Battle of Wagram

The Battle of Wagram was a massive military conflict during the Napoleonic Wars. It occurred on July 5 and 6, 1809. This engagement was a decisive victory for Emperor Napoleon of France. He led a combined army of French, German, and Italian soldiers. His opponents were the Austrian Empire forces. These troops were commanded by Archduke Charles of Austria-Teschen. At that time, Wagram was the largest battle ever fought in European history.

The war began because the French military position had become weakened. Napoleon was busy fighting a difficult war in Spain. This situation allowed the Austrian Empire to attempt a recovery of its influence. The Austrians invaded the Kingdom of Bavaria, which was an ally of France. Napoleon responded by occupying the city of Vienna in early May 1809. However, Archduke Charles managed to save his army. He retreated north of the Danube River to continue the fight.

Before the main battle, Napoleon suffered a surprise defeat at Aspern-Essling. He spent six weeks preparing a new offensive. He gathered a massive force of over 150,000 men near Vienna.

On the night of July 4, Napoleon moved his troops across the Danube. The Austrian army was waiting with over 130,000 men. The Austrians held a strong position in a wide semicircle. On the first evening, the French launched several attacks. Some French units saw initial success, but the Austrian defenders eventually regained control.

The second day of battle brought intense combat and complex maneuvers. At dawn, Archduke Charles launched attacks across the entire Austrian line. He attempted a tactic called a double envelopment to surround the French. This offensive nearly broke Napoleon's left wing. The Emperor responded by ordering a cavalry charge. The Austrian soldiers used a tightly packed column formation known as a mass or square. This formation helped them hold off the cavalry, but it slowed the Austrian advance.

Napoleon then used his artillery to change the course of the battle. He established a grand battery of cannons to pound the Austrian center and right. The Austrians used "lie down" tactics to try and reduce their losses from the heavy fire. In one specific moment, an Austrian battalion took cover in a drainage ditch near the village of Deutsch-Wagram. When French columns marched toward them, the well-drilled soldiers rose up to fire a close-range volley.

The tide turned as Napoleon used his superior numbers to push forward. Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout led an offensive that turned the Austrian left. Although General Macdonald's attack failed, the Austrian position became untenable. By mid-afternoon on July 6, Archduke Charles admitted defeat. He led his troops in a retreat toward Bohemia.

The battle was extremely bloody for the 300,000 men involved. This was largely due to the extensive use of artillery on the flat battlefield.

The consequences of the battle were significant for all of Europe. The defeat shattered the morale of the Austrian Empire. This led to the Treaty of Schönbrunn. Under this treaty, Austria lost one sixth of its subjects and several territories. This made the empire landlocked until the German Campaign of 1813.

Napoleon also rewarded his Chief of Staff, Louis-Alexandre Berthier. He gave him the title of 1st Prince of Wagram. This made Berthier an official member of the French nobility and allowed his descendants to carry the title.