Burning of Moscow

E103323

The Burning of Moscow was a pivotal 1812 event during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, when much of the city was destroyed by fire shortly after French forces occupied it.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf fire
historical event
military history event
after Battle of Borodino
alsoKnownAs Burning of Moscow
surface form: Fire of Moscow (1812)
chronology occurred shortly after French troops entered Moscow
took place during Napoleon’s stay in Moscow
combatant First French Empire
surface form: French Empire

Russian Empire
country Russia
describedBySource War and Peace
surface form: Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace

numerous 19th‑century eyewitness accounts
effect destruction of large parts of Moscow
loss of shelter and supplies for the Grande Armée
major civilian displacement
significant material losses for Moscow inhabitants
weakening of Napoleon’s strategic position in Russia
followedBy French retreat from Moscow
disastrous French retreat from Russia
hasCause French occupation of Moscow
Russian scorched earth strategy
retreat of Russian forces from Moscow
hasEffectOn course of the Napoleonic Wars
decline of Napoleon’s military power
hasPart destruction of Moscow by fire
evacuation of Moscow
occupation of Moscow by French forces
historicalSignificance considered a pivotal moment in the 1812 campaign
symbol of Russian resistance to invasion
location Moscow
Russian Empire
notableFeature uncertain responsibility for starting the fires
use of scorched earth tactics by Russians
widespread urban conflagration
participant Grande Armée
Imperial Russian Army
surface form: Russian Imperial Army
partOf French invasion of Russia
Napoleonic Wars
pointInTime 14 September 1812
1812
September 1812
result French occupation of a largely destroyed city
inability of French forces to winter in Moscow effectively
strategic advantage for Russia
turning point in the French invasion of Russia
significantPerson Mikhail Kutuzov
Napoleon Bonaparte
surface form: Napoleon I of France

Alexander I of Russia
surface form: Tsar Alexander I of Russia

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

War and Peace featuresHistoricalEvent Burning of Moscow
Battle of Borodino followedBy Burning of Moscow
this entity surface form: French occupation of Moscow
Patriotic War of 1812 notableEvent Burning of Moscow
this entity surface form: French occupation of Moscow
Burning of Moscow alsoKnownAs Burning of Moscow
this entity surface form: Fire of Moscow (1812)
Assassination of Napoleon relatedToEvent Burning of Moscow
this entity surface form: French occupation of Moscow