Wars commenced, and his brutally effective tactics were showcased throughout the ensuing conflicts. He was undoubtedly one of the most effective and influential generals in history and most historians agree that his tactics changed warfare forever.

Napoleon’s battlefield ingenuity, Britain consistently managed to present a sturdy opposition force during the Napoleonic Wars. This owed a lot to Britain’s formidable naval fleet, which was substantial enough to allow the UK to continue its international trade and empire building, pretty much untroubled by the threat of an invasion from across the Channel.

Inevitably, power struggles in Europe had an impact on the global stage. The War of 1812 is a good example. The simmering tensions that eventually sparked this conflict between the US and Britain were, to a large extent, caused by Britain’s ongoing war with France, a situation that began to seriously impact on America’s ability to trade with either France or Britain.

Napoleon was sent to the Mediterranean island of Elba. But his exile lasted less than a year. After escaping Elba, Napoleon led 1,500 men to Paris, arriving in the French capital on 20 March 1815. This began the so-called “Hundred Days”, a brief but dramatic period that saw Napoleon seize back power before entering into a series of battles with allied forces.

The period concluded on 22 June when Napoleon abdicated for a second time following France’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

Due to the Napoleonic Wars, the capital of Portugal was moved from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro for thirteen years.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the English Navy inflicted over 3 times as many casualties on the French Navy than the French Navy inflicted on the English Navy, in part because French gun crews fired high to disable enemy masts & rigging while English gun crews fired low into enemy gun crews & hulls.

The phrase “Die Hard” was coined in 1811 by an English officer during a battle in the Napoleonic Wars. He was wounded but refused to leave the field, telling his outnumbered regiment to “die hard” against the French troops.

The woods oldest grape vine is 500 years old and found in Slovenia. It has survived Napoleonic wars, WW1, and bombing by the Nazis in WW2. It still produces 35-55kg of grapes and 100 bottles (250 ML each) of wine are produced each year.

After the Napoleonic Wars, a tobacco merchant named Joseph Williamson paid people in Edge hill, Liverpool to dig miles-long tunnels underground. The tunnels served no purpose, and he did so only to provide employment

During the Napoleonic wars, a French ship wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor, a monkey, was denounced as a spy after an impromptu trial and hanged.

The War of 1812 is only seen as a war in its own right by Canada and the United States, in Europe it is seen as a theater of the Napoleonic wars.