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French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars facts for kids

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"Coalition Wars" redirects here. For the general concept of coalitions of co-belligerents, see coalition war.
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French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (including the Coalition Wars)
Siege of Toulon (1793) Battle of Arcole Battle of the Pyramids Battle of Marengo Battle of Trafalgar Battle of Austerlitz Fall of Berlin (1806) Battle of Wagram Battle of Leipzig Battle of Paris (1814) Battle of WaterlooCoalition wars

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Left to right, top to bottom:
Battles of Toulon, Arcole, the Pyramids, Marengo, Trafalgar, Austerlitz, Berlin, Wagram, Leipzig, Paris, Waterloo
Date 20 April 1792 — 20 November 1815
(23 years and 7 months)
Location
Europe, overseas colonies of European states
Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
French First Republic French First Republic (1792–1804)
First French Empire First French Empire (1804–1815)
French client states		 Main European powers:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Great Britain
 Holy Roman Empire (pre-1806)
 Austrian Empire (from 1804)
 Kingdom of Prussia
 Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
First French Empire Napoleon Surrendered (until 1815)
French First Republic Jacques Pierre Brissot Executed (until 1793)
French First Republic Maximilien Robespierre Executed (until 1794)
French First Republic Paul Barras (until 1799)		 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland George III
Austrian Empire Francis I
Kingdom of Prussia Frederick William II #
Kingdom of Prussia Frederick William III
Russian Empire Paul I #
Russian Empire Alexander I
Casualties and losses
French:
1,000,000 dead, wounded, missing, captured, or deserted (1792–1801)
306,000 killed (1805–15)		 Austrian:
514,700 killed, wounded, or captured (1792–97)
440,000 killed, wounded, or captured (1799–1801)
396,000 killed in action (1805–15)
Prussians:
154,000 killed in action
Russians:
299,000 killed in action
War of the Fourth Coalition:
700,000 deaths
War of the Fifth Coalition:
300,000 deaths
Peninsular War:
2,400,000 deaths
War of the Sixth Coalition:
450,000 deaths
War of the Seventh Coalition:
60,000 deaths

The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars were a long series of major conflicts in Europe. They lasted for over 20 years, from 1792 to 1815. These wars involved France and many other European countries.

At first, the wars were against the new French Republic. Later, from 1803, they were against Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a powerful military leader who became Emperor of France.

A big part of these conflicts were the Coalition Wars. These were seven specific wars where different groups of European powers, called Coalitions, teamed up against France.

Not every war during this time was a "Coalition War." For example, the French invasion of Russia in 1812 and the Peninsular War (1807–1814) are not counted as Coalition Wars. This is because they didn't involve a large group of countries forming a specific "Coalition" against France at that exact moment.

Understanding the Wars

What are Coalition Wars?

The term "Coalition Wars" describes times when several major European countries joined forces. They formed alliances, or "coalitions," to fight against France. These wars were a key part of the larger French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

The idea of calling them "Coalition Wars" started around 1803. People began to number them, like the "Third Coalition War." This helped to keep track of the different alliances that formed.

How are these wars different?

It's helpful to know how these wars fit into history.

  • The French Revolutionary Wars were from 1792 to 1799. They happened when France was a republic after its revolution.
  • The Napoleonic Wars generally refer to wars from 1799 to 1815. These were when Napoleon was in charge of France.

The Coalition Wars are a specific set of conflicts within these two periods. They focus on when countries actively formed alliances against France.

Hundred Days War of the Sixth Coalition War of the Fifth Coalition War of the Fourth Coalition War of the Third Coalition War of the Second Coalition War of the First Coalition Congress of Vienna Treaty of Schönbrunn Continental System Concordat of 1801 Treaty of Campo Formio Execution of Louis XVI Bourbon Restoration Treaties of Tilsit Coronation of Napoleon I Treaty of Amiens Treaty of Lunéville French Consulate Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy Minor campaigns of 1815 Minor campaigns of 1815 Gunboat War Trafalgar Campaign Trafalgar Campaign Haitian Revolution Peninsular War Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808) Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808) War of the Pyrenees Neapolitan War Neapolitan War Dalmatian Campaign (1809) Adriatic campaign of 1807–14 Invasion of Portugal (1807) Invasion of Portugal (1807) Invasion of Naples (1806) Invasion of Naples (1806) Stecklikrieg Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars French invasion of Switzerland French invasion of Switzerland Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars Waterloo Campaign Waterloo Campaign German Campaign of 1813 German Campaign of 1813 Walcheren Campaign Battle of Wagram War of the Fourth Coalition#Prussian campaign War of the Fourth Coalition#Prussian campaign Ulm Campaign Ulm Campaign French campaign in Egypt and Syria French campaign in Egypt and Syria Expedition d'Irlande Expedition d'Irlande War in the Vendée War in the Vendée Campaign in north-east France (1814) Campaign in north-east France (1814) French invasion of Russia French invasion of Russia Finnish War Franco-Swedish War War of the Oranges War of the Oranges Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland Mediterranean campaign of 1798 Mediterranean campaign of 1798 Flanders Campaign Flanders Campaign Napoleonic Wars French Revolutionary Wars
  •   Phase
  •   French victory
  •   Anti-French victory
  •   Indecisive/compromise
  •   Coalition


Who Fought in the Coalitions?

The main countries that joined forces against France were Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. However, not all of them were part of every single Coalition.

Smaller countries also joined in sometimes. These included Spain, Naples, Piedmont–Sardinia, and Sweden.

The first five Coalitions usually broke apart when France defeated one or more of the allied countries. Sometimes, a defeated country even became an ally of France! The Sixth and Seventh Coalitions ended after Napoleon was finally defeated in 1814 and 1815. After these wars, European leaders met at the Congress of Vienna to create a new balance of power.

Members of each Coalition
Members First
(1792–1797)		 Second
(1798–1802)		 Third
(1803–1806)		 Fourth
(1806–2007)		 Fifth
(1809)		 Sixth
(1813–1814)		 Seventh
(1815)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Great Britain Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Holy Roman Empire (to 1806) Yes Yes Yes
  
Grand Duchy of Baden Baden (from 1806)   Yes
(from Oct 1813)		  
Kingdom of Bavaria Bavaria (from 1806)   Yes
(from Oct 1813)		 Yes
 Nassau (from 1806)   Yes
Kingdom of Saxony Saxony (from 1806) Yes
(until Dec 1806)		   Yes
(from Oct 1813)		  
Kingdom of Württemberg Württemberg (from 1806)   Yes
(from Oct 1813)		  
Duchy of Brunswick Black Brunswickers (from 1809) Yes Yes Yes
Province of Hanover Hanover (from 1814) Yes
 Austrian Empire (from 1804) Yes
(1805)		   Yes Yes Yes
Kingdom of Prussia Prussia Yes
(until 1795)		   Yes   Yes Yes
Kingdom of Sardinia Sardinia Yes
(until 1796)		 Yes   Yes Yes Yes
Kingdom of Portugal Portugal Yes Yes
(until 1801)		   Yes Yes Yes
Spain Spain Yes
(until 1795)		   Yes Yes Yes
 Ottoman Empire   Yes
(until 1801)		  
Russian Empire Russia   Yes
(until 1799)		 Yes
(1805)		 Yes   Yes Yes
Tuscany Tuscany (to 1801 and from 1815)   Yes
(until 1801)		   Yes
Sovereign Military Order of Malta Malta   Yes
(1798–1800)		  
Sovereign Military Order of Malta Order of St. John of Malta   Yes
(1798)		  
Kingdom of Naples Naples Yes Yes
(until 1801)		 Yes
(from 1805)		  
Kingdom of Sicily Sicily   Yes
(from 1806)		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
United Kingdom of the Netherlands Netherlands Yes
(until 1795)		   Yes Yes
 Sweden   Yes
(from 1805)		 Yes   Yes Yes
 Switzerland   Yes
War of the Sixth Coalition 1812
Map of European countries fighting in August 1813. Red shows the Sixth Coalition and its allies, while navy shows the French Empire and its allies.

See also

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