View source for Battle of Austerlitz

{{short description|1805 battle of the War of the Third Coalition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Austerlitz
| partof            = the [[War of the Third Coalition]]
| image             = La bataille d'Austerlitz. 2 decembre 1805 (François Gérard).jpg
| caption           = ''[[Battle of Austerlitz, 2 December 1805 (Gérard)|Battle of Austerlitz, 2 December 1805]]'' <br /> [[François Gérard]], {{circa|1810}}
| date              = 2 December 1805
| map_type          = Europe
| map_relief        = 1
| map_size          = 290
| place             = [[Slavkov u Brna|Austerlitz]], [[Margraviate of Moravia|Moravia]], [[Austrian Empire]]
| coordinates       = {{coord|49|07|41|N|16|45|45|E|region:CZ_type:event_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
| result            = <!-- Not to put "decisive" to "French victory". See WP:MILMOS#INFOBOX. -->French victory
| territory         = Dissolution of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] and creation of the [[Confederation of the Rhine]]
| combatant1        = {{plainlist|
{{flag|First French Empire|name=French Empire}}
}}
*{{flag|Napoleonic Italy|name=Kingdom of Italy}}
| combatant2        = {{plainlist|
* {{flag|Russian Empire|name=Russian Empire}}
* {{flag|Austrian Empire|name=Austrian Empire}}
}}
| commander1        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} '''[[Napoleon|Napoleon I]]'''
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Jean-Baptiste Bessières]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Charles XIV John|Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Louis-Nicolas Davout]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Jean Lannes]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Géraud Duroc]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Joachim Murat]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Louis-Vincent-Joseph Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Nicolas Oudinot]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Claude Juste Alexandre Legrand]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Dominique Vandamme]]}}
| commander2        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} '''[[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]]'''
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} '''[[Mikhail Kutuzov]]'''
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Pyotr Bagration]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia|Konstantin Pavlovich]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Mikhail Miloradovich]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Dmitry Dokhturov]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron|Louis de Langeron]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} {{ill|Ignaty Przybyszewski|ru|Пржибышевский, Игнатий Яковлевич}}
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} '''[[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Francis I]]'''
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Franz von Weyrother]]{{efn|[[Chief of staff]]. His plan of attack was chosen by Alexander I.}}
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Michael von Kienmayer]]
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Johann Kollowrat]]
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein|Johann I Joseph]]}}
| strength1         = 65,000–75,000{{efn|name="frenchnumbers"|
French numbers at the battle vary depending on the account; 65,000–75,000 are figures often present in the literature. The discrepancy arises because about 7,000 men of Davout's [[III Corps (Grande Armée)|III Corps]] were not at the battle right when it started. Including or not including these troops is a matter of preference (in this article, they will be included as separate from the 67,000 French soldiers originally on the field). David G. Chandler (1966) gives 67,000 (without Davout's III Corps).{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=416}}}}
| strength2         = 73,000–89,000{{efn|name="alliednumbers"|Allied numbers at the battle vary depending on the account; 73,000, 84,000, or 89,000 are figures often present in the literature. Andrew Uffindell (2003) claims 73,000,{{sfn|Uffindell|p=25}} while David G. Chandler claims 85,000.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=417}} Scott Bowden (1997) writes that the traditional number given for the Allies, 85,000, reflects their theoretical strength, not the true numbers on the battlefield.{{sfn|Bowden|1997|p=505}}
}}
| units1            = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Garde Impériale|Imperial Guard]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[I Corps (Grande Armée)|I Corps]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[III Corps (Grande Armée)|III Corps]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[IV Corps (Grande Armée)|IV Corps]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[V Corps (Grande Armée)|V Corps]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Grande Armée#Grenadiers|Grenadier Division]]
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Reserve Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)|Reserve Cavalry Corps]]
* {{flagdeco|Napoleonic Italy}} [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Royal Guard]]<ref>''37e bulletin de la Grande Armée'', Schönbrunn, 26 December 1805.</ref>
}}
| units2            = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#The Russian Imperial Guard|Russian Imperial Guard]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Advanced Guard of the Tsar's Army|Advance Guard of the Tsar]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}}{{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Advance Guard of General Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden|Advance Guard of General von Buxhoeveden]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#First column|First Column]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Second column|Second Column]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Third column|Third Column]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}}{{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Fourth column|Fourth Column]]
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}}{{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} [[Order of battle at the Austerlitz campaign#Fifth (cavalry) column|Fifth Cavalry Column]]
}}
| casualties1       = {{plainlist|
* '''Total''': 8,569–9,288{{efn|In all probability, the latter figure is very close to reality, which can range up to 9,000 or 9,500. "As always and everywhere, however, even the most accurate reports give only an order of magnitude." French researchers Danielle and Bernard Quintin recently conducted massive work that identified 1,537 Frenchmen dead, including those who died from wounds. In addition, the fate of the 400 French troops of Austerlitz is unknown.{{sfn|Sokolov|2019|p=344}}{{sfn|Mikaberidze|2006}}<ref>Britannica Editors. "[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Austerlitz Battle of Austerlitz]". ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', 14 Aug. 2025. Accessed 19 November 2025.</ref> Alexander Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky (1844) says that the French lost up to 8,000 dead or wounded and 760 missing. He also cites an unverified claim by [[Charles XIV John|Marshal Bernadotte]], France's future rival, that the French lost "up to" 12,000 men.{{sfn|Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky|1844|p=210}} Based on incomplete French data, Modest Bogdanovich (1869) cites the figure of 8,644 casualties among the French, trying to exalt it by claiming an identical one to Bernadotte's.{{sfn|Bogdanovich|1869|p=79}} Andrew Roberts (2014) estimates total losses at 8,279;{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}} these are only the dead and wounded.{{sfn|Bowden|1997|p=414}}}}<hr/>
* 1,288–1,537 dead<!-- not "killed" -->{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}}{{sfn|Sokolov|2019|p=344}}
* 6,708–6,991 wounded<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Sokolov|2019|p=344}} cites modern French research showing 1,537 killed in Napoleon's army, including died of wounds. From this figure, subtract the older estimate of 1,305 killed cited by Sokolov (from reports given to Napoleon, as per Sokolov), yielding 232. The older figure for wounded cited by Sokolov is 6,940 (from reports given to Napoleon, as per Sokolov). 6,940 – 232 = 6,708.</ref>{{sfn|Bowden|1997|p=414}}
* 573–760 captured or missing{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=432}}{{sfn|Sokolov|2019|p=344}}{{sfn|Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky|1844|p=210}}
}}
| casualties2       = {{plainlist|
* '''Total''': 27,000–36,000{{efn|Alexander Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky's book has a statement that the 21,000 Russian casualties are incomplete, as it excludes those who "dispersed," or, in other words, went [[missing in action]].{{sfn|Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky|1844|p=210}}}}<hr/>
* 15,000–16,000 killed or wounded{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=432}}{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}}
* 12,000–20,000 captured{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=432}}{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}}<hr/>
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} ~21,000{{sfn|Novitsky|1911|p=262}} or ≥28,000{{sfn|Sokolov|2019|p=343}}
* {{flagdeco|Austrian Empire}} ≥6,000{{sfn|Novitsky|1911|p=262}}{{sfn|Sokolov|2019|p=343}}<hr/>
* '''{{center|Material losses}}'''
* 186 cannon
* 400 ammunition wagons
* 45 [[Military colours, standards and guidons|standards]]{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}}
}}
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Third Coalition}}
}}
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| mark-title1=[[Battle of Donauwörth|Donauwörth]] on 7 October 1805

