A History Of Europe, Key Battles

The Austro-Prussian War of 1866 was brief, yet its consequences were profound. It was the culminating event in a rivalry that began with the rise of the house of Brandenburg-Prussia, most notably Frederick the Great’s unprovoked attack upon the Habsburg province of Silesia in 1740. From that time Austria and Prussia were involved in a long struggle for supremacy in Germany.In 1866 Prussian armies invades Saxony and then the Austrian Empire with the main battle occurring on 3rd July 1866 at Königgrätz with immense armies on both sides.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, movements 3 and 4. Also Waltz nr. 15 in A flat major. Courtesy of musopen.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Any list of decisive battles of European history would be incomplete without a battle which occurred on 3 July 1866 near the town of Königgrätz, in the north of the today’s Czech Republic.The victorious allies of the Schleswig War of 1864, the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, soon after fall out with each other and go to war.Austria faces great challenges - in the centre of Europe and facing in two directions – north and west to Germany, and south and east to a number of various ethnicities in eastern Europe and the Balkanswww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Camille Saint-saens: The Carnival of the Animals - Aquarium and SwanPicture - Map of Central Europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When in November 1863 King Frederick VII of Denmark died, a dispute arose over who had a legitimate claim to rule over the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Otto von Bismarck saw this as a great opportunity to increase Prussian power in the region and decided, together with the Austrians, to invade Denmark.The key battle in the war was the siege of Dybbøl in April 1864This month, August 2022, I'm doing a cycling challenge to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. More info at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carl-rylett-cycle274www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Anton Bruckner (Erinnerung) and Sergei Rachmaninoff (Preludes, number 10, Lento in B minor)Picture - Siege of Dybbol  Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

A border dispute between the German Confederation and the Kingdom of Denmark in the regions of Schleswig and Holstein breaks out into an inconclusive war in 1848-1850, and tensions remain into the 1860's.Meanwhile, a common culture was developing across the German population of Europe, with the literary works of Goethe and Schiller, and philosophers Kant and Hegel. On the political scene, Otto von Bismarck rises to power as the Prussian chief minister. He urges the need for the king’s military reforms, famously stating that the great questions of the time would not be resolved by speeches or parliamentary votes but by ‘iron and blood’.This month, August 2022, I'm doing a cycling challenge to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. More info at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carl-rylett-cycle274www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Edvard Grieg (Peer Gynt Suite - Aase's Death, Anitra's Dance)Picture - Otto von Bismarck Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit a

Napoleon III of France and Cavour, chief minister of Piedmont come to an agreement to try to remove Austrian influence from the Italian peninsula, and provoke Vienna into war. One of the largest battles was at Solferino where there were three monarchs - Franz Joseph of Austria, Victor Emanuel of Piedmont and Napoleon III. The ensuing conflict lasted until 1861 when finally emerged the brand new nation of Italywww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Giuseppe Verdi - Overture, Iphigenia In Aulis; La Traviata - Conclusion - Ah, fors' e lui. Courtesy of musopen.org.Picture - Entry of Garibaldi to Napoli, by Franz Wenzel Schwarz See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Napoleonic Wars had a dramatic impact on Italy, completing redrawing boundaries. Even though the French were defeated, many of their political reforms were to be both profound and long-lasting. And the temporary unification of parts of the peninsula encouraged Italians to be aware of a common nationality. Yet only decades afterwards would there be real change. Some of the protagonists were Giuseppe Garibaldi, Giuseppe Mazzini and Camillo Cavour, the Prime Minister of Piedmontwww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Franz Liszt - Die Loreley, S. 532 (Piano Solo)and Mikhail Glinka - Trio Pathétique See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An allied army of British, French and Italians besiege the Crimean port of Sevastopol in late 1854. Fighting also took place in the Baltic Sea and in the Far East, and in the Caucasus mountains at the siege of the fortress of Kars. The main event at Sevastopol was particularly protracted and bloody as the allies attempted to break through into the citywww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Frederich Chopin: Preludes No. 7 'The Polish dancer'; Nocturne in F sharp majorPicture - Battle of Malakoff See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Russians invade Moldavia and Wallachia (in modern day Romania) and destroy the Ottoman Black Sea fleet at Sinop. Under public pressure, the French and British governments, concerned about growing Russian power, decide to send in troops to force the invaders to retreat. Seeking to neutralise the Russian threat in the Black Sea and Mediterranean, the Allies decide to invade Crimea. One of several early skirmishes was the famous 'charge of the light brigade'www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Frederich ChopinPicture - British cavalry charging against Russian forces at Balaclava See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Ottoman Sultans attempt to reform their army and state, under pressure from outside powers, most notably Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, who lays claim to protecting Orthodox Christians within the Ottoman Empire. The Crimean War begins when Russia invades the Orthodox territories of Moldavia and Wallachia in modern day Romania.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Frederich Chopin: Nocturne in B flat minor, no. 1, and Polonaise no. 1Picture - The First Serbian Uprising (1804–1813) against the Ottoman Empire See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The powers of Europe, especially Britain and France are concerned by the decline of the Ottoman Empire and growing power and ambition of Russia. This episode focuses on the problems of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, who descendants once ruled a mighty empire that threatened Christendom, but in the 1800's was struggling under the pressures of modernity and the threat of regions breaking away e.g. in Egypt, Arabia and the Balkans. www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: Chopin's Mazurka in C sharp minor, and Etude no. 3 in E major - 'Tristesse'; Mikhail Glinka - Trio PathétiquePicture - Portrait of Sultan Mahmud II See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Revolutionary breaks out across Europe continent from France to Romania, Denmark to Italy. Slowly the authorities regained control but were unable to reverse all of the changes. Most governments, for example, kept some form of constitution, and liberals worked hard to defend what was left of their achievements. The events of 1848 gave millions of Europeans their first taste of politics, and remained an inspiration for later generations. www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: Robert Schumann - Kinderszenen, courtesy of musopen.orgPicture: The revolutionary barricades in Vienna in May 1848 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the first months of 1848, a tidal wave of revolution shook the political establishment of Europe to its foundations Events began with an uprising in Sicily in January, and by the end of the year the entire continent had been affected to some degree, including the overthrow of leaders in France, Austria, Italy and Germanywww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini, courtesy of musopen.orgPicture: Revolutionaries in Berlin in March 1848, waving the revolutionary flags See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

