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Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Leipzig 1813

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In October 1813 Napoleon faced the combined might of the Sixth Coalition (Russia, Austria, Prussia, Sweden) near Leipzig, in what would prove to be the decisive battle of his career. Outnumbered, virtually encircled, Napoleon opted for a high-risk strategy of striking against Scwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia, before the other Coalition armies could come to his aid. The four-day Battle of Leipzig would be the largest and bloodiest battle in European history before the First World War, and one that changed the destiny of Europe.

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Themes used in this video: 0.00 Nanga; 1.13 Centurion; 3.29 Agent; 4.41 Oracabessa; 6.00 Major Incursion; 8.55 Renegade; 12.11 Kilimanjaro; 14.30 Turbulence; 16.03 Major Incursion; 18.03 Parbat; 20.46 Turbulence; 24.01 Major Incursion; 25.19 Viking; 26.24 Earthquake; 27.18 Renegade; 28.08 Nanga; 29.12 Skynet; 29.54 Barbarian

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📚Recommended reading (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):
📖Leipzig 1813: The Battle of the Nations https://geni.us/fZqo
📖The Napoleonic Wars by Todd Fisher http://geni.us/R5ZI9c
📖Combat: French Guardsman vs Russian Jäger 1812-14 https://geni.us/rWnOT
📖Napoleon and the Struggle for Germany Vol 1 by Michael Leggiere https://geni.us/2WfiBe
📖1813: Leipzig - Napoleon & the Battle of the Nations by Digby Smith https://geni.us/GMqpsG1
📖Napoleon's Wars by Charles Esdaile https://geni.us/NBrP
📖Napoleon the Great by Andrew Roberts http://geni.us/NqMW

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🎶 Additional music from Kevin MacLeod (incompetetch.com):
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20 Comments

@EpichistoryTv Creator 6 years ago (edited) Pinned

I hope you enjoy the latest video in our Napoleonic Wars series! As far as I'm aware, this is now the most detailed coverage of the Battle of Leipzig in an English-language documentary. It's a very neglected battle, particularly among English-speakers, but deserves to be much better known and understood. Not only was it fought on a vast scale, but this is where Napoleon's empire suffered its mortal blow.

For those interested in details: for the battle, I've used a VERY rough scale of 1 big block (of 4 smaller blocks) = 1 infantry division, or roughly 5,000 troops. That means a small block is roughly half a brigade / 2-3 battalions, or 1,250 troops. For artillery, roughly 1 cannon icon = 50 guns (in reality, of course, guns were much more widely dispersed across the battlefield). For cavalry, the scale is roughly double that of infantry, so one big block = 2,500 cavalry. However cavalry operated in much smaller formations than this, so they, plus smaller units and skirmishers, should be thought of as operating in most of the gaps between units on the map. For anyone interested in detailed orders-of-battle for Leipzig, I recommend this page from The Napoleon Series: https://www.napoleon-series.org/military/battles/leipzig/c_leipzigoob6.html

@alecadanglao8386 6 years ago

In the darkest hours of qurantine, TOP QUALITY CONTENT ARRIVES

@royriley6282 6 years ago

>Difficulty: Mad Emperor
>Spain: Disabled
>Enemy Rockets: Enabled

@AOS-Shill 6 years ago

I like how Bernadotte went immediately and attacked Denmark... a true Swede keeping the feud alive

@thehistorybard6333 6 years ago (edited)

For anyone who is wondering, Marshal MacDonald was born and raised in France, the son of a Scottish Jacobite who had fled there after the failed 1745 Rising. MacDonald was made a Marshal on the battlefield of Wagram after distinguishing himself there, and later received the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honor and was named the Duke of Tarente. Due to his Scottish heritage, Napoleon often joked that he wouldn't dare let Macdonald within the sound of bagpipes, lest he defect and join the British.

@Fenniks- 6 years ago

"i made him a count but i couldn't make him a general" Well done Napoleon you certainly managed to give General Von Wrede a sick burn.

@GModulus 3 years ago

People talk a lot about dogs, but Horses have been our allies in War, sport, agriculture, transport and more. They deserve some recognition, they are the real MVP.

@shubhambeniwal7146 6 years ago

If Napoleon would have been alive he would have probably given Epic History TV Salute of Guns and Cannons for describing his era with such professionalism.

@procedurallygeneratedhuman5399 6 years ago (edited)

Regular battles: "Sir, the enemy right wing is advancing"

Leipzig: "The enemy is approaching from the South, North, East, South-West and North-East !!!"

@thaluta1372 6 years ago

Bernadotte : " I'm only pursue Swedish interests"
Everyone : "It's treason then"

@dVector13 6 years ago

"If all were demoralized and he appeared, his presence was like an electric shock. All shouted 'Vive l'Empereur!' and everyone charged into the fire." what a great quote to discover.

@angusyang5917 6 years ago (edited)

Fun fact: During the Battle of Leipzig and other campaigns, the Russian army employed Bashkir and Kalmyk horse archers against Napoleon, essentially in a manner similar to that of the Mongols. The French called them some of the most useless troops they had ever fought, but they were among occupying troops in Paris in 1814

@johnstonesypher766 3 years ago

I've studied the Napoleonic Wars for 60 years (started when I was 15. This the most clear and concise description of the battle that I have ever seen! Most of the books that deal with the battle leave one befuddled and confused. Great job!!

@waddlepikins1567 6 years ago (edited)

Largest battle during the Napoleonic Wars with coalition forces from all major nations

The British - One Rocket Boi

@mikestauffer7033 6 years ago

This channel sure earned his "Bâton de maréchal" :)

@pkilan7851 2 years ago

If Ridley Scott wanted to spend 200 million dollars on any good Napoleon movie, he should have make movie about this battle,starting from crossing of Berezina.

@bobmeier440 6 years ago (edited)

Here's an interesting bit of history: Beethoven's 7th Symphony, which you heard in Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia, was first performed for the Allied wounded in the Battle of Hanau!

@HeroHoundoom 6 years ago

Coalition Commanders: "Where on earth is Bernadotte?"
Bernadotte: Slow marching intensifies "Just taking in the view, that's all."

@hrishav.ranjan 2 months ago

fun fact: Congreve Rockets mentioned at 2:25 were reverse engineered from Mysorean rockets of Indian King Tipu Sultan. During Mysore wars, Hyder Ali and later his son Tipu Sultan deployed these rockets on a cart, resulting in world's first multi-artillery fire. When the sultan was ultimately defeated by the british, they captured these rockets, studied and reverse engineered it into Congreve rockets. @epichistorytv