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| mark-title2=[[Battle of Wertingen]] on 8 October 1805

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| mark-title3=[[Battle of Günzburg]] on 9 October 1805

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| mark-title4=[[Battle of Haslach-Jungingen]] on 11 October 1805

| label5=
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| mark-title5=[[Battle of Memmingen]] on 14 October 1805

| label6=
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| mark-title6=[[Battle of Elchingen]] on 14 October 1805

| label7=Ulm
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| label-color7=maroon
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| label8=
| mark-coord8={{coord|48.09|13.88}}
| mark-title8=[[Battle of Lambach]] on 31 October 1805

| label9=
| mark-coord9={{coord|48.12|14.87}}
| mark-title9=[[Battle of Amstetten]] on 5 November 1805

| label10=
| mark-coord10={{coord|47.77|15.32}}
| mark-title10=[[Battle of Mariazell]] on 8 November 1805

| label11=
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| mark-title11=[[Battle of Dürenstein]] on 11 November 1805

| label12=
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| mark-title12=[[Battle of Schöngrabern]] on 16 November 1805

| label13=
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| mark-title13=[[Battle of Wischau]] on 25 November 1805

| label14=Austerlitz
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| mark-title14=Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805
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The '''Battle of Austerlitz''' (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV [[French Republican calendar|FRC]]), also known as the '''Battle of the Three Emperors''', was one of the most important military engagements of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Why the Battle of Austerlitz was Napoleon's greatest triumph |url=http://www.historyskills.com/classroom/modern-history/austerlitz/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=History Skills |language=en-US}}</ref> The battle occurred near the town of [[Slavkov u Brna|Austerlitz]] in the [[Austrian Empire]] (now [[Slavkov u Brna]] in the [[Czech Republic]]). Around 158,000 troops were involved, of which around 24,000 were killed or wounded.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-20 |title=Battle of Austerlitz {{!}} Summary & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Austerlitz |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.britannica.com}}</ref>

The battle is often cited by military historians as one of Napoleon's tactical masterpieces, in the same league as other historic engagements like [[Hannibal]]'s [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]] (216 BC) or [[Alexander the Great]]'s [[Battle of Gaugamela|Gaugamela]] (331 BC).<ref name=":1" /><ref name="farwell1">[[Byron Farwell|Farwell]] p. 64. "Austerlitz is generally regarded as one of Napoleon's tactical masterpieces and has been ranked as the equal of Arbela, Cannae, and Leuthen."</ref><ref name="dupuyref">[[Trevor N. Dupuy|Dupuy]] p. 102 Note: Dupuy was not afraid of expressing an opinion, and he classified some of his subjects as Great Captains, such as [[Napoleon]].</ref> The military victory of [[Napoleon]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Grande Armée]]}} at Austerlitz brought the [[War of the Third Coalition]] to an end, with the [[Peace of Pressburg (1805)|Peace of Pressburg]] signed by the French and Austrians later in the month.{{sfn|de Méneval|1910|pp=233–308|loc=Chapter V}} These achievements did not establish a lasting peace on the continent. Austerlitz had driven neither [[Russian Empire|Russia]] nor [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], whose armies protected Sicily from a French invasion, to settle. [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] resistance to France's growing military power in [[Central Europe]] led to the [[War of the Fourth Coalition]] in 1806.

After eliminating an Austrian army during the [[Ulm campaign]], French forces seized [[Vienna]] in November 1805.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mark |first=Harrison W. |title=Ulm Campaign |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2249/ulm-campaign/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=World History Encyclopedia |date=10 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref> The Austrians avoided further conflict until the arrival of the Russians, who helped increase the allied numbers. Napoleon sent his army north in pursuit of the Allies, but then ordered his forces to retreat so he could feign a grave weakness to lure the Allies into thinking that they were facing a weak army, while it was in fact formidable. Napoleon gave every indication in the days preceding the engagement that the French army was in a pitiful state, even abandoning the dominant Pratzen Heights near Austerlitz. He deployed the French army below the Pratzen Heights and weakened his right flank, enticing the Allies to launch an assault there to roll up the French line. Napoleon's plan was based on the hope that [[Louis-Nicolas Davout|Marshal Davout]] and his [[III Corps (Grande Armée)|III Corps]] would arrive soon on their way from Vienna. A [[Forced march (maneuver)|forced march]] by Davout plugged the gap left by Napoleon just in time. Davout's men stubbornly held their defensive positions under the onslaught of superior opponents. The Allied deployment against the French right weakened the Allied centre on the Pratzen Heights, which was attacked by the [[IV Corps (Grande Armée)|IV Corps]] of [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]]. With the Allied center demolished, the French swept through both flanks and routed the Allies, which enabled the French to capture thousands of prisoners.

Remarkably, the pleiad of Russian military commanders nurtured by the great general [[Alexander Suvorov]] (1730{{ndash}}1800),{{snd}}such were being [[Mikhail Kutuzov]], [[Pyotr Bagration]], [[Mikhail Miloradovich]], [[Nikolay Kamensky]] and [[Peter Wittgenstein]],{{snd}}was decisively defeated at Austerlitz. The blame for the Allied disaster initially lies with the supreme commander Emperor [[Alexander I of Russia]], who, together with his Austrian chief of staff [[Franz von Weyrother]], fell into Napoleon's "trap" at Austerlitz, first accepting encounter on the battlefield chosen by the French Emperor, and then being encircled in the direction of the left Allied flank.{{efn|{{slink|Battle of Austerlitz order of battle|Army of the Third Coalition}}}} The Allied disaster significantly shook the will of [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Francis]] to further resist Napoleon. France and Austria agreed to an [[armistice]] immediately, and the Treaty of Pressburg followed shortly after, on 26 December. Pressburg took Austria out of both the war and the Coalition while reinforcing the earlier treaties of [[Treaty of Campo Formio|Campo Formio]] and of [[Treaty of Lunéville|Lunéville]] between the two powers. The treaty confirmed the Austrian loss of lands in [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Italy]] and [[Electorate of Bavaria|Bavaria]] to France, and in Germany to Napoleon's German allies. It also imposed an indemnity of 40 million francs on the Habsburgs and allowed the fleeing Russian troops free passage through hostile territories and back to their home soil. Critically, victory at Austerlitz permitted the creation of the [[Confederation of the Rhine]], a collection of German states intended as a buffer zone between France and the eastern powers, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. The Confederation rendered the [[Holy Roman Empire]] virtually useless, so Francis [[Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire|dissolved the Holy Roman Empire]] in 1806, but remained as emperor of Austria. These achievements failed to establish a lasting peace on the continent. [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] worries about the growing French influence in Central Europe led to the [[War of the Fourth Coalition]] in 1806.

