The French invasion of Russia began on 24 June 1812, when Napoleon led the Grande Armee, an army of several hundred thousand men drawn from France and its allies, across the Niemen River. His aim was to force Tsar Alexander I to return to the trade blockade against Britain. The Russians avoided a decisive battle and fell back, destroying supplies as they retreated. Napoleon won a costly battle at Borodino in September and entered Moscow, which was then largely burned, but the tsar refused to negotiate. In October the army began its retreat in worsening weather, harassed by Russian forces and hit by hunger, disease and cold. Only a small fraction of the army returned, and the disaster started the collapse of Napoleon's power in Europe.
Before and after
- 7 February 1812Birth of Charles Dickens
- from 16 March 1812 to 6 April 1812Siege of Badajoz
- 28 May 1812Treaty of Bucharest
- from 18 June 1812 to 18 February 1815War of 1812
- from 24 June 1812 to 14 December 1812French invasion of Russia
- 2 July 1812Eruption of Tambora
- 21 July 1812Discovery of 12P/Pons–Brooks
- 22 July 1812Battle of Salamanca
- from 16 August 1812 to 18 August 1812Battle of Smolensk
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 19 April 1775 to 3 September 1783American Revolutionary War
- 4 July 1776United States Declaration of Independence
- 17 September 1787United States Constitution
- from 1803 to 1815Napoleonic Wars
- 1815Congress of Vienna
- from 1868 to 1889Meiji Restoration
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.