War of the V Coalition · 1809
After Tilsit Austria sought a rematch: under Archduke Charles the army was reformed and in spring 1809 invaded Bavaria. The Fifth Coalition forms — Austria and Great Britain (subsidies and naval war); Russia remained allied with France after Tilsit.
Marshals of the campaign
10 marshals
Key events
- 1809Politics
After the defeats of the early 1800s Austria reforms its army; Archduke Charles and Stadion gird for a new war with France.
- 10 AprPolitics
Austria declares war and invades Bavaria — the Fifth Coalition forms: Vienna and Great Britain against Napoleon and the Rhine Confederation allies.
- 11 AprPolitics
An insurrection erupts in the Tyrol against Bavarian and French rule — guerrilla fighting in the Alps until late autumn.
- 20 AprBattle
At Abensberg Napoleon scatters the Austrian vanguard of Archduke Charles and opens the Danube campaign.
- 22 AprBattle
At Eckmühl the corps of Davout and Lefebvre rout the Austrian wing; Archduke Charles withdraws toward Bohemia.
- 13 MayPolitics
The French enter Vienna again; Archduke Charles holds the north bank of the Danube and prepares to strike the Lobau bridgehead.
- 21 MayBattle
At Aspern-Essling Archduke Charles stops Napoleon in a major battle for the first time; Lannes is mortally wounded.
- 14 JunBattle
At Raab (Győr) Beauharnais defeats Archduke John — the Italian front fails to join the main army before Wagram.
- 5 JulBattle
At Wagram Napoleon takes his revenge: MacDonald's column breaks the centre of Archduke Charles; Bernadotte is relieved after his Saxon corps withdraws.
- 10 JulBattle
After Wagram at Znaim the Austrian vanguard withdraws; armistice talks begin.
- 30 JulBattle
A British expedition lands on Walcheren — the Fifth Coalition's strike from the sea, planned by Canning and Castlereagh; malaria and siege failures force the British army to withdraw.
- 14 OctTreaty
Treaty of Schönbrunn: Metternich, succeeding Stadion, negotiates the terms for Austria; the Fifth Coalition ends the land war.
Sides and key participants
Campaign results
For France
- Victory on the Danube: Eckmühl and revenge at Wagram after Aspern
- Treaty of Schönbrunn — Austria again removed from the anti-French coalition
- Bavarian alliance strengthened and Tyrol secured after the uprising was crushed
- First serious setback at Aspern-Essling — the first sign that Napoleon was not invincible
For the coalition
- Austria lost territory and had to limit its army to 150,000 men
- Archduke Charles proved Napoleon could be stopped (Aspern), but Wagram settled the war
- The Italian army failed to join the main force — defeat at Raab
- The British Walcheren expedition could not change the outcome on land
- The Fifth Coalition collapsed