Fifth Coalition
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The Fifth Coalition was an alliance between the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom, formed in 1809 to fight Napoleon's French Empire.
The UK was already fighting France at sea and in alliance with rebels in Spain in the Peninsular War. Austria raised a fresh army to try to overturn the negative results of previous wars that had culminated in the Treaty of Pressburg. Although Austria won minor defensive victories, the absence of Russia or Prussia from the coalition meant that Austria was outnumbered and eventually defeated at the Battle of Wagram. Austria was compelled to sign the Treaty of Schönbrunn, losing yet more territory to Napoleon.
The British also sent an expeditonary force to the Netherlands in order to relieve pressure on the Austrians. The British force of over 39,000, a larger army than what was serving in the Iberian Peninsula, landed at Walcheren on July 30. However, by this time the Austrians had already lost the war. The Walcheren Campaign was characterized by little fighting but lots of dying, thanks to the popularly dubbed 'Walcheren Fever.' Over 4,000 British troops were lost and the rest withdrew in December of 1809.
See also
- Napoleonic Wars
- First Coalition
- Second Coalition
- Third Coalition
- Fourth Coalition
- Sixth Coalition
- Seventh Coalition
External links
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