In 1809, France, led by the famous military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, was the dominant power in Europe. However, Napoleon’s recent invasion of Spain and Portugal hadn’t gone as smoothly as he had hoped. With many of his best troops tied up in Spain, Austria saw an opportunity to challenge France once again. Austria had been preparing for this moment since its defeat at Austerlitz in 1805, and with the promise of financial support from Britain, it seemed like the perfect time to strike.
This time, Austria’s forces were commanded by Archduke Charles, the younger brother of Emperor Francis. At 37, he was slightly younger than Napoleon but had already spent 15 years in high command. Archduke Charles had been reforming the Austrian army, adopting some of Napoleon’s tactics, such as the corps system and new infantry strategies.
During the Napoleonic Wars, infantry typically fought in ‘close order,’ standing shoulder to shoulder. This formation had several benefits: it made it easier to command troops, increased firepower, boosted morale, and provided defense against cavalry. The basic unit of infantry was the battalion, theoretically consisting of 840 men, but in practice, it was often closer to 500-600.
Battalions were divided into companies, including fusilier companies and flank companies—grenadiers on the right and voltigeurs on the left. Skirmishers operated independently to disrupt the enemy while preventing enemy skirmishers from doing the same. Most armies had specialized light infantry units for this role.
The traditional battlefield formation was the line, which allowed the maximum number of soldiers to fire their muskets at the enemy while minimizing casualties from artillery fire. However, it was vulnerable to cavalry if outflanked. For maneuvering and attacking, battalions often formed a ‘column of divisions,’ which allowed for quicker movement but made them a larger target for enemy artillery.
In 1809, the Austrian army began using the ‘battalion mass’ formation, which was more suitable for hastily-trained conscripts. Napoleon, alerted by his spies that Austria was preparing for war, left Spain and returned to Paris on January 24, 1809. The French army in Germany, led by Marshal Berthier, urgently needed reinforcements. Napoleon called for units from Spain and summoned young conscripts.
Archduke Charles ordered diversionary attacks in Poland and Northern Italy but launched his main assault against Bavaria on April 10, catching the French off guard. Charles relied on a rapid advance, but a last-minute change of plans and bad weather slowed progress. Marshal Berthier, although a brilliant chief-of-staff, was indecisive in the field, leading to the isolation of Marshal Davout’s Third Corps at Regensburg.
On April 17, Napoleon arrived to take command and ordered Davout to withdraw. Despite the odds, Davout’s Third Corps managed to repel the Austrians in a fast-moving battle. The Battle of Teugn-Hausen marked the beginning of Napoleon’s ‘Four-Day Campaign.’ He used his forces to drive a wedge into the Austrian army and pursued its left wing.
Napoleon realized that Archduke Charles was not at Landshut and had left Davout to face the main enemy force. After several victories, the French pursued the Austrians, storming the city of Regensburg. Despite suffering a minor injury, Napoleon cut the Austrian army in half, but both sections retreated in good order towards Vienna.
Napoleon led his forces in pursuit, detaching units to deal with a revolt in Tyrol. Charles chose not to defend Vienna, which surrendered on May 13 after a short bombardment. Instead, he positioned his army across the Danube. Napoleon, now with 80,000 men against 110,000 Austrians, decided to attack.
On the night of May 20, French engineers built floating bridges across the Danube, allowing troops to cross. By noon the next day, Napoleon had most of Massena’s Fourth Corps across the river. However, reports indicated that the entire Austrian army was advancing against him. The situation worsened as the Austrians began to disrupt French supply routes.
The battle began with a fierce attack on Aspern, where the French garrison suffered heavy casualties. Napoleon ordered cavalry charges to support the defenders, but they could not break through the Austrian lines. Archduke Charles ordered a concerted effort to take Aspern, which fell after intense fighting.
Napoleon sent reinforcements to recapture Aspern while the Austrians attacked Essling. Despite initial successes, the French faced heavy losses, and by the end of the day, they were forced to retreat. The two-day Battle of Aspern-Essling marked Napoleon’s first major defeat, resulting from overconfidence and hasty planning.
