Geopolitics and Markets Review – 8th April 2024

The Napoleonic Era – Part 2

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812

3. French Invasion of Russia

4. War of the Sixth Coalition

5. The End of Napoleon

6. Concluding Remarks

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Bitesize Edition

• We rejoin the story this week with Russia and France having signed peace after the War of the Third Coalition. However, both sides were still very aware of the strength of the other. The French were expanding into the Balkans, controlling Dalmatia in modern-day Croatia in 1806. At the same time, the Ottomans removed the leaders of Moldavia and Wallachia. The Russians marched on the regions and the Ottomans declared war on them for this.

• The Russians enjoyed naval supremacy in the war against the weakening Ottomans. The conflict ended with Russia annexing Moldavia and renaming it Bessarabia. The Ottomans were on the back foot and didn’t want to weaken any further. The Russians were still wary of the French, and the Russians ignoring the French Continental System was fuelling tensions.

• We then saw Napoleon attempt his well-known invasion of Russia. He held Moscow for five weeks, but Russia torching the city to the ground left Napoleon stranded up shit creek without a paddle, and more importantly, any supplies. Napoleon wasn’t invincible, and this started the beginning of the end. Find out more below.

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Introduction

The superpower battles in the Napoleonic Wars took a break as the French had dominated the early proceedings. The Ottoman’s role in the Napoleonic Wars hit a high when they fought the Russians in the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812.

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Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812

As this series discusses the history of the Balkans, what of the Ottomans during this period I hear you ask? Well, when the French defeated the Russians at Austerlitz (War of the Third Coalition), it was encouraged by the Ottomans.  This ties into this story, as it saw the Russians distracted away the French until the end of this conflict with the Ottomans in 1812.