What were the ten bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars?

The Napoleonic Wars, which lasted from 1803 to 1815, were a series of major conflicts fought between the French Empire and various coalitions of European nations. Here are ten of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars:

1. Battle of Leipzig (1813)

Leipzig, Battle of the Nations, October 1813, by Gary^The^Procrastinator

The Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of Nations, was fought between the French Empire and an allied coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden. It was the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars in terms of the number of troops involved and resulted in around 90,000 casualties.

2. Battle of Borondino (1812)

A Pavlovsky Grenadier in melee combat at Borondino (1812). Image by Napoleonic Bricks Blog.

The Battle of Borodino was the largest and bloodiest single-day battle of the Napoleonic Wars, with over 70,000 casualties. It was fought between the French Grand Armée and the Russian Imperial Army during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Trying to decide where it fits on the list is difficult, as the battle was fought in a single day and thus this is often considered the day of the most bloodshed, whereas other battles of the period such as Leipzig above took place over several days.

3. Battle of Wagram (1809)

The Battle of Wagram was fought between the French Empire and the Austrian Empire, and was to be Napoleon's final victory in a major battle. It was one of the largest battles of the Napoleonic Wars, with around 80,000 casualties. In an interesting twist, among the Austrian casualties of war might be counted Joseph Haydn, a famous composer, who reportedly died from shock and humiliation at the French occupation of Vienna.

4. The Battle of Waterloo (1815)

Battle of Waterloo's Defense of La Haye Sainte Farm, KGL sharpshooters atop the Pigpen, by Gary^The^Procrastinator

The Battle of Waterloo was fought between the French Army under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte and a coalition of British, Dutch, and Prussian forces. It resulted in the final defeat of Napoleon and around 47,000 casualties.

5. Battle of Berezina (1812)

The Battle of Berezina was a pivotal engagement in Napoleon Bonaparte's ill-fated Russian campaign of 1812, was fought from November 26 to 29. As Napoleon's Grande Armée retreated from Moscow, it faced a Russian force under Kutuzov and Wittgenstein near the Berezina River in modern-day Belarus. The French forces sought to cross the river on two makeshift bridges while under constant Russian attacks.

Casualties in this desperate struggle were staggering. Napoleon's army suffered heavy losses, with estimates of over 20,000 killed, wounded, or captured. The Russian casualties were also significant, though less precisely documented, at possibly 10,000. The Battle of Berezina marked a turning point in Napoleon's campaign, as it further weakened his forces and hastened their disastrous retreat from Russia. An additional 30,000 French non-combatants are also reported as casualties.

6. Battle of Smolensk (1812)

The Battle of Smolensk was fought between the French Grand Armée and the Russian Imperial Army during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. It resulted in a French victory but with heavy losses on both sides, with around 30,000 casualties.

7. Battle of Friedland (1807)

The Battle of Friedland was fought between the French Empire and the Russian Empire during the War of the Fourth Coalition. It resulted in a French victory and around 28,000 casualties.

8. Battle of Jena-Auerstedt (1806)

The Battle of Jena-Auerstedt was fought between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia during the War of the Fourth Coalition. It resulted in a decisive French victory and around 28,000 casualties.

9. Battle of Austerlitz (1805)

The Battle of Austerlitz was fought between the French Empire and the Austrian Empire during the War of the Third Coalition. It resulted in a decisive French victory and around 27,000 casualties.

10. Battle of Eylau (1807)

Battle of Eylau (1807) by Caleb Dahl

The Battle of Eylau was fought between the French Empire and the Russian Empire during the War of the Fourth Coalition. It resulted in a French victory but with heavy losses on both sides, with around 25,000 casualties.

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