French invasion of Russia, 1812

French invasion of Russia

On 24 June 1812 Napoleon’s Grande Armée crossed the Neman at Kovno and invaded the Russian Empire (in Russia the war is known as the Patriotic War of 1812). Six months later only scattered remnants of it were left: the war ended with the almost complete destruction of Napoleon’s army.

Date

24 June – 14 December 1812exact date · duration: ≈ 6 months

Place

Kovnotoday: Kaunas, Lithuania · Eastern Europe

Route

Kovno → Vilna → Vitebsk → Smolensk → Borodino → Moscow → Maloyaroslavets → Smolensk → Studzianka (Berezina crossing) → Vilna → Kovno

Participants

First French Empire, Grande Armée, Russian Empire, Napoleon I, Alexander I, Mikhail Kutuzov, Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, Pyotr Bagration

Threads

French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, Russia at the turn of the 19th century

Also known as

Русская кампания 1812 года; Нашествие Наполеона на Россию; Campagne de Russie

The causes of the war included Russia’s refusal to actively support the Continental System and Napoleon’s policy in Europe, which disregarded Russian interests. The Russian armies of Barclay de Tolly and Bagration retreated and joined forces at Smolensk; Mikhail Kutuzov, appointed commander-in-chief, gave battle at Borodino, after which Moscow was abandoned and burned.

Having failed to obtain peace, Napoleon left Moscow in October; after the battle of Maloyaroslavets his army retreated along the devastated Smolensk road, suffering from hunger, frost and attacks by Cossacks and partisans. At the Berezina it finally ceased to be an effective fighting force, and on 14 December its last units recrossed the Neman (dates are New Style; in the Old Style, 12 June and 2 December).

Connections

Causes and preconditions

Continental System21 November 1806 – 11 April 1814 · Western and Central EuropeRussia’s refusal to actively support the blockade was one of the causes of the war

Consequences

Battle of Leipzig4 (16) October 1813 – 7 (19) October 1813 · Western and Central EuropeThe destruction of the Grande Armée in Russia opened the way to the War of the Sixth Coalition

Includes

Battle of Borodino26 August (7 September) 1812 · Eastern Europe

Fire of Moscow (1812)2 (14) September 1812 – 6 (18) September 1812 · Eastern Europe

Battle of the Berezina14 (26) November 1812 – 17 (29) November 1812 · Eastern Europe

Related events

Treaty of Bucharest16 (28) May 1812 · Balkans and Anatoliathe peace freed the Army of the Danube on the eve of Napoleon’s invasion

Treaty of Gulistan12 (24) October 1813 · Middle East and Egyptafter Napoleon’s invasion Britain became Russia’s ally and mediated the peace between Russia and Persia

Same participants

Finnish War9 (21) February 1808 – 5 (17) September 1809 · Western and Central Europevia Alexander I

Battle of Paris18 (30) March 1814 – 19 (31) March 1814 · Western and Central Europevia Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly

Meanwhile in the world

Other regions, within a year of this event

Western and Central Europe

Battle of Leipzig4 (16) October 1813 – 7 (19) October 1813
Peninsular War2 May 1808 – 17 April 1814
Continental System21 November 1806 – 11 April 1814

Balkans and Anatolia

Treaty of Bucharest16 (28) May 1812
First Serbian Uprising14 February 1804 – 7 October 1813

Middle East and Egypt

Treaty of Gulistan12 (24) October 1813

Southeast Asia and Oceania

British conquest of Java4 August – 18 September 1811

North America

Founding of Fort RossMarch – 30 August (11 September) 1812
War of 181218 June 1812 – 17 February 1815