Battle of Austerlitz Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
At the Battle of Austerlitz (December 2, 1805), during Napoleonic War of the Third Coalition, a French force of approximately 73,000 under Napoleon decisively defeated a joint Russo-Austrian force of over 89,000, commanded by Russian General Kutuzov with General von Weyrother commanding the Austrian contingent. The battle was followed by the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Austerlitz (the modern town of Slavkov in the Czech Republic) lies approximately 20 km away of Brno.The Battle of Austerlitz followed on Napoleon's significant defeat of the Austrian General Mack at Ulm. In an unprecedentedly (for that era) rapid concentration of French forces, Napoleon essentially defeated Mack by maneuver, resulting in the surrender of a major Austrian force protecting the northern approach to Vienna, and subsequently leading to the capture of the Austrian capital.
Napoleon's forces held the Pratzen Heights, but Napoleon abandoned this strategically advantageous postion in favor of an unconventional manuver. Napoleon's right flank was intentionally made weak. To the Russo-Austrian forces, this weakness appeared to be a means of sweeping the French off of the field. However, when Kutuzov's forces attacked, Napoleon allowed his right flank to weaken somewhat before strengthening it with reinforcements to keep it from collapsing. The Russo-Austrian forces had fallen into the trap. The Russo-Austrians were occupied with attacking Napoleon's right flank, and the Russo-Austrians began to push the French back on the right. Then, out of the fog came 17,000 French troops marching towards Pratzen Heigts, a totally unexpected manuver. Kutuzov's forces, who had expected French counterattacks to be flanking side maneuvers, were surprised at the frontal attack, and the center was routed after heavy fighting. The French managed to take back the Pratzen Heights, and with the center broken, the Russo-Austrian armies on the side flanks were cut off from each other. The French forces then attacked from the Pratzen Heights at the Russo-Austrian left flank, and continued across the Heights to attack the Russo-Austrian right. The separated parts of the Russo-Austrian army were thus forced off of the field.
The French suffered 9,000 casualties and the Russo-Austrian armies lost about 25,000 men that were killed, wounded or captured. The Russians withdrew from Austria and the Austrians signed the Treaty of Pressburg (26 December 1805), conceding substantial territories to the French.
Austerlitz is sometimes known as the "Battle of Three Emperors" because it represented the clash of Napoleon I, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, and Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire personally directing the troops on the battlefield.
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