Page 27 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1328 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

Napoleon’s Proclamation After the Battle of Austerlitz

Great leaders have often written accounts, diaries, bul- great distance; but, as I promised to my people
letins, proclamations or memoirs of their campaigns in before crossing the Rhine, I will only make a peace
an effort to inspire their troops and citizens and put that gives you some guarantees and assures some rec-
the best possible “spin” on their campaigns. Julius Cae- ompenses to our allies. Soldiers! When the French
sar’s Commentaries and Napoleon’s Bulletins and people placed the Imperial Crown on my head, I
Proclamations are probably the best examples. The entrusted you to keep it always in a high state of
day after his great victory at the Battle of Austerlitz on glory, which alone could give it value in my eyes; but
2 December 1805, Napoleon issued the following pro- at that moment our enemies thought to destroy and
clamation, which stands as one of his most famous. demean it; and that Iron crown, which was gained by
the blood of so many Frenchmen, they would have
Soldiers! I am pleased with you. On the day of Aus-
compelled me to place on the head of our cruelest
terlitz, you have justified what I expected from your
enemies; an extravagant and foolish proposal, which
intrepidity. You have decorated your eagles with an
you have ruined and confounded the very day of the
immortal glory. In less than four hours an army of
anniversary of your Emperor’s coronation.You have
100,000 men, commanded by the Emperors of Rus-
taught them that it is easier for them to defy us and
sia and Austria, has been cut down or dispersed.
to threaten us than to vanquish us. Soldiers! When
Those who escaped your iron have drowned in the
everything necessary to the happiness and prosperity
lakes. Forty flags, the standards of the Russian Impe-
of our country will have been achieved, I will lead
rial Guard, 120 pieces of cannon, twenty generals
you back to France. There you will be the objects of
and more than 30,000 prisoners are the results of
my most tender solicitudes. My people will see you
this day, to be celebrated forever. That infantry, so
again with joy, and it will be enough for you to say:
vaunted, and superior to you in numbers, could not
“I was at the battle of Austerlitz,” for them to reply,
resist your impact, and henceforth you have no rivals
“There is a brave man!”
to fear.Thus, in two months the third coalition is con-
Source: Markham, J. D. (2003). Imperial glory:The bulletins of Napoleon’s Grande Armée
quered and dissolved. Peace can no longer be at a 1805–1814 (pp. 55–56). London: Greenhill Books.

In 1806, Prussia and Russia declared war on France. abandon Poland, and was prepared to invade. Napoleon
Napoleon conquered Prussia and signed a treaty tem- moved first, and in 1812 led his army into Russia. He
porarily ending hostilities with Russia in 1807. In 1806 won at Borodino on 7 September and entered an aban-
he established the Continental System, an economic doned Moscow, which was soon engulfed in flames ig-
blockade of England that lasted six years, doing eco- nited by Russian partisans. Napoleon withdrew, and the
nomic damage on both sides but ultimately failing to campaign cost him 90 percent of his army. In October
break the island nation. He put his brother Joseph on the 1813, a massive coalition of forces defeated Napoleon at
Spanish throne, but Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Leipzig in what became known as the Battle of Nations,
Wellington, invaded Spain and the French forces even- sealing the fate of the first French Empire.
tually withdrew. Paris fell to allied forces in May 1814. Napoleon
When Josephine proved unable to bear children, abdicated on 11 April and was exiled as Emperor of
Napoleon reluctantly divorced her and in 1810 married Elba, a small island off the coast of Italy. On 1 March the
the Austrian Emperor’s daughter, Marie Louise.They had following year he returned to France to reclaim his
a son in 1811. throne from the Bourbon Restoration of Louis XVIII. He
By 1810, England and Russia were the only major took Paris on 20 March without firing a shot, beginning
powers outside the French Empire. Tsar Alexander had the period known as the Hundred Days. He wanted only
quit the Continental System, demanded that France to govern France, but his old enemies soon moved