King Charles X of France is overthrown and replaced by his cousin Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans. Meanwhile a 10 month long insurrection in Poland is crushed by the Russians. In the retribution which followed, eighty-thousand Poles are dragged off in chains to Siberia. The year 1830 also witnessed the formal independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire after a war which had begun nine years before.And the Industrial Revolution gathers steam across western Europewww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Feliox Mendelssohn, Italian Symphony, courtesy of musopen.orgPicture - Eugène_Delacroix (Liberty Leading the People) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Congress of Vienna 1814 at the end of the long Napoleonic Wars led to a period of relative peace on the continent of Europe. A network of institutions was established known as the ‘Concert of Europe’ where differences could be thrashed out before leading to war.After the French Revolution, the basis of sovereignty shifted from individuals and families as leaders to nations and states. Throughout Europe a generation of individuals from the educated elite took the lead in developing movements of national liberation and liberal reform. But for more than thirty years the leaders of the Great Powers of the continent successfully managed to suppress these movements and clamped down on any signs of internal unrest or revolutionwww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: Frederich Chopin - Polonaise in A Flat Major; Franz Schubert's Symphony no.5Picture: Congress of Vienna watercolour etching by August Friedrich Andreas See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The French army invades Russia. The Russians retreat deep into their own territory then confront the French at the inconclusive Battle of Borodino of September 1812. Napoleon leads his men into Moscow but is forced to abandon the city and return westwards in the middle of winter, resulting in devastating losses. The anti-French coalition regain the initiative at the huge Battle of the Nations and finally at the Battle of Waterloo.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Beethoven; Moonlight Sonata and Symphony No.6 in F major. Courtesy of musopen.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The French invade Prussia and capture its capital Berlin, and then move into Poland and take Warsaw. Napoleon and Tsar Alexander then agreed the Treaties of Tilsit. The greatest resistance to French dominance comes from the Spanish, aided by the British under the command of the Duke of Wellington.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Beethoven - Symphony Nr 5, courtesy of www.musopen.orgPicture: Charles Meynier - Entrée de Napoléon à Berlin, 27 Octobre 1806 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peace could potentially have lasted after the treaties of Lunéville and Amiens of 1801 and 1802 had the great powers accepted each others’ spheres of influence. However, the agreements turned out to be just a short truce. Napoleon’s continued annexations in Europe and apparent ambitions in the Mediterranean and Near East alarmed the British and Russians. The French suffer defeat at Trafalgar but manage to occupy Vienna. The Russians then withdrew back eastwards, while the Austrians hastened to make peacewww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Beethoven - Symphony Nr 3 'Eroica', played by Czech National Symphony Orchestra, courtesy of www.musopen.orgPicture: Jacques-Louis David - The Emperor_Napoleon in His Study at the Tuilerie See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Napoleon leads the French into Egypt but is defeated at the Battle of the Nile by the British. Afterwards the Russians and Austrians push back against the French in Italy, but then suffer a reverse at the Battle of Marengo. Marengo turned out arguably to be the most important victory of Napoleon’s career. Had he lost the battle, he would have lost the war and probably the consulship. Instead his narrow win secured his job and won him Italy.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Mozart - March in D major; Violin Concerto no. 3 in G major, II. Adagio, courtesy of www.musopen.orgPicture - Jacques-Louis David - Napoleon Crossing the Alps See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The French invade Belgium in 1794 and the Netherlands in 1795. The coalition against them starts to fall apart as individual members came to terms. Russia, Prussia and Austria are distracted by their partitioning of Poland, which is wiped off the map.Next the French invade Austria and Italy, the Italian campaign led by a promising young commander Napoleon Bonaparte.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic from Mozart (Symphony no. 40 'Prague'), courtesy of www.musopen.orgPicture - Louis-François, Baron Lejeune - The Battle of Lodi 1796 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A French military victory at Valmy in 1792 and the execution of Louis XVI in January 1793 focused the growing concern across Europe about the radical new regime in Paris. The true revolutionary nature of events in France was dawning on everyone, including the possibility of the export of the revolutionary principles. In France, there was further political turmoil in 1793 with the coming to power of Maximilien Robespierre, who embarked on a fully fledged reign of TerrorMusic - Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major, I. AllegroPicture - Battle of Jemmapes, by Raymond Desvarraux See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.