Battle of Aspern-Essling
The Battle of Aspern-Essling (21–22 May 1809) was Napoleon's first unambiguous defeat and one of the most significant engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. Following the occupation of Vienna on 13 May 1809, Napoleon attempted to cross the Danube at the village of Aspern-Essling to engage Archduke Charles's main Austrian army on the north bank. The crossing was hazardous: the Danube was in spring flood, and the pontoon bridge — over 400 metres long — was vulnerable to the debris and fire-rafts that Austrian pioneers floated downstream. Napoleon began crossing on the night of 20–21 May; by the morning of 21 May he had approximately 23,000 men on the north bank, with more crossing steadily. Archduke Charles attacked with 95,000 men. The two days of fighting centred on the villages of Aspern and Essling, which changed hands repeatedly in brutal street-by-street combat. Masséna defended Aspern; Lannes held Essling. The Austrians broke the pontoon bridge twice, cutting off reinforcements and threatening to strand the French entirely. On the evening of 22 May Marshal Lannes, one of Napoleon's closest friends and finest corps commanders, was struck by a cannon ball that shattered both legs. He died six days later. Napoleon reportedly spent two hours sitting by Lannes's side, weeping. The army was extracted to the island of Lobau in the Danube, having suffered approximately 23,000 casualties — similar to Austrian losses, but the psychological and strategic effect was entirely to Austrian advantage. Archduke Charles had won the first clear victory over Napoleon since the beginning of the Italian campaigns in 1796. The defeat delayed Napoleon's next crossing by six weeks; when he finally crossed at Wagram (5–6 July 1809) he was more careful, used a massive pontoon bridge, and employed 154,000 men — almost twice the Aspern-Essling force. He won, but at heavy cost, and the subsequent peace (Schönbrunn, October 1809) was harsher than any Napoleon had previously imposed.
- Year: 1809 CE
- Category: Military
