After Napoleon defeated Austria and Russia at the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805 he was the ‘Master of Europe’ and could dictate terms on his continental enemies. Upon hearing the news of Austerlitz, British Prime Minister William Pitt referred to a map of Europe and said to an aide “Roll up that map; it will not be wanted these ten years.”
Pitt’s words were prescient, particularly when it came to Germany. In July 1806, 16 German states joined together in a new body called the Confederation of the Rhine. Overseen by Napoleon, the French emperor became the hereditary protector of the new Confederation. There was also a German prince-primate who presided over a quasi-parliamentary body known as the Diet.
The Confederation was designed as a collection of German satellite states that supported the First French Empire. To maintain this disparate group, Napoleon was constitutionally canny. He dissolved the ancient Holy Roman Empire, which meant that the German states no longer held nominal allegiance to Habsburg Austria. Some states were given higher statuses, such as Bavaria and Württemberg, which were upgraded to kingdoms. Others became Model States that were directly ruled by Napoleon’s relatives. The Kingdom of Westphalia was ruled by Napoleon’s youngest brother Jérôme Bonaparte, while the Grand Duchy of Berg was governed by the emperor’s brother-in-law Marshal Joachim Murat.
The Confederation was at its largest in 1808 when it included 36 states of varying sizes. As well as kingdoms and duchies, it consisted of 17 principalities and city-states such as Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen.
This story is from the Issue 117 edition of History of War.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 117 edition of History of War.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE IRA'S WAR IN COUNTY TYRONE
The IRA's East Tyrone Brigade was one of its deadliest units. This is the inside story of how one of its attacks triggered a retaliatory ambush by the SAS
'HATRED IS NOT THE WAY'
Speaking to mark the publication of his new memoir, Ivor Perl describes how he survived both Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps during the Holocaust
JOHNSON BEHARRY
Two acts of valour from this young private saved the lives of his comrades in the narrow streets of Al Amarah, Iraq
SUPER SPREADERS IN THE TRENCHES
During the latter period of WWI, infection and disease were a universal enemy on both sides of no man’s land. Vaccination and prevention methods became essential for survival, never mind victory, on the frontline
PROKHOROVKA AND THE FIGHT FOR HILL 252.2
The Battle of Prokhorovka, on 12 July 1943, was the culmination point of the southern pincer of Operation Citadel. The Soviets ultimately emerged victorious, despite suffering extremely heavy losses to their armour. Here, Dr Ben Wheatley recounts the struggle for one critical position during the battle: Hill 252.2
AIR BATTLE FOR KURSK
On the eve of Operation Citadel, the Red Air Force sought to pre-empt the attack by smashing the Luftwaffe. The risky spoiling operation failed spectacularly
ITALIANS IN THE EAST
Reeling from his setbacks in North Africa, and eager to prove his forces’ worth against the communist foe, Il Duce sent a large expeditionary force to join the Nazi invasion of the USSR
SHOWDOWN IN THE DESERT
The Italian campaigns in Africa sought to end British rule over Egypt and control of the Suez Canal, strengthening Mussolini’s dominance over the Mediterranean
CORPO TRUPPE VOLONTARIE
During the Spanish Civil War, tens of thousands of Italian soldiers fought in Spain to support the fascist Nationalist forces of Francisco Franco
STRIKE AT AFRICA
Mussolini envisaged building an empire to rival Ancient Rome. Once he’d established his grip on Italy, he set his sights on Abyssinia as the place to begin
