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1809 Thunder On The Danube

Author : Jack Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1848325479
Total Pages : 593 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (483 download)

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Book Synopsis 1809 Thunder On The Danube by : Jack Gill

Download or read book 1809 Thunder On The Danube written by Jack Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2010-06-15 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this third volume John H. Gill brings to a close his magisterial study of the 1809 war between Napoleonic France and Habsburg Austria. This final volume begins with the principal armies of both antagonists recuperating on the Danubes banks. As they prepared for the next encounter, important actions were taking place in distant theaters of war: Eugene brought his army into Hungary and won a crucial victory over Johann on the anniversary of Marengo, Prince Poniatowskis Poles outflanked another Austrian archduke along the Vistula, and future marshal Marmont drove an Austrian force out of Dalmatia to join Napoleon at Vienna. These subsidiary campaigns all set the stage for the clash that would decide the war: the titanic Battle of Wagram. Second only in scale to the three-day slaughter at Leipzig in 1813, Wagram saw more than 320,000 men and 900 guns locked in two days of fury that ended with Austrian retreat. The defeat, however, was not entirely complete and Napoleon had to force yet another major engagement on the Austrians before Charles would accept a ceasefire. This under-appreciated battle at Znaim introduced an extended armistice that finally ended with a peace treaty signed in Vienna in October. Gill makes use of an impressive array of sources to present a lively account that covers the conflict from the diplomacy of emperors to the common soldiers suffering the privations of campaigning and the horrors of battle as they attempt to carry out their duties. Enriched with uncommon illustrations, more than 40 specially prepared maps, and extraordinary order of battle detail, this work concludes an unprecedented English language study of Napoleons last victorious war.

Thunder on the Danube

Author : John H Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1848327579
Total Pages : 529 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (483 download)

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Book Synopsis Thunder on the Danube by : John H Gill

Download or read book Thunder on the Danube written by John H Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2014-05-19 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Franco-Austrian War of 1809 was NapoleonÍs last victorious war. He would win many battles in his future campaigns, but never again would one of EuropeÍs great powers lie broken at his feet. In this respect 1809 represents a high point of the First Empire yet at the same time NapoleonÍs armies were declining in quality and he was beginning to display the corrosive flaws that contributed to his downfall five years later. In this volume Gill tackles the political background to the war and the opening battles of Abensberg, EggmÙhl and Regensberg. He explores the motivations that prompted Austria to launch an offensive against France while Napoleon and many of his veterans were distracted in Spain. Though surprised by the timing of the Austrian attack on the 10th April, the French Emperor completely reversed a dire strategic situation with stunning blows that he called his ïmost brilliant and most skillful maneuversÍ. Following a breathless pursuit down the Danube valley, Napoleon occupied the palaces of the Habsburgs for the second time in four years. Basing his work on years of primary research and battlefield visits, Gill provides a thorough analysis replete with spectacular combat, diplomatic intrigue and the illustrious cast of characters that populated this extraordinary age. The concluding volumes will take the war to its conclusion, including NapoleonÍs first unequivocal repulse at the Battle of Espern-Essling, the titanic Battle of Wagram and the neglected struggle at Znaim that led to armistice.

1809 Thunder on the Danube

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 9781848327597
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (275 download)

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Book Synopsis 1809 Thunder on the Danube by : John H. Gill

Download or read book 1809 Thunder on the Danube written by John H. Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2014-03-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With this third volume John Gill brings to a close his magisterial study of the war between Napoleonic France and Habsburg Austria. The account begins with both armies recuperating on the banks of the Danube. As they rest, important action was taking place elsewhere: Eugene won a crucial victory over Johann on the anniversary of Marengo, Prince Poniatowski's Poles outflanked another Austrian archduke along the Vistula, and Marmont drove an Austrian force out of Dalmatia to join Napoleon at Vienna. These campaigns set the stage for the titanic Battle of Wagram. Second only in scale to the slaughter at Leipzig in 1813, Wagram saw more than 320,000 men and 900 guns locked in two days of fury that ended with an Austrian retreat. The defeat, however, was not complete: Napoleon had to force another engagement before Charles would accept a ceasefire. The battle at Znaim, its true importance often not acknowledged, brought an extended armistice that ended with a peace treaty signed in Vienna. Gill uses an impressive array of sources in an engaging narrative covering both the politics of emperors and the privations and hardship common soldiers suffered in battle. Enriched with unique illustrations, forty maps, and extraordinary order-of-battle detail, this work concludes an unrivalled English-language study of Napoleon's last victory.

Thunder on the Danube

Author : John H Gill
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781848327573
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (275 download)

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Book Synopsis Thunder on the Danube by : John H Gill

Download or read book Thunder on the Danube written by John H Gill and published by . This book was released on 2014-05-19 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Franco-Austrian War of 1809 was NapoleonÍs last victorious war. He would win many battles in his future campaigns, but never again would one of EuropeÍs great powers lie broken at his feet. In this respect 1809 represents a high point of the First Empire yet at the same time NapoleonÍs armies were declining in quality and he was beginning to display the corrosive flaws that contributed to his downfall five years later. In this volume Gill tackles the political background to the war and the opening battles of Abensberg, EggmÙhl and Regensberg. He explores the motivations that prompted Austria to launch an offensive against France while Napoleon and many of his veterans were distracted in Spain. Though surprised by the timing of the Austrian attack on the 10th April, the French Emperor completely reversed a dire strategic situation with stunning blows that he called his ïmost brilliant and most skillful maneuversÍ. Following a breathless pursuit down the Danube valley, Napoleon occupied the palaces of the Habsburgs for the second time in four years. Basing his work on years of primary research and battlefield visits, Gill provides a thorough analysis replete with spectacular combat, diplomatic intrigue and the illustrious cast of characters that populated this extraordinary age. The concluