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Osprey Elite #101
Austrian Commanders of the Napoleonic Wars 1792–1815
Throughout the Revolutionary (1792-1802) and Napoleonic (1799-1815) Wars, France's most consistent enemy on land was the Austrian Empire. Austria's huge armies played a central part in the several coalitions against France, from the 1790s, to the Austerlitz campaign of 1805, the closely-balanced battles of 1809, and the final upsurge of 1813-14. Contrary to the myth of rigid aristocratic conformity, the generals who led those armies were as diverse in origin and character as their regiments - some were princes of the blood, and some ex-rankers promoted for talent and courage. This text gives concise but fact-packed accounts of the careers of more than 30 of these men, illustrated with portraits and meticulous colour plates.
- GenresMilitary HistoryHistory
64 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
August 23, 2020
A collection of brief biographies of some Austrian generals in the Napoleonic Wars, covering both the famous and the not so famous commanders.
The first person covered is the most famous Austrian commander of the Napoleonic period, Archduke Charles. Not much new information is provided, although the coverage of his early career is interesting and does offer some information that is not seen often. Other famous officers include Michael von Melas, the commander who almost defeated Napoleon at Marengo and led the Austrian element of the army in the Swiss Expedition. Karl Mack, the unfortunate commander who surrendered at Ulm. I believe that the book took a bit of an overly harsh approach towards Mack and ignored some of his achievements. Other officers covered include some obscure foreign officers such as the Irish and Alsatians as well as chiefs of staff such as Radetzky and the aforementioned Karl Mack.
A decent reference book on the Austrian commanders in the era with much interesting information.
Final Rating: 6.5/10
The first person covered is the most famous Austrian commander of the Napoleonic period, Archduke Charles. Not much new information is provided, although the coverage of his early career is interesting and does offer some information that is not seen often. Other famous officers include Michael von Melas, the commander who almost defeated Napoleon at Marengo and led the Austrian element of the army in the Swiss Expedition. Karl Mack, the unfortunate commander who surrendered at Ulm. I believe that the book took a bit of an overly harsh approach towards Mack and ignored some of his achievements. Other officers covered include some obscure foreign officers such as the Irish and Alsatians as well as chiefs of staff such as Radetzky and the aforementioned Karl Mack.
A decent reference book on the Austrian commanders in the era with much interesting information.
Final Rating: 6.5/10
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review