Both sides suffered heavy losses, and Napoleon learned to respect the Austrian army under Archduke Charles. Following his defeat, Napoleon summoned reinforcements and began planning his next moves.
If you’re interested in learning more about Napoleon’s major battles or campaigns, Osprey Publishing offers nearly 200 titles on the Napoleonic Wars, covering various aspects of this historical period. Thanks to HistoryMarche for creating the battle map. Visit his YouTube channel for more military history videos. A huge thanks to all our Patreon supporters for making this series possible. Find out how you too can appear in the credits, get early access, and vote for future topics at the Epic History TV Patreon page.
Create your own interactive map of the Battle of Aspern-Essling using online mapping tools. Highlight key locations, troop movements, and strategic points. Present your map to the class, explaining the significance of each element and how it influenced the battle’s outcome.
Participate in a role-playing debate where you assume the roles of Napoleon, Archduke Charles, and other key figures. Discuss the strategies and decisions made during the battle. Argue for or against the tactics used, considering the historical context and available resources.
Research the different military formations and tactics used during the Napoleonic Wars, such as the ‘battalion mass’ and ‘column of divisions.’ Prepare a presentation that compares these tactics with modern military strategies, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.
Write a diary entry from the perspective of a soldier who fought in the Battle of Aspern-Essling. Describe the events of the battle, the emotions experienced, and the challenges faced. Share your diary entry with the class to provide a personal view of the historical event.
Work in groups to create a short documentary film about the Battle of Aspern-Essling. Include interviews with “historical experts” (played by classmates), reenactments, and analysis of the battle’s impact on the Napoleonic Wars. Screen your documentary for the class and discuss its historical accuracy and educational value.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
An Epic History TV / HistoryMarche collaboration supported by our sponsor, Osprey Publishing.
In 1809, France, under Napoleon Bonaparte, was the most powerful nation in Europe. However, the French Emperor’s invasion of Spain and Portugal the previous year had not delivered the easy victory he had expected. With many of Napoleon’s best troops and commanders now engaged in Spain, an old enemy prepared to challenge France once more. Austria had been preparing for war with France since its last defeat at Austerlitz in 1805. Now, with Napoleon occupied in Spain and a British promise of cash subsidies, it seemed like the ideal time to strike.
This time, Austria’s armies would be led by Archduke Charles, Emperor Francis’s younger brother. At 37, he was two years younger than Napoleon but already had 15 years of experience in high command. He had begun to reform the Austrian army along French lines, adopting Napoleon’s corps system and introducing new infantry tactics.
In the Napoleonic Wars, infantry typically fought in ‘close order’—packed together, standing shoulder to shoulder. This formation had several advantages: it facilitated command and control, maximized firepower, boosted morale, and provided defense against cavalry. The basic tactical unit of infantry was the battalion, which, in theory, had 840 men, but in practice, was closer to five to six hundred.
Battalions were divided into companies, including fusilier companies and flank companies—grenadiers on the right and voltigeurs on the left. Skirmishers moved independently to harass the enemy while preventing enemy skirmishers from doing the same. Most armies had specialist light infantry units for this role.
The traditional battlefield formation was the line, which maximized the number of men who could fire their muskets at the enemy while limiting casualties from artillery fire. However, it was vulnerable to cavalry if outflanked. For maneuver and attack, battalions usually formed a ‘column of divisions,’ which allowed for quicker advancement but presented a larger target to enemy guns.
In 1809, the Austrian army began to use the ‘battalion mass’ formation, which was more suited to hastily-trained conscripts. Napoleon, warned by his spies that Austria was preparing for war, left Spain and returned to Paris, arriving on January 24, 1809. The French army in Germany, commanded by Marshal Berthier, needed urgent reinforcement. Napoleon summoned units from Spain and called up young conscripts.
