French invasion of Russia

E33005

Napoleonic Wars campaign invasion military campaign

The French invasion of Russia was Napoleon Bonaparte’s disastrous 1812 military campaign, marked by the Grande Armée’s deep advance into Russian territory, the burning of Moscow, and a devastating retreat that crippled French power in Europe.

Aliases (7)

Statements (51)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Napoleonic Wars campaign → invasion → military campaign →
alsoKnownAs	Patriotic War of 1812 → Russian campaign of 1812 →
armyInvolved	Grande Armée →
belligerent	First French Empire → Russian Empire →
capitalCaptured	Moscow →
capitalStatus	Moscow largely abandoned and burned on French arrival →
casualtiesAndLosses	heavy Russian military and civilian losses → hundreds of thousands of French and allied troops lost →
cause	Napoleon’s desire to compel Russia to comply with the Continental System → deterioration of Franco-Russian alliance after Treaty of Tilsit →
commander	Barclay de Tolly → Mikhail Kutuzov → Napoleon Bonaparte → Pyotr Bagration → Tsar Alexander I of Russia →
countryInvaded	Russia →
countryInvading	France →
depictedIn	War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy →
endDate	1812-12-14 →
historicalSignificance	demonstrated the impact of climate and logistics on warfare → inspired numerous works of art and literature → marked the beginning of Napoleon’s downfall →
keyBattle	Battle of Borodino → Battle of Maloyaroslavets → Battle of Smolensk → Battle of the Berezina →
location	Russian Empire →
notableEvent	Battle of Borodino → Battle of Smolensk → burning of Moscow → capture of Moscow by French forces → crossing of the Berezina River → crossing of the Niemen River by the Grande Armée → retreat from Moscow →
partOf	Napoleonic Wars →
result	decisive Russian victory → destruction of much of the French Grande Armée → formation of the Sixth Coalition → major turning point in the Napoleonic Wars → weakening of French hegemony in Europe →
startDate	1812-06-24 →
strategyUsedByFrench	rapid advance to force a decisive battle →
strategyUsedByRussians	scorched earth policy → strategic withdrawal into the interior →
strengthOfFrenchForces	often estimated around 600000 including allies → over 400000 soldiers at the start →
strengthOfRussianForces	over 200000 soldiers initially →

Referenced by (27)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Alexander I of Russia → Duchy of Warsaw → Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) ("Russian campaign of 1812") → Marengo ("Invasion of Russia") →	participatedIn
French invasion of Russia ("Russian campaign of 1812") → Patriotic War of 1812 → Patriotic War of 1812 ("Russian campaign of 1812") →	alsoKnownAs
French Imperial Guard ("Russian campaign of 1812") → Imperial Russian Army →	engagedIn
Joachim Murat ("Russian campaign of 1812") → Mikhail Kutuzov →	participantIn
First French Empire ("Invasion of Russia (1812)") → Napoleonic era →	significantEvent
Battle of Borodino →	campaign
Armies of the French Revolution and Empire →	conflict
War and Peace →	featuresHistoricalEvent
Napoleonic Wars →	hasPart
Coalition Wars →	includes
Napoleonic Wars ("Invasion of Russia in 1812") →	keyEvent
Eugène de Beauharnais ("Russian campaign of 1812") →	notableBattle
Battle of Borodino →	partOf
Treaty of Tilsit →	preceded
Système continental ("French invasion of Russia in 1812") →	relatedToEvent
War of the Fifth Coalition →	successorConflict
Dormition Cathedral ("Napoleonic invasion of 1812") →	sufferedDamageIn
Battle of Borodino ("Russian campaign of 1812") →	theatre
Alexander Column ("1812 French invasion of Russia") →	yearOfEvent