==Background==
Europe had been in turmoil since the start of the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] in 1792.{{sfn|Hall|Davis|1957|p=31}} In 1797, after five years of war, the [[French First Republic|French Republic]] subdued the [[First Coalition]], an alliance of Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, and various Italian states.{{sfn|Schroeder|1996|pp=172–174}} A [[Second Coalition]], led by Britain, Austria and Russia, and including the [[Ottoman Empire]], Portugal and the [[Kingdom of Naples]],{{sfn|Pearson|1994|p=5}} was formed in 1798, but by 1801, this too had been defeated, leaving the British the only opponent of the new [[French Consulate]].{{sfn|Schroeder|1996|pp=178–180, 226–228}} In March 1802, France and Britain agreed to end hostilities under the [[Treaty of Amiens]].{{sfn|Schroeder|1996|p=226}}

However, many problems persisted between the two sides, and implementing the treaty became increasingly difficult.{{sfn|Grainger|2004|pp=129–130}} The British government resented having to return the [[Cape Colony]] and most of the Dutch West Indies to the [[Batavian Republic]].{{sfn|Schroeder|1996|pp=241–243}}{{sfn|Grainger|2004|p=33}} Napoleon was angry that the British refused to abandon the island of [[Malta]].{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=304}} The tense situation only worsened when Napoleon sent an expeditionary force to restore French authority and slavery in [[Saint-Domingue]].{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=320}}{{sfn|Grainger|2004|p=55}} In May 1803, Britain declared war on France.{{sfn|Grainger|2004|p=221}}

===Third Coalition===
In December 1804, an Anglo-Swedish agreement led to the creation of the Third Coalition.{{sfn|Jorgensen|2004|pp=25–28}} British Prime Minister [[William Pitt the Younger]] spent 1804 and 1805 in a flurry of diplomatic activity geared towards forming a new coalition against France, and by April 1805, Britain and Russia had signed an alliance.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=331}}{{efn|The [[Baltic Sea]] was dominated by Russia, something Britain was not comfortable with, as it provided valuable commodities like timber, tar, and hemp which were crucial supplies to the British. Additionally, Britain supported the [[Ottoman Empire]] against Russian incursions towards the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Meanwhile, French territorial rearrangements in Germany occurred without Russian consultation, and Napoleon's annexations in the [[Po River|Po valley]] increasingly strained relations between the two.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=328}}}} Having been defeated twice in recent memory by France and being keen on revenge, Austria joined the Coalition a few months later.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=331}}

==Forces==
{{see also|Battle of Austerlitz order of battle}}

===French Imperial army===
Before the formation of the Third Coalition, Napoleon had assembled an invasion force called the ''Armée d'Angleterre'' (Army of England) around six camps at [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] in Northern France. He intended to use this force, amounting to 150,000 men,{{sfn|Grehan|Mace|2013|p=17}} to strike at England and was so confident of success that he had commemorative medals struck to celebrate the conquest of the English.{{sfn|Lane-Poole|1894|p=250}} Although they never invaded, Napoleon's troops received careful and invaluable training for any possible military operation. Boredom among the troops occasionally set in,{{sfn|Gallaher|2008|p=122}} but Napoleon paid many visits and conducted lavish parades to boost morale.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=323}}

The men at Boulogne formed the core for what Napoleon would later call {{lang|fr|[[La Grande Armée]]}}.{{sfn|Addington|1984|p=29}} The army was organized into seven [[corps]], which were large field units that contained 36 to 40 [[cannon]]s each and were capable of independent action until other corps could come to their aid.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=332}} A single corps (adequately situated in a solid defensive position) could survive at least a day without support.{{sfn|Wood|1997|p=16}} In addition to these forces, Napoleon created a [[cavalry]] reserve of 22,000 organized into two [[cuirassier]] [[Division (military)|divisions]], four mounted [[dragoon]] divisions, one division of dismounted dragoons and one of light cavalry, all supported by 24 [[artillery]] pieces.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=332}} By 1805, the {{lang|fr|Grande Armée}} had grown to a force of 350,000 men,{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=333}} who were well equipped, well trained, and led by competent officers.{{sfn|Kuehn|2015|p=93}}

===Russian Imperial army===
The Russian army in 1805 had many characteristics of [[Ancien Régime]] organization.{{sfn|Gerges|2016|p=171}} There was no permanent formation above the [[regiment]]al level,{{sfn|Wasson|2014|p=43}} and senior officers mostly belonged to aristocratic circles.{{sfn|Mikaberidze|2005|pp=xx–xxxi}} The Russian infantry was considered one of the hardiest in Europe, with fine artillery crewed by experienced professional soldiers.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=33}}

===Austrian Imperial army===
[[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen|Archduke Charles]], brother of the Austrian Emperor, had started to reform the Austrian army in 1801 by taking away power from the {{lang|de|[[Hofkriegsrat]]}}, the military-political council responsible for the armed forces.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=31}} Charles was Austria's most able field commander,{{sfn|Uffindell|p=155}} but he was unpopular at court and lost much influence when, against his advice, Austria decided to go to war with France. [[Karl Mack]] became the new main commander in Austria's army, instituting reforms on the eve of the war that called for a regiment to be composed of four [[battalion]]s of four [[company (military unit)|companies]], rather than three battalions of six companies.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=32}}

==Preliminary moves==
[[File:Charles Thévenin - Reddition de la ville d'Ulm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|alt=Colored painting showing Napoleon receiving the surrender of General Mack, with the city of Ulm in the background. |[[Napoleon]] accepts the surrender of [[Karl Mack|General Mack]] and the Austrian army at [[Battle of Ulm|Ulm]]. Painting by [[Charles Thévenin]]]]

In August 1805, Napoleon, [[Emperor of the French]] since December of the previous year,{{sfn|Lyons|1994|p=113}} turned his sights from the [[English Channel]] to the [[Rhine River|Rhine]] to deal with the new Austrian and Russian threats.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|pp=325–326}} On 25 September after a feverish march in great secrecy,{{sfn|Kobtzeff|2016|p=378}} 200,000 French troops began to cross the Rhine{{sfn|Cook|Paxton|1981|p=85}} on a front of {{cvt|260|km|mi}}.{{sfn|Brooks|2000|page=108}}{{sfn|Uffindell|p=15}} Mack had gathered the greater part of the Austrian army at the fortress of [[Ulm]] in [[Swabia]].{{sfn|Schneid|2005|pp=113–114}}

Napoleon swung his forces southward in a wheeling movement that put the French at the Austrian rear while launching cavalry attacks through the [[Black Forest]], which kept the Austrians at bay.{{sfn|Gerges|2016|p=158}} The [[Ulm Campaign|Ulm Maneuver]] was well-executed, and on 20 October, 23,000 Austrian troops surrendered at Ulm, bringing the number of Austrian prisoners of the campaign to 60,000.{{sfn|Uffindell|p=15}} Although this spectacular victory was soured by the defeat of a Franco-Spanish fleet [[Battle of Trafalgar|at Trafalgar]]{{sfn|Tibbetts|2016|p=420}} the following day, French success on land continued as [[Vienna]] fell in November. The French gained 100,000 muskets, 500 cannons, and intact bridges across the [[Danube River|Danube]].{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=407}}

Russian delays prevented them from saving the Austrian armies; the Russians withdrew to the northeast to await reinforcements and link up with surviving Austrian units.{{sfn|Bassett|2015|pp=233–234}} Tsar [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]] appointed general [[Mikhail Kutuzov|Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov]] commander-in-chief of the combined Russo-Austrian force.{{sfn|Kagan|2006|p=368}} On 9 September 1805, Kutuzov arrived at the battlefield, quickly contacting [[Francis I of Austria]] and his courtiers to discuss strategy and logistics. Under pressure from Kutuzov, the Austrians agreed to supply munitions and weapons promptly. Kutuzov also spotted shortcomings in the Austrian defense plan, which he called "very dogmatic". He objected to the Austrian annexation of the land recently under Napoleon's control because this would make the local people distrust the allied force.<ref name="lvq10"/>

