Imperial Russia joined Britain, Austria, and other powers in the Third Coalition, committing forces to oppose Napoleonic France and setting the stage for the 1805 campaign in Central Europe.
Russian and Austrian armies under Tsar Alexander I and Emperor Francis I were decisively defeated by Napoleon near Austerlitz, shaping Russia’s early-war experience and coalition strategy.
Napoleon’s victory over Russian forces at Friedland prompted Russia to seek terms, leading directly to the Franco-Russian settlement at Tilsit.
Alexander I and Napoleon signed the Franco-Russian Treaty of Tilsit, creating a temporary alliance and reshaping Russia’s role in the Napoleonic system (including adherence to the Continental System).
Russia’s war with Sweden (the Finnish War) began in the wider Napoleonic context and culminated in Sweden ceding Finland, strengthening Russia strategically in the north while Europe remained dominated by Napoleon.
Sweden and Russia signed peace at Fredrikshamn (Hamina), ending the Finnish War; Sweden ceded Finland, enabling Russia to form the Grand Duchy of Finland within the empire.
Russia concluded peace with the Ottoman Empire at Bucharest, reducing the risk of a two-front war immediately before Napoleon’s 1812 invasion.
Napoleon’s main army began crossing the Neman into Russia, launching the 1812 campaign and triggering Russia’s strategic retreat and attritional defense.
The Battle of Smolensk (the first large-scale battle of the invasion) ended in a French victory, but Russian forces avoided destruction and continued withdrawing toward Moscow.
Near Borodino, the Imperial Russian Army fought Napoleon’s Grande Armée in the war’s bloodiest single day; Russia withdrew, but preserved its army and denied Napoleon a decisive end to the campaign.
Napoleon entered and occupied Moscow, expecting Russian capitulation; instead, Russia’s leadership withheld peace, turning Moscow into a strategic dead end for the French.
A massive fire raged in Moscow during the early days of occupation, destroying much of the city and worsening French logistical hardship as Russia continued the war.
After failing to secure peace or sustain his army, Napoleon began the retreat from Moscow, a turning point that exposed the Grande Armée to Russian pursuit and winter attrition.
During the retreat, Napoleon’s forces fought to cross the Berezina River under pressure from Russian armies, suffering catastrophic losses even as much of the army escaped encirclement.
Russia and Prussia signed the Treaty of Kalisz, formally aligning against Napoleon and helping form the coalition that carried the war into Germany in 1813.
Russian-led forces (with Austrian and Prussian support) defeated Vandamme near Kulm, bolstering coalition momentum in the German campaign of 1813.
At Leipzig, coalition armies including Russia decisively defeated Napoleon, forcing French withdrawal from much of Germany and setting conditions for the 1814 invasion of France.
Coalition forces, including Russia under Alexander I, attacked and defeated French defenders at Paris, precipitating Napoleon’s abdication and the first peace settlement.
France and the allied powers including Russia signed the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the War of the Sixth Coalition and sending unresolved issues to the Congress of Vienna.
After Napoleon’s return and final defeat, France and the allied powers including Russia signed a second Treaty of Paris, concluding the wars and reinforcing the postwar European settlement.
Russian campaigns against Napoleonic France (1805-1815)
