The Archduke Charles was the most formidable of Napoleon's continental foes, and only once did Napoleon come into direct conflict with him: this was in the 1809 Franco-Austrian campaign in the Danube Valley.
Smarting from Austria's humiliations in 1805, the Archduke inflicted on Napoleon his first defeat in thirteen years as he tried to cross the Danube to take Vienna, and denied him outright victory at the great battle of Wagram that followed some weeks later. With Napoleon occupied in Spain, the Archduke had launched a surprise attack on the French leading to potential disaster with the French forces outnumbered and with inadequate commanders. In a four-day dash from Paris Napoleon arrived to take charge, and with his usual energy and decisiveness concentrated his forces and began five days of marching and fighting to repulse the Austrians at Abensburg and Eckmühl. The road to Vienna was open and Napoleon pressed on.
But he underestimated his enemy and was thrown back by the Archduke Charles's forces as he crossed the river. Failing to follow upon his success, the Archduke hesitated too long and when Napoleon again attempted the crossing, he was ultimately successful. The battle of Wagram was a far from easy victory and left Napoleon with almost as heavy casualties as the Austrians. Napoleon inflicted a harsh settlement on his opponent, and Austria was temporarily subdued. The campaign was however a significant pointer for the future that Napoleon was beginning to believe in his own infallibility, the fatal delusion of many previous conquerors.
F. Loraine Petre's penetrating analysis of this pivotal campaign was first published in 1909, one of his celebrated series of books on Napoleon's wars, written after considerable research including painstaking study of the battlefields themselves.
This item is in Good condition with a previous owners name stamped inside and a small red wine stain on the back cover! Maps are complete and in the back of the book. As always, photos are of the product that you will receive.