The Age of the French

April 20, 1792

On April 20, 1792, France declared war on Austria, marking the beginning of the War of the First Coalition. At the time, France was governed by the Legislative Assembly and aimed to expand its revolutionary ideals. They also sought to address perceived threats proactively, because they had seen what happened to other countries, such as during the Batavian Revolution.

September 2, 1792

On September 2, 1792, Prussian forces took control of Verdun. This event disheartened the French and opened a direct route to Paris. It also sparked the September massacres in the city.

September 22, 1792

After the victory at Valmy, the National Convention announced the end of the monarchy and set up the French Republic on September 22, 1792.

February 1, 1793

On February 1st, 1793, a declaration of war was issued by France to attack the Dutch Republic. On the 17th of February, General Dumouriez attacked the Netherlands and was able to capture Breda. However, he lost at Neerwinden, and the Dutch Republic was able to exist for two more years.

Winter of 1794/1795
Tensions rose after patriotic movements sparked feelings of inequality and dissatisfaction with governance. In France, Enlightenment ideas and democratic principles gained traction, leading to further revolutions. This culminated in the Revolutionary Wars and eventually Napoleon's rule over Europe.

June 26, 1794

General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan led French forces to an important victory over the Austrian army, gaining control of Belgium. The success at Fleurus was key to establishing French strategic dominance in the area.

January 19, 1795

On January 19, 1795, the new Batavian Republic was proclaimed, ending the Dutch Republic. The Stadtholder William V fled to England on January 18, and a new government was installed with republican principles, inspired by the French Revolution.

October 18, 1797

Napoleon's successful campaign in Italy led Austria to consider peace negotiations. On October 18, 1797, they signed the Treaty of Campo Formio. This agreement recognized France's new territories, such as Belgium, parts of Italy, and the left bank of the Rhine. In return, Austria got Venice. The treaty signalled the end of the War of the First Coalition.

May, 1798

In May 1798, the new Constitution was adopted, which was based on the principles of democracy and centralization. This constitution diminished the independence of the provinces, as it provided for a more unified state structure. This shift marked the beginning of the end of the feudal structures like the manor system. Also, it gave more room for ordinary civilians to make one's voice heard, although most of the power still lay with the richer people.

August 1 and 2, 1798

On August 1 and 2, 1798, the British Royal Navy, under Admiral Horatio Nelson, clashed with the French fleet at Aboukir Bay. They emerged victorious, destroying most of the French ships and leaving Napoleon's army stranded in Egypt.

March 21, 1799

The Austrian army, led by Archduke Charles, clashed with General Jourdan's French Army of the Danube on March 21, 1799. Thanks to their greater numbers and better tactics, the Austrians pushed the French into a retreat.

April 27, 1799

On April 27, 1799, General Alexander Suvorov led Russian and Austrian troops to victory over the French at Cassano in Italy. This win forced the French to retreat and resulted in France losing substantial ground in Italy.

August 15, 1799

On August 15, 1799, coalition forces, mainly Russian and Austrian troops under Suvorov's command, defeated the French in Northern Italy. This victory pushed the French to retreat further, causing them to lose their stronghold in the region.

June 14, 1800

After returning from Egypt and seizing power in France, Napoleon launched a surprise campaign into Northern Italy on June 14, 1800. His forces encountered the Austrians under General Melas, who at first outmanoeuvred them. However, with timely reinforcements and determined counterattacks, Napoleon managed to defeat the Austrian forces. This victory solidified his power and allowed France to regain control of Northern Italy.

February 5, 1801

Following the Battle of Hohenlinden, Austria had to start peace negotiations with France. They signed a treaty on February 5, 1801, which ended their conflict. Austria acknowledged France's new territories, including the Rhineland, Belgium, and some regions of Italy.

February 25, 1803

On February 25, 1803, the Final Recess of the Imperial Deputation was declared. This decree reshaped the German states by redistributing territories. Many smaller principalities, free imperial cities, and secular principalities were secularized and absorbed by larger neighbouring states. The County of Bentheim and became part of the Kingdom of Hanover and The Prince-Bishopric of Münster became part of the Kingdom of Prussia.

November 21, 1805

On November 21, 1805, the British Royal Navy and the Franco-Spanish fleet engaged in a battle near Cape Trafalgar, off the southwest coast of Spain. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for Britain and thwarted Napoleon's plans to invade Britain.

December 26, 1805

The Treaty of Pressburg was signed on December 26, 1805, after the Austrian and Russian forces were defeated by the French Empire, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, in the Battle of Austerlitz. As a result of the treaty, Austria lost some of its territories and was significantly weakened. Additionally, the Holy Roman Empire lost its influence over Italy and power over Europe.

July 12, 1806

On July 12, 1806 the Confederation of the Rhine was formally established by signing the treaty in Paris. It consisted of 16 German states that withdrew from the Holy Roman Empire and became allies of Napoleon Bonaparte.

June 14, 1807

On June 14, 1807, there was a battle near the town of Friedland between the French army and the Russian forces. The French emerged victorious once again, defeating the Russian army led by Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Following this defeat, the Tsar sought peace between Russia and France, which led to the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit and the creation of a new alliance between the two countries.

June 5, 1809

The Battle of Wagram was fought on July 5-6, 1809, near the village of Wagram between the French and Austrian armies. It was one of the deadliest battles of the Napoleonic Wars. Even though Napoleon emerged victorious, his army suffered heavy losses as well.

June 24, 1812

On June 24, 1812 the army of France led by Napoleon started their Russian campaign and invaded the country. From the start they had an enormous success, due to their large army and scorched earth strategy, forcing the Russian army to retreat deeper into Russia.

October 16, 1813

The Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of Nations, was fought from October 16th to 19th in 1813 near the city of Leipzig. After the retreat of the French army from Russia, a new coalition was formed, consisting of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden, to defeat the French. This battle marked a crucial turning point in the Napoleonic Wars as the coalition emerged victorious, forcing the French army to retreat back to France and losing power in Germany and Poland.

March 31, 1814

After the Battle of Leipzig, the French army led by Napoleon was pushed back into France. The coalition, consisting of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden, advanced towards the French capital of Paris. The French forces were outnumbered and defeated, leading to the capture and surrender of Paris by the coalition on March 31st, 1814.

April 11, 1814

The Treaty of Fontainebleau (Treaty of Paris) was signed on April 11, 1814, and marked the end of Napoleon's reign as the Emperor of France. The treaty was an agreement between Napoleon and the allies, which included Austria, Russia, and Prussia. As part of the agreement, the Bourbon family with Louis XVIII was restored to the throne.

June 9, 1815

On June 9, 1815, the Congress of Vienna signed its final act, which played a crucial role in establishing a lasting peace and redrawing the map of Europe. As part of the agreement, France was restored to its 1792 borders, while the Austrian Netherlands, Dutch Republic, and former Prince-Bishopric of Liège were unified to form the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) was also created as a replacement for the Holy Roman Empire, which had been dissolved. Additionally, Prussia gained significant territories, Austria was compensated with Lombardy and Venetia, regained control of Tyrol and Salzburg, and various Italian states were resolved. Poland was reconstructed as an independent kingdom, although it remained under Russian influence. Lastly, the Scandinavian borders were redrawn, and Norway entered into a union with Sweden.

June 22, 1815

On June 22, 1815, Napoleon abdicated for the second time. He wanted his son, Napoleon II, to succeed him, but instead the Bourbons were reinstated to the throne. Napoleon was then exiled to Saint Helena.