Austerlitz: Napoleon and The Eagles of Europe

by Ian Castle

In this authoritative and beautifully illustrated new account of Napoleon's greatest victory and the campaign that preceded it, Ian Castle sheds new light on the actions of the commanders and questions the assumptions - and explores the myths - that have shaped our understanding of the event ever since. His account follows every twist and turn of a war that was fought out across central Europe two centuries ago. In particular he reconstructs the course of the action in every sector of the Austerlitz battlefield, using French, Austrian and Russian records, and re-evaluates the place of the battle in the history and mythology of the Napoleonic era.

Genres: Military History

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 30, 2005

About the author

Ian Castle began writing military history some thirty years ago but for the last ten years has focused on Germany’s First World War air raids against Britain. Initially exploring the London raids, his later research extended to include attacks across the whole country. In addition to writing books, Ian regularly contributes articles to magazines and journals and has been involved in a number of television documentaries detailing this early air campaign. Besides giving regular talks on the subject, Ian is also building an extensive website highlighting these early air raids.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Austerlitz December 2, 1805 'The Battle of Three Emperors'

Famous battles take on lives of their own. Napoleon jealously kept this battle for himself, never giving any of his marshals that title, even though some performed superbly. It has been called his masterpiece since it humbled his two opponents: Austria and Russia, not for the last time. Things seemed to go right in this campaign, from Mack's humiliation at Ulm to the 'famous sun of Austerlitz'. The Grande Armee would begin a domination of Europe that would change its face for another decade.

This book details what the French did right and the allies--Russia and Austria--did wrong for the most part. There are maps, but not the best, and some good pictures at the end. If you admire Napoleon, it's the kind of battle you like to read about because it shows him in his prime, which he will be for the next few years.

Ironically, just two months before Austerlitz, another battle took place, one in which Napoleon himself didn't participate. Trafalgar, a naval battle, would have profound effect on the way Napoleon would make war, and the way he would try to force others to make war. Austerlitz and Jena/Auerstadt made him supreme on land, but Britain's relentless war against France would chip away at that supremacy in the years to come.

[Monty Milne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good account and I would have given it four stars except that the maps haven’t always reproduced very clearly, and I prefer to read about battles which the French lose (but then I consoled myself with the thought that I read it on the anniversary of Trafalgar, and am writing this on the anniversary of Agincourt).

I had not appreciated how much the French owed to the wily spy Charles Schulmeister. Bonaparte said he was worth 40,000 men, and if anything that underestimates his effect. Austerlitz itself was much closer and more hard fought than I had appreciated. The Russians fought with great determination, though their leaders were a mixed bunch: the Tsar ineffectual, Buxhoewden an incompetent drunkard, Bagration heroic. The Austrian cavalry fought well too.

The story of thousands of Russians drowning on the frozen lake when the French gunfire broke the ice is just another piece of Bonapartist propaganda. The water was only waist high, and when the lake was drained the following year, only two or three human skeletons emerged (though a lot of horses). But Bonaparte didn’t need to tell fibs to convey the unfortunate truth: he had achieved an outstanding victory. And although luck certainly played a large part, it would be unjust not to admit that he completely outmanouevered his enemies – psychologically as well as on the battlefield.

[Heinz Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review forthcoming.

[Bob Fuhrman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Campaign and battle accounts unfortunately (for me) suffer in the digital book format. Maps are never large enough nor handy enough for quick reference. That being said, this account of Austerlitz may be somewhat superior to what I recall of the Christopher Duffy tome of many years ago. I felt that there was more detail offered in the accounts of the various Coalition assault columns.