The French followed after Kutuzov but soon found themselves in a difficult position. Prussian intentions were unknown and could be hostile; the Russian and Austrian armies had converged, and French lines of communication were extremely long, requiring strong garrisons to keep them open. Napoleon realized that to capitalize on the success at Ulm, he had to force the Allies to battle and then defeat them.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=409}}

On the Russian side, Kutuzov also realized Napoleon needed to do battle, so instead of clinging to the "suicidal" Austrian defense plan, Kutuzov decided to retreat. He ordered [[Pyotr Bagration]] to contain the French at Vienna with 600 soldiers. He instructed Bagration to accept [[Joachim Murat|Murat's]] ceasefire proposal so the Allied Army could have more time to retreat. It was later discovered that the proposal was false and had been used to launch a surprise attack on Vienna. Nonetheless, Bagration held off the French assault for a time by negotiating an armistice with Murat, thereby providing Kutuzov time to position himself with the Russian rearguard near [[Battle of Schöngrabern|Hollabrunn]].

Murat initially refrained from an attack, believing the entire Russian army stood before him. Napoleon soon realized Murat's mistakes and ordered him to pursue quickly, but the allied army had already retreated to [[Olomouc|Olmütz]].<ref name="lvq10"/> According to Kutuzov's plan, the Allies would retreat further to the [[Carpathian]] region{{sfn|Brose|2013|p=46}} and "at [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]], I will bury the French."<ref name="lvq10"/>

Napoleon did not stay still. The French Emperor decided to set a psychological trap to lure the Allies out. Days before any fighting, Napoleon had been giving the impression that his army was weak and desired a negotiated peace.{{sfn |McLynn |page=342}} About 53,000 French troops—including Soult, Lannes, and Murat's forces—were assigned to take [[Slavkov u Brna|Austerlitz]] and the Olmütz road, occupying the enemy's attention. The Allied forces, numbering about 89,000, seemed far superior and would be tempted to attack the outnumbered French army. However, the Allies did not know that [[Charles XIV John|Bernadotte]], [[Édouard Mortier, Duke of Trévise|Mortier]] and [[Louis-Nicolas Davout|Davout]] were already within supporting distance and could be called in by forced marches—Bernadotte from [[Jihlava|Iglau]], and Mortier and Davout from Vienna—which would raise the French number to 75,000 troops.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=410}}

Napoleon's lure did not stop at that. On 25 November, General [[Anne Jean Marie René Savary|Savary]] was sent to the Allied headquarters at Olmütz to deliver Napoleon's message, expressing his desire to avoid a battle while secretly examining the Allied forces' situation. As expected, the overture was seen as a sign of weakness. When Francis I offered an armistice on the 27th, Napoleon accepted enthusiastically. On the same day, Napoleon ordered Soult to abandon both Austerlitz and the Pratzen Heights and, while doing so, to create an impression of chaos during the retreat that would induce the enemy to occupy the Heights.

The next day (28 November), the French Emperor requested a personal interview with Alexander I. He received a visit from the Tsar's most impetuous aide, Prince [[Peter Petrovich Dolgorukov (general, born 1777)|Peter Dolgorukov]]. The meeting was another part of the trap, as Napoleon intentionally expressed anxiety and hesitation to his opponents. Dolgorukov reported an additional indication of French weakness to the Tsar.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|pp=410–411}}

The plan was successful. Many Allied officers, including the Tsar's aides and the Austrian Chief of Staff [[Franz von Weyrother]], strongly supported an immediate attack and appeared to sway Tsar Alexander.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=411}} Kutuzov's plan to retreat further to the [[Carpathian]] region was rejected, and the Allied forces soon fell into Napoleon's trap.

==Battle==
[[File:Bivouac on the Eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, 1st December 1805.PNG|thumb|upright=1.3|alt=Colored painting showing French troops lighting torches for Napoleon. |Napoleon with his troops on the eve of battle. Painting by [[Louis-François, Baron Lejeune]]]]

The battle began with the French army outnumbered. Napoleon had some 72,000 men and 157 guns for the impending battle, with about 7,000 troops under [[Louis Nicolas Davout|Davout]] still far to the south in the direction of Vienna.{{sfn|Uffindell|page=19}}{{sfn|Nicholls|2000|pp= 9–10}} The Allies had about 85,000 soldiers, seventy percent of them Russian, and 318 guns.{{sfn |Uffindell |page=19}}

At first, Napoleon was not confident of victory. In a letter written to Minister of Foreign Affairs [[Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord|Talleyrand]], Napoleon requested that Talleyrand not tell anyone about the upcoming battle because he did not want to disturb Empress [[Joséphine de Beauharnais|Joséphine]]. According to Frederick C. Schneid, the French Emperor's chief worry was how he could explain to Joséphine a French defeat.{{sfn|Schneid|2005|p= 137}}

===Battlefield===
The battle took place about six miles (ten kilometres) southeast of the city of [[Brno]], between that city and Austerlitz ({{langx|cs|italic=no|[[Slavkov u Brna]]}}) in what is now the Czech Republic. The northern part of the battlefield was dominated by the 700-foot (210-metre) Santon Hill and the 880-foot (270-meter) [[Žuráň]] Hill, both overlooking the vital [[Olomouc]]/Brno road, which was on an east–west axis. To the west of these two hills was the village of [[Bedřichovice|Bellowitz (Bedřichovice)]], and between them, the Bosenitz (Roketnice) stream went south to link up with the Goldbach (Říčka) stream, the latter flowing by the villages of [[Kobylnice (Brno-Country District)|Kobelnitz (Kobylnice)]], [[Sokolnice|Sokolnitz (Sokolnice)]], and [[Telnice (Brno-Country District)|Telnitz (Telnice)]].

The centrepiece of the entire area was the [[Prace, Czech Republic|Pratzen (Prace)]] Heights, a gently sloping hill. An aide noted that Napoleon repeatedly told his marshals, "Gentlemen, examine this ground carefully, it is going to be a battlefield; you will have a part to play upon it."{{sfn|Chandler|1966|pp=412–413}}

===Allied plans and dispositions===
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz, Situation at 1800, 1 December 1805.png|upright=1.3|thumb|right|alt=Map showing French troops concentrated to the west of the battlefield and the Allies to the east. |Allied (red) and French (blue) deployments at 1800 hours on 1 December 1805]]

The Allied council met on 1 December to discuss proposals for the battle. Most Allied strategists had two fundamental ideas: contacting the enemy and securing the southern flank that held the communication line to Vienna. Although the Tsar and his immediate entourage pushed hard for a battle, Emperor Francis of Austria was more cautious, and, as mentioned, he was seconded by Kutuzov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russians and the Allied troops.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=416}} The pressure to fight from the Russian nobles and the Austrian commanders, however, was too strong, and the Allies adopted the plan of the Austrian Chief-of-Staff, [[Franz von Weyrother]].{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=416}} This called for a main drive against the French right flank, which the Allies noticed was lightly guarded, and diversionary attacks against the French left. The Allies deployed most of their troops into four columns that would attack the French right. The [[Russian Imperial Guard]] was held in reserve while Russian troops under [[Pyotr Bagration|Bagration]] guarded the Allied right. The Russian Tsar stripped Kutuzov of his authority as Commander-in-Chief and gave it to Franz von Weyrother. In the battle, Kutuzov could (mainly) command the IV Corps of the Allied army, although he was still the nominal commander because the Tsar was afraid to take over if his favoured plan failed.<ref name="lvq10"/>

===French plans and dispositions===
[[File:Cuirassiers 1805 Meissonier Chantilly.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|French [[cuirassier]]s taking position]]

Napoleon hoped that the Allied forces would attack, and to encourage them, he deliberately weakened his right flank.{{sfn|Brooks|2000|p=109}} On 28 November, Napoleon met with his marshals at Imperial Headquarters, who informed him of their qualms about the forthcoming battle. He shrugged off their suggestion of retreat.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=48}}

Napoleon's plan envisaged that the Allies would throw many troops to envelop his right flank to cut the French communication line from [[Vienna]].<ref name="lvq10"/> As a result, the Allies' center and left flank would be exposed and become vulnerable.{{sfn|Fremont-Barnes|2010| p=19}} To encourage them to do so, Napoleon abandoned the strategic position on the Pratzen Heights, faking the weakness of his forces and his caution.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=48}} Meanwhile, Napoleon's main force was to be concealed in a dead ground opposite the Heights.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=413}} According to the plan, the French troops would attack and recapture the Pratzen Heights, then from the Heights, they would launch a decisive assault on the center of the Allied army, cripple them, and encircle them from the rear.<ref name="lvq10"/>{{sfn|Fremont-Barnes|2010| p=19}}
{{blockquote|If the Russian force leaves the Pratzen Heights in order to go to the right side, they will certainly be defeated. {{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}|sign=Napoleon|<ref name="lvq10"/>|source=}}

The massive thrust through the Allied centre was conducted by 16,000 troops of [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Soult's]] IV Corps. IV Corps' position was cloaked by dense mist during the early stage of the battle; in fact, how long the mist lasted was vital to Napoleon's plan: Soult's troops would become uncovered if the mist dissipated too soon, but if it lingered too long, Napoleon would be unable to determine when the Allied troops had evacuated Pratzen Heights, preventing him from timing his attack properly.{{sfn|Fremont-Barnes|2010| p= 21}}

Meanwhile, to support his weak right flank, Napoleon ordered Davout's [[III Corps (Grande Armée)|III Corps]] to force march from Vienna and join General [[Claude Legrand|Legrand's]] men, who held the extreme southern flank that would bear the heaviest part of the Allied attack. Davout's soldiers had 48 hours to march {{cvt|110|km|mi}}. Their arrival was crucial in determining the success of the French plan. Indeed, the arrangement of Napoleon on the right flank was precarious as the French had only minimal troops garrisoning there. However, Napoleon was able to use such a risky plan because Davout—the commander of III Corps—was one of Napoleon's best marshals, because the right flank's position was protected by a complicated system of streams and lakes,<ref name="lvq10"/> and because the French had already settled upon a secondary line of retreat through [[Brno|Brunn]].{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=412}} The [[French Imperial Guard|Imperial Guard]] and [[Charles XIV John of Sweden|Bernadotte's]] I Corps were held in reserve while the V Corps under [[Jean Lannes|Lannes]] guarded the northern sector of the battlefield, where the new communication line was located.<ref name="lvq10"/>

By 1 December 1805, the French troops had been shifted in accordance with the Allied movement southward, as Napoleon expected.{{sfn|Fremont-Barnes|2010|p=19}}

===Battle begins===
The battle began at about 8 a.m., with the first allied lines attacking the village of Telnitz, which the 3rd Line Regiment defended. This battlefield sector witnessed heavy fighting in this early action as several ferocious Allied charges evicted the French from the town and forced them onto the other side of the Goldbach. The first men of Davout's corps arrived at this time and threw the Allies out of Telnitz before they, too, were attacked by [[hussar]]s and re-abandoned the town. Additional Allied attacks out of Telnitz were checked by French artillery.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|pp=48–49}}

[[File:Willewalde - Czar's Guard capture 4th line regiment's standard at Austerlitz.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Capture of a French regiment's eagle by the cavalry of the Russian guard, by [[Bogdan Willewalde]] (1884)]]
Allied columns started pouring against the French right, but not at the desired speed, so the French successfully curbed the attacks. The Allied deployments were mistaken and poorly timed: cavalry detachments under [[Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein]] on the Allied left flank had to be placed on the right flank, and in the process, they ran into and slowed down part of the second column of infantry that was advancing towards the French right.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=48}} At the time, the planners thought this slowing was disastrous, but later on, it helped the Allies. Meanwhile, the leading elements of the second column were attacking the village of Sokolnitz, which was defended by the 26th Light Regiment and the [[Tirailleur]]s, French [[skirmisher]]s. Initial Allied assaults proved unsuccessful, and [[Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron|General Langeron]] ordered the bombardment of the village. This deadly barrage forced the French out, and at about the same time, the third column under the command of General Przybyszewski (Przhibyshevsky)<ref>{{slink|Battle of Austerlitz order of battle#Third column}}</ref> attacked the castle of Sokolnitz. The French, however, counterattacked and regained the village, only to be thrown out again. Conflict in this area ended temporarily when [[Louis Friant|Friant's]] division (part of III Corps) retook the village. Sokolnitz was perhaps the most contested area on the battlefield and would change hands several times as the day progressed.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=49}}

While the Allied troops attacked the French right flank, Kutuzov's IV Corps stopped at the Pratzen Heights and stayed still. Just like Napoleon, Kutuzov realized the importance of Pratzen and decided to protect the position. But the young Tsar did not, so he ordered the IV Corps to withdraw from the Heights. This act quickly pushed the Allied army into its grave.<ref name="lvq10"/>

==="One sharp blow and the war is over"===
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz - Situation at 0900, 2 December 1805.png|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Map with blue lines showing the French advance against the Allied center, symbolized with red lines. |The decisive attacks on the Allied center by [[Louis-Vincent-Joseph Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire|St. Hilaire]] and [[Dominique Vandamme|Vandamme]] split the Allied army in two and left the French in a golden tactical position to win the battle.]]

At about 8:45&nbsp;a.m., satisfied at the weakness in the enemy center, Napoleon asked Soult how long it would take for his men to reach the Pratzen Heights, to which the Marshal replied, "Less than twenty minutes, sire." About 15 minutes later, Napoleon ordered the attack, adding, "One sharp blow and the war is over."{{sfn |Uffindell |page=21}}

A dense fog helped to cloud the advance of [[Louis-Vincent-Joseph Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire|St. Hilaire's]] French division, but as they ascended the slope, the legendary 'Sun of Austerlitz' ripped the mist apart and encouraged them forward.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=49}} Russian soldiers and commanders on top of the heights were stunned to see so many French troops coming towards them.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=425}} Allied commanders moved some of the delayed detachments of the fourth column into this bitter struggle. Over an hour of fighting destroyed much of this unit. Mikhail Kutuzov commanded the battle at the location of this column.{{sfn|Novitsky|1911|p=260}} The other men from the second column, primarily inexperienced Austrians, also participated in the struggle and swung the numbers against one of the best fighting forces in the French army, eventually forcing them to withdraw down the slopes. However, gripped by desperation, St. Hilaire's men struck hard again and bayoneted the Allies out of the heights. To the north, [[Dominique Vandamme|General Vandamme's]] division attacked an area called Staré Vinohrady ("Old Vineyards") and, through talented skirmishing and deadly volleys, broke several Allied battalions.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|pp=49–50}}

The battle had firmly turned in France's favor, but it was far from over. Napoleon ordered Bernadotte's I Corps to support Vandamme's left and moved his command center from Žuráň Hill to St. Anthony's Chapel on the Pratzen Heights. The problematic position of the Allies was confirmed by the decision to send in the [[Russian Imperial Guard]]; [[Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia|Grand Duke Constantine]], Tsar [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander's]] brother, commanded the Guard and counterattacked in Vandamme's section of the field, forcing a bloody effort and the only loss of a French standard in the battle (a battalion of the 4th Line Regiment was defeated). Sensing trouble, Napoleon ordered his own heavy Guard cavalry forward. These men pulverized their Russian counterparts, but with both sides pouring in large masses of cavalry, no victory was clear.

The Russians had a numerical advantage; however, the tide soon swung as [[Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon|Drouet's]] Division, the 2nd of Bernadotte's I Corps, deployed on the flank of the action and allowed French cavalry to seek refuge behind their lines. The [[horse artillery]] of the Guard also inflicted heavy casualties on the Russian cavalry and fusiliers. The Russians broke, and many died as they were pursued by the reinvigorated French cavalry for about a quarter of a mile.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=51}} Kutuzov was severely wounded, and his son-in-law, [[Ferdinand von Tiesenhausen]], was killed.<ref name="lvq10">Lê Vinh Quốc, Nguyễn Thị Thư, Lê Phụng Hoàng, pp. 154–160</ref>

===Endgame===
{{blockquote|I was&nbsp;... under fierce and continuous canister fire&nbsp;... Many soldiers, now incessantly engaged in battle from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., had no cartridges left. I could do nothing but retreat&nbsp;... |sign=Lieutenant General [[:ru:Пржибышевский, Игнатий Яковлевич|Przhibyshevsky]]<ref>Grant, p. 203</ref>{{missing long citation |date=October 2025}}{{incomplete short citation |date=October 2025}}}}
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz - Situation at 1400, 2 December 1805.png|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Map showing the French advance in blue lines and the defeated Allied armies in red lines, moving away (to the east) from the battlefield. |By 1400 hours, the Allied army had been dangerously separated. Napoleon now had the option to strike at one of the wings, and he chose the Allied left since other enemy sectors had already been cleared or were conducting fighting retreats.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}]]

Meanwhile, the northernmost part of the battlefield also witnessed heavy fighting. [[Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein|The Prince of Liechtenstein's]] heavy cavalry began to assault [[François Étienne de Kellermann|Kellermann's]] lighter cavalry forces after eventually arriving at the correct position in the field. The fighting initially went well for the French, but Kellerman's forces took cover behind General Caffarelli's infantry division once it became clear that Russian numbers were too great. Caffarelli's men halted the Russian assaults and permitted [[Joachim Murat|Murat]] to send two cuirassier divisions (one commanded by [[Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul|d'Hautpoul]] and the other one by [[Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty|Nansouty]]) into the fray to finish off the Russian cavalry for good. The ensuing mêlée was bitter and long, but the French ultimately prevailed. Lannes then led his V Corps against [[Pyotr Bagration|Bagration's]] men and, after hard fighting, drove the skilled Russian commander off the field. He wanted to pursue, but Murat, who was in control of this sector on the battlefield, was against the idea.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=52}}

Napoleon's focus shifted towards the southern end of the battlefield, where the French and the Allies were still fighting over Sokolnitz and Telnitz. In an effective double-pronged assault, St. Hilaire's division and part of Davout's III Corps smashed through the enemy at Sokolnitz, which persuaded the commanders of the first two columns, Generals [[Michael von Kienmayer|Kienmayer]] and [[Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron|Langeron]], to flee as fast as they could. [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden|Buxhowden]], the commander of the Allied left and the man responsible for leading the attack, was completely drunk and fled as well. Kienmayer covered his withdrawal with the [[Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough|O'Reilly]] light cavalry, who managed to defeat five of six French cavalry regiments before they had to retreat.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=52}}

General panic seized the Allied army, and it abandoned the field in all possible directions. A famous, [[Napoleon (2023 film)#Historical accuracy|albeit disputed]], episode occurred during this retreat: defeated Russian forces withdrew south towards Vienna via the frozen Satschan ponds. French artillery pounded towards the men, and the ice was broken by the bombardment. The fleeing men drowned in the cold ponds, dozens of Russian artillery pieces going down with them. Estimates of how many guns were captured differ: there may have been as few as 38 or more than 100. Sources also differ about casualties, with figures ranging between 200 and 2,000 dead.{{sfn|Abbott|1888|pp= 475–486}} Many drowning Russians were saved by their victorious foes.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=432}} However, local evidence later made public suggests that Napoleon's account of the catastrophe may have been exaggerated; on his instructions, the lakes were drained a few days after the battle, and the corpses of only two or three men, with some 150 horses, were found. On the other hand, Tsar Alexander I attested to the incident after the wars.{{sfn|Holland, Poole|1902|pp=537–538}}

==Military and political results==
Allied casualties stood at about 36,000 out of an army of 89,000, representing about 38% of their effective forces. The French were not unscathed in the battle, losing around 9,000 out of an army of 66,000, or about 13% of their forces. The Allies also lost some 180 guns and about 50 standards. As per more recent data, 186 guns (cannons) and 45 standards. The victory was met by sheer amazement and delirium in Paris, where the nation had been teetering on the brink of financial collapse just days earlier. Napoleon wrote to [[Joséphine de Beauharnais|Josephine]], "I have beaten the Austro-Russian army commanded by the two emperors. I am a little weary.&nbsp;... I embrace you."{{sfn|Chandler|1966|pp=432–433}}{{sfn|Roberts|2014|p=390}} Napoleon's comments in this letter led to the battle's other famous designation, "Battle of the Three Emperors". However, Napoleon was mistaken as Emperor Francis of Austria was not present on the battlefield. Tsar Alexander perhaps best summed up the harsh times for the Allies by stating, "We are babies in the hands of a giant."{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=54}} After hearing the news of Austerlitz, Pitt said of a map of Europe, "Roll up that map; it will not be wanted these ten years."{{sfn|Stanhope|1867|p= 369}}

France and Austria signed a truce on 4 December, and the [[Treaty of Pressburg (1805)|Treaty of Pressburg]], 22 days later, took the latter out of the war. Austria agreed to recognize French territory captured by the treaties of [[Treaty of Campo Formio|Campo Formio]] (1797) and [[Treaty of Lunéville|Lunéville]] (1801), cede land to Bavaria, [[History of Württemberg#The Kingdom of Württemberg (1806–1918)|Württemberg]] and [[History of Baden|Baden]], which were Napoleon's German allies, pay 40 million francs in war indemnities and cede [[Venice]] to the [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Kingdom of Italy]]. It was a harsh end for Austria, but certainly not a catastrophic peace. The Russian army was allowed to withdraw to its home territory, and the French ensconced themselves in Southern Germany. The Holy Roman Empire was extinguished, 1806 being seen as its final year. Napoleon created the [[Confederation of the Rhine]], a string of German states meant to serve as a buffer between France and Prussia. Prussia saw these and other moves as an affront to its status as the main power of Central Europe, and it went to [[War of the Fourth Coalition|war with France in 1806]].

==Rewards==
Napoleon's words to his troops after the battle were full of praise: {{lang |fr |Soldats! Je suis content de vous}} ({{gloss |Soldiers! I am pleased with you}}).

Napoleon wrote to his victorious army on the night of Austerlitz with his customary [[rhetoric]]:<ref name="nap01">''Napoleon's Proclamation following Austerlitz''. Dated 3 December 1805. Translated by Markham, J. David.</ref>
{{blockquote |text=Even at this hour, before this great day shall pass and be lost in the ocean of eternity, your emperor just address you, and say how satisfied he is with the conduct of all those who had the good fortune to fight in this memorable battle. Soldiers! You are the finest warriors in the World. The recollection of this day, and of your deeds, will be eternal! Thousands of ages hereafter, as long as the events of the universe continue to be relate, will it be told that a Russian army of 76,000 men, hired by the gold of England, was annihilated by you on the plains of Olmütz.}}

The Emperor provided two million golden francs to the higher officers and 200 francs to each soldier, with large pensions for the widows of the fallen, also providing 6,000 francs for the widows of fallen generals. Orphaned children were adopted by Napoleon personally and were allowed to add "Napoleon" to their baptismal and family names.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=439}} He could afford this, and much else besides, thanks to the return of financial confidence that swept the country as government bonds leaped from 45% to 66% of their face value on the news of victory.

This battle is one of four for which Napoleon never awarded a [[victory title]], the others being [[Battle of Marengo|Marengo]], [[Battle of Jena|Jena]], and [[Battle of Friedland|Friedland]].{{sfn |Uffindell |page=25}}

==In popular culture==
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz.jpg|thumb|''The Battle of Austerlitz, 2 December 1805'' by [[Joseph Swebach-Desfontaines]]]]

Artists and musicians on the side of France and her conquests expressed their sentiments in the popular and elite art of the time. Prussian music critic [[E. T. A. Hoffmann]], in his famous review of [[Beethoven's 5th Symphony]],
<blockquote>singles out for special abuse a certain ''Bataille des trois Empereurs'', a French battle symphony by [[Louis-Emmanuel Jadin|Louis Jadin]] celebrating Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz.{{sfn|Rumph|1995|pp=50–67}}</blockquote>

[[Leo Tolstoy]] dramatized the battle as the conclusion of Book 3 and Volume 1 of ''[[War and Peace]]'', making it a crucial moment in the lives of both [[Andrei Nikolayevich Bolkonsky|Andrei Bolkonsky]], who is badly wounded, and of [[Nikolai Rostov]].<ref name="Leo">{{cite book |last1=Tolstoy |first1=Leo |title=War and Peace |date=1949 |author-link=Leo Tolstoy |publisher=International Collectors Library |location=Garden City}}</ref>{{rp|118, 152–169}}

[[Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet|Archibald Alison]] in his ''History of Europe'' (1836) offers the first recorded telling of the apocryphal story that when the Allies descended the Pratzen Heights to attack Napoleon's supposedly weak flank,
<blockquote>The marshals who surrounded Napoleon saw the advantage, and eagerly besought him to give the signal for action; but he restrained their ardour ... "when the enemy is making a false movement we must take good care not to interrupt him."{{sfn|Alison|1836|p= 476}}</blockquote>

In subsequent accounts, this Napoleonic quote would undergo various changes until it became: "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/07/06/never-interfere/ |title=Quote Investigator: "Never interfere" |date=6 July 2010 |access-date=23 October 2018 |archive-date=2 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202024426/https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/07/06/never-interfere/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Historical views==
[[File:Gros - Entrevue - 1812.jpg|thumb|''[[Interview Between Napoleon and Francis II after the Battle of Austerlitz|Interview Between Napoleon and Francis II]]'' by [[Antoine-Jean Gros]], 1812. Napoleon and [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Francis I]] after the Battle of Austerlitz]]

Napoleon did not succeed in defeating the Allied army as thoroughly as he wanted,{{sfn |Uffindell |page=25}} but historians and enthusiasts alike recognize that the original plan provided a significant victory, comparable to other great tactical battles such as [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]].{{sfn|Gilbert|2000|p=133}} Some historians suggest that Napoleon was so successful at Austerlitz that he lost touch with reality, and what used to be French foreign policy became a "personal Napoleonic one" after the battle.{{sfn |McLynn |page=350}} In [[History of France|French history]], Austerlitz is acknowledged as an impressive military victory, and in the 19th century, when fascination with the [[First French Empire]] was at its height, the battle was revered by French authors such as [[Victor Hugo]], who wrote of the "sound of heavy cannons rolling towards Austerlitz" echoing in the "depths of [his] thoughts".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hugo |first=Victor |title=Œuvres |year=1843 |volume=3 |page=51 |chapter=Regard jeté dans une mansarde |quote=Je ne hais pas d'entendre au fond de ma pensée / Le bruit des lourds canons roulant vers Austerlitz. |author-link=Victor Hugo |publisher=Société Belge de Librairie |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hKVKFZ-4I3cC&pg=PA51 |orig-year=1840 |language=fr}}</ref> In the 2005 bicentennial, however, controversy erupted when neither French President [[Jacques Chirac]] nor Prime Minister [[Dominique de Villepin]] attended any functions commemorating the battle.<ref name="controversy">{{Cite web |date=20 March 2006 |title=Furore over Austerlitz ceremony |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4491668.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111191952/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4491668.stm |archive-date=11 January 2009 |url-status=live |website=BBC News}}</ref> On the other hand, some residents of France's overseas departments protested against what they viewed as the "official commemoration of Napoleon", arguing that Austerlitz should not be celebrated since they believed that Napoleon committed [[genocide]] against colonial people.<ref name="controversy" />

After the battle, [[Alexander I of Russia|Tsar Alexander I]] blamed [[Mikhail Kutuzov|Kutuzov]], the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Army.{{sfn|Nicholls|2000|p= 138}} However, Kutuzov planned to retreat farther to the rear, where the Allied Army had a sharp advantage in logistics. Had the Allied Army retreated further, it might have been reinforced by [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen|Archduke Charles]]'s troops from Italy, and the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussians]] might have joined the Coalition against Napoleon. A French army at the end of its supply lines, in a place that had no food supplies, might have faced a very different ending from the one they achieved at the real battle of Austerlitz.{{sfn|Castle|2002|pp=89–90}}

==Monuments and protection of the area==
[[File:Battlefield of Austerlitz - conservation area.png|thumb|Map of the landscape monument zone]]

[[File:Mohyla miru 1.jpg|thumb|Cairn of Peace Memorial on the battlefield of Austerlitz]]
In the years following the battle, many memorials were set up around the affected villages to commemorate both the individual episodes of the battle and the thousands of its victims. Since 1992, the area where the Battle of Austerlitz took place has been protected by law as a [[Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument zones|landscape monument zone]].<ref name=":0" /> Its value lies in the historical peculiarities of the place, the historical connections of settlements, landscapes, and terrain formations, and the overall landscape image. The area extends to 19 of today's [[Obec|municipalities]]:<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Bojiště bitvy u Slavkova |url=https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/bojiste-bitvy-u-slavkova-7663994 |publisher=National Heritage Institute |language=cs |access-date=2021-12-01}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
* [[Blažovice]]
* [[Holubice (Vyškov District)|Holubice]]
* [[Hostěrádky-Rešov]]
* [[Jiříkovice]]
* [[Kobylnice (Brno-Country District)|Kobylnice]]
* [[Křenovice (Vyškov District)|Křenovice]]
* [[Podolí (Brno-Country District)|Podolí]]
* [[Ponětovice]]
* [[Prace, Czech Republic|Prace]]
* [[Sivice]]
* [[Šlapanice]]
* [[Slavkov u Brna]]
* [[Sokolnice]]
* [[Telnice (Brno-Country District)|Telnice]]
* [[Tvarožná (Brno-Country District)|Tvarožná]]
* [[Újezd u Brna]]
* [[Velatice]]
* [[Žatčany]]
* [[Zbýšov]]
{{div col end}}

Near [[Prace, Czech Republic|Prace]] is the [[Cairn of Peace Memorial]], claimed to be the first peace memorial in Europe.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=11}} It was designed and built in the [[Art Nouveau]] style by [[Josef Fanta]] in 1910–1912. [[World War I]] postponed the monument's dedication until 1923.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=11}} It is {{cvt|26|m|ft}} high, square, with four female statues symbolizing France, Austria, Russia, and Moravia. Within is a chapel with an ossuary. A nearby small museum commemorates the battle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Cairn of Peace Memorial |url=https://mohylamiru.muzeumbrnenska.cz/en/ |access-date=2022-07-11 |publisher=Muzeum Brněnska}}</ref> Every year, the events of the Battle of Austerlitz are commemorated in a ceremony.

[[File:081207 NL Pyramide van Austerlitz.JPG|thumb|Pyramid of Austerlitz near Utrecht]]
Other memorials located in the monument zone include, among others:
* The Staré Vinohrady height near [[Zbýšov]] saw the bloody collision of the French and Russian guards. In 2005, the Monument to the Three Emperors was erected here.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=178}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pomníky |url=https://napoleonska-spolecnost.cz/pomniky |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=Československá napoleonská společnost |language=cs}}</ref>
* ''Stará Pošta'' ("Old Post") in [[Kovalovice]] is an original building from 1785, which now serves as a hotel and restaurant. On 28 November 1805, the French cavalry general Murat set up his headquarters here. On the day of the battle, the Russian general Bagration had his headquarters here. After the battle, Napoleon slept in this house and held preliminary negotiations about an armistice. A small museum commemorates these events.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=178}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stará Pošta u Kovalovic |url=https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktivity/stara-posta-u-kovalovic |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=Kudy z nudy}}</ref>
* On {{Ill|Santon Hill|cs|Santon (kopec)}} in [[Tvarožná (Brno-Country District)|Tvarožná]] is a small white chapel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=kaple Panny Marie Sněžné |website=Památkový Katalog |url=https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/kaple-panny-marie-snezne-15274117 |access-date=2022-07-11}}</ref> The hill was a mainstay of the French position and allowed the French artillery to dominate the northern portion of the battlefield. Below the hill, the yearly [[historical reenactment]]s take place.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=178}}
* On [[Žuráň]] Hill, where Napoleon was headquartered, a granite monument depicts the battlefield positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=památník bitvy u Slavkova |website=Památkový Katalog |url=https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/pamatnik-bitvy-u-slavkova-14876491 |access-date=2022-07-11}}</ref>{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=178}}
* [[Slavkov Castle]], where an armistice was signed between Austria and France after the battle on 6 December 1805. There is a small historical museum and a multimedia presentation about the battle.{{Sfn|Kopecký|2006|p=178}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=zámek Slavkov |website=Památkový Katalog |url=https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/zamek-slavkov-14796840 |access-date=2022-07-11}}</ref>

Several monuments to the battle can be found far beyond the battle area. A notable monument is the [[Pyramid of Austerlitz]], built by French soldiers stationed there to commemorate the 1805 campaign near [[Utrecht]] in the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pyramid of Austerlitz |website=Ontdek Utrecht |url=https://www.discover-utrecht.com/location/the-pyramid-of-austerlitz/ |access-date=2022-07-11 |trans-website=Discover Utrecht |language=nl}}</ref> In [[Paris]], the 44-metre-high bronze Colonne Vendôme, a celebration of Napoleon, also stands on the [[Place Vendôme]]. The monument was initially called the Column of Austerlitz and, according to propaganda, was cast from the melted-down barrels of Allied guns from the Battle of Austerlitz.{{sfn|Chandler|1995|p=320}} Several other sites and public buildings commemorate the encounter in Paris, such as [[Pont d'Austerlitz]] and nearby [[Gare d'Austerlitz]]. A scene from the battle is also depicted on the bas-relief of the eastern pillar of the [[Arc de Triomphe]] and [[Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel]].

==See also==
* [[Gare d'Austerlitz]]
* [[Military career of Napoleon]]

==Explanatory notes==
{{Notelist |30em}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==General references==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
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{{div col end}}

==External links==
{{NIE Poster|Austerlitz}}
* {{in lang|fr|cap=yes}} [http://www.pousse-pion.fr/blog/wan/ordre-de-bataille-austerlitz/ Austerlitz order of battle]
* [http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/1/slavkov-e.htm Austerlitz]
* {{in lang|de|cap=yes}} [http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/1/slavkov-d.htm The Battle of Austerlitz 2005]
* {{in lang|fr|cap=yes}} [http://www.vialupo.com/austerlitz Austerlitz 2005: la bataille des trois empereurs]
* {{in lang|fr|cap=yes}} [http://www.pousse-pion.fr/mp/La-bataille-d-Austerlitz.php ''Austerlitz Online Game''] (Pousse-pion éditions, 2010)
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060825071354/http://www.napoleonicminiatureswargame.com/austerlitz.html Austerlitz: The Battle of the Three Emperors]}} (Napoleonic Miniatures Wargame Society of Toronto)
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q2567849|title=Austerlitz|description=AKA ''The Battle of Austerlitz'' (1960)}}
* {{in lang|cs|cap=yes}} [http://www.virtualczech.cz/kraj-/927-bitva-u-slavkova View on battle place – virtual show]
* [http://www.bellum.cz/en/battle-of-austerlitz.html Bellum.cz – "Battle of Austerlitz 2nd December 1805"]
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Sequence
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Austerlitz 1805}}
[[Category:Battle of Austerlitz| ]]
[[Category:Battles commanded by Napoleon]]
[[Category:1805 in France]]
[[Category:1805 in the Austrian Empire]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1805]]
[[Category:Battles in Moravia]]
[[Category:Battles of the War of the Third Coalition involving Austria]]
[[Category:Battles of the War of the Third Coalition involving Russia]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)]]
[[Category:Czech lands under Habsburg rule]]
[[Category:December 1805]]
[[Category:Vyškov District]]
[[Category:Battles inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe]]
[[Category:History of the South Moravian Region]]
[[Category:Joachim Murat]]
[[Category:Battles of the Napoleonic Wars involving Liechtenstein]]