Archduke Charles ordered diversionary attacks in Poland and Northern Italy but launched his main attack against Bavaria on April 10, catching the French by surprise. Charles relied on a rapid advance, but a last-minute change of plans and bad weather slowed progress. Marshal Berthier, though a brilliant chief-of-staff, was indecisive in the field, leading to the isolation of Marshal Davout’s Third Corps at Regensburg.
On April 17, Napoleon arrived to take command and ordered Davout to withdraw. Despite the odds, Davout’s Third Corps managed to repel the Austrians in a fast-moving battle. The Battle of Teugn-Hausen marked the beginning of Napoleon’s ‘Four-Day Campaign.’ He used his forces to drive a wedge into the Austrian army and pursued its left wing.
Napoleon realized that Archduke Charles was not at Landshut and had left Davout to face the main enemy force. After several victories, the French pursued the Austrians, storming the city of Regensburg. Despite suffering a minor injury, Napoleon cut the Austrian army in half, but both sections retreated in good order towards Vienna.
Napoleon led his forces in pursuit, detaching units to deal with a revolt in Tyrol. Charles chose not to defend Vienna, which surrendered on May 13 after a short bombardment. Instead, he positioned his army across the Danube. Napoleon, now down to 80,000 men against 110,000 Austrians, decided to attack.
On the night of May 20, French engineers built floating bridges across the Danube, allowing troops to cross. By noon the next day, Napoleon had most of Massena’s Fourth Corps across the river. However, reports indicated that the entire Austrian army was advancing against him. The situation worsened as the Austrians began to disrupt French supply routes.
The battle began with a fierce attack on Aspern, where the French garrison suffered heavy casualties. Napoleon ordered cavalry charges to support the defenders, but they could not break through the Austrian lines. Archduke Charles ordered a concerted effort to take Aspern, which fell after intense fighting.
Napoleon sent reinforcements to recapture Aspern while the Austrians attacked Essling. Despite initial successes, the French faced heavy losses, and by the end of the day, they were forced to retreat. The two-day Battle of Aspern-Essling marked Napoleon’s first major defeat, resulting from overconfidence and hasty planning.
Both sides suffered heavy losses, and Napoleon learned to respect the Austrian army under Archduke Charles. Following his defeat, Napoleon summoned reinforcements and began planning his next moves.
If you’d like to learn more about Napoleon’s major battles or campaigns, our sponsor Osprey Publishing has nearly 200 titles on the Napoleonic Wars, covering various aspects of this historical period.
Thanks to HistoryMarche for creating the battle map. Visit his YouTube channel for more military history videos. A huge thanks to all our Patreon supporters for making this series possible. Find out how you too can appear in the credits, get early access, and vote for future topics at the Epic History TV Patreon page.
Napoleonic – Relating to Napoleon Bonaparte, his era, or his military campaigns. – The Napoleonic Wars reshaped the political landscape of Europe in the early 19th century.
Wars – Conflicts between different nations or states, or different groups within a nation or state, typically involving armed forces. – The wars of the 20th century had profound effects on global politics and society.
Austria – A central European country that played a significant role in European history, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. – Austria was a key member of the coalition forces that opposed Napoleon’s expansion across Europe.
Battle – A military fight between groups, especially a large-scale engagement between armies. – The Battle of Waterloo was a decisive conflict that marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
Infantry – Soldiers marching or fighting on foot, a key component of military forces. – The infantry played a crucial role in the success of many military campaigns throughout history.
Tactics – The art of deploying and directing troops and equipment in battle to achieve a specific objective. – The general’s innovative tactics during the campaign were studied in military academies for years to come.
Army – A large organized group of soldiers trained for war, especially on land. – The Roman army was one of the most formidable military forces in ancient history.
Casualties – Members of the armed forces who are killed, wounded, captured, or missing in a military engagement. – The high number of casualties in World War I led to widespread calls for peace and diplomacy.
Troops – Soldiers or armed forces, especially when organized in large numbers. – The deployment of additional troops was necessary to secure the region during the conflict.
Vienna – The capital city of Austria, which has been a significant cultural and political center in European history. – The Congress of Vienna in 1815 aimed to restore balance and order to Europe after the Napoleonic Wars.
