What is the Bastille?

Introduction The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. It was stormed by a crowd on 14 July 1789, in the French… Read More

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What was the Veronese Easter (1797)?

Introduction The Veronese Easter (Italian: Pasque Veronesi, or singular Pasqua Veronese; French: Pâques véronaises) was a rebellion during the Italian campaign of 1797, in which inhabitants of Verona and the surrounding areas revolted against the French occupying forces under Antoine Balland, while Napoleon Bonaparte (the French supreme commander in the Italian campaign) was fighting in… Read More

What was the Battle of Elchingen (1805)?

Introduction The Battle of Elchingen, fought on 14 October 1805, saw French forces under Michel Ney rout an Austrian corps led by Johann Sigismund Riesch. This defeat led to a large part of the Austrian army being invested in the fortress of Ulm by the army of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France while other formations… Read More

What was the Capture of the Dutch Fleet at Den Helder (1795)?

Introduction The Capture of the Dutch fleet at Den Helder on the night of 23 January 1795 presents a rare occurrence of a tactical interaction between warships and cavalry, in which a French Revolutionary Hussar regiment surrounded a Dutch fleet frozen at anchor between the 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) stretch of sea that separates the… Read More

What is the National Guard (France)?

Introduction The National Guard (French: Garde nationale) is a French military, gendarmerie, and police reserve force, active in its current form since 2016 but originally founded in 1789 during the French Revolution. For most of its history the National Guard, particularly its officers, has been widely viewed as loyal to middle-class interests. It was founded… Read More

What was the Battle of Hohenlinden (1800)?

Introduction The Battle of Hohenlinden was fought on 3 December 1800, during the French Revolutionary Wars. A French army under Jean Victor Marie Moreau won a decisive victory over the Austrians and Bavarians led by Archduke John of Austria. After being forced into a disastrous retreat, the allies were compelled to request an armistice that… Read More

What was the Battle of Wiesloch (1799)?

Introduction The Battle of Wiesloch (German: Schlacht bei Wiesloch) occurred on 03 December 1799, during the War of the Second Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Battle Lieutenant Field Marshal Anton Count Sztáray de Nagy-Mihaly commanded the far right wing protecting the main Austrian army in Swabia, under the command of Archduke Charles,… Read More