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A Thorn in Napoléon's Side

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A Thorn in Napoléon's Side Lesson 1 Napoléon & Russia 1805 December 5 1812 September 14 Prince Andrei Bolkonsky Napoléon enters fights in the Battle of Moscow to find it Austerlitz, is captured, evacuated and with little and meets his hero, food supplies available. Napoléon. 1812 September– Napoléon 1806 october puts into place the Natasha Rostova Continental System reunites with Prince embargo against Britain. Bolkonsky and tends @BBC/PHOTO CREDIT: LAURIE SPARHAM. to his injuries. 1807 Napoléon Russia: A Thorn establishes the Duchy 1812 October 19 of Warsaw, a new Polish The Grande Armée state using formerly leaves Moscow. in Napoléon’s Side Prussian lands. The early 19th century was a time of sweeping changes 1812 late in Europe. Armies swept across the continent, and 1810 Russia stops October–late governments were overthrown. Leo Tolstoy captured this complying with the November dramatic period in his epic novel War and Peace. embargo due to its The Grande Armée’s effects on the country’s numbers dwindle trade and economy. because of extreme Question: What was the most influential force for winter weather. Thousands of wounded change in Europe during this period? 1812 June Napoléon’s Grande are left behind as If you said the territorial aspirations of Napoléon Bonaparte, Armée enters Russia. Napoléon’s army attempts to cross the you’d be right. Shortly after being crowned Napoléon I, Napoléon captures the city of Vilna, but many Berezina River. Emperor of France, in 1804, he became more assertive troops are killed in an militarily. He led a huge army—his Grande Armée—and unseasonable storm. 1812 Early proceeded to march across one European nation after December another. For more than a decade, the rest of Europe would Napoléon flees back 1812 July–August be dealing with Napoléon, sometimes on their doorsteps. Russian citizens, in to Paris. support of their country, burn fields to deny 1813 Several European Question: How did Russia become a thorn in supplies to the French. countries, including Napoléon’s side? Russia and Great 1812 September 7 Britain, band together For years, Russia had been an ally of France. At first, Russia The battle of Borodino to fight Napoléon’s was mostly unaffected by Napoléon’s ambitions, sitting a leaves the road to newly formed army, safe distance to the east. But eventually a conflict emerged Moscow open to which is weaker than the Grande Armée. that made Russia one of Napoléon’s targets. Napoléon’s army. When Napoléon declared that other nations should stop October 1812 September 1813 doing business with England—in order to cripple England Prince Bolkonsky Napoléon’s army is economically—Russia refused. Such an embargo would returns to the army and defeated at the Battle of Leipzig (in Saxony, in have hurt its economy as well. But when Russia opposed is wounded in battle. Germany). Napoléon’s order, he decided to invade. 1812 September As Napoléon’s Grande Armée marched into Russia, an epic Pierre Bezukhov travels 1813 Pierre and struggle occurred. This conflict is at the heart ofWar and to Moscow, despite its Natasha are married. Peace. Study the timeline at right to see the major events evacuation. of Napoléon’s invasion. Alongside the historical events are Note: Entries in red are from turning points in War and Peace. the novel War and Peace. Activity 1 REDIT: LAURIE SPARHAM. C @BBC/PHOTO Military Movements— A Nation in Turmoil In the epic novel War and Peace, Napoléon’s Grande Armée marches y a across Europe and w r o N n St. Petersburgh Russia. Track the e d n d a Grande Armée’s path e k r w a S during the years of the m f n o e novel, 1805–1813.* Use . D K the map to the right, f o Moscow . which shows Europe K Borodino United Kingdom of a as it looked in the early si Great Britain u s f Pr and Ireland . o 1800s, to plot notable K Vilna R ussi an Duchy of battles and movements Warsaw Empi r e of Napoléon’s army. Confederation of the Rhone Empire Use the following Austerlitz of resources to aid in Empire of the switzer- Austria your mapmaking: land FRENCH K . o f I T A • The historical L Y timeline in Lesson 1 T IA C C l LU U a P. of • Online resources g u R t Kingdom K. of • The novel War r Naples K o E P of Spain Y and Peace f K. of o . SARDINIA • The television K K. of series SICILY War & gibraltar Peace Fill your map with additional details you discover by using callout boxes (text boxes with arrows). These might include geographic details or insights into the lives of the Russian people during that period. Be sure to consider what life must have been like for Russians during the French invasion. *Note: The novel’s epilogue continues to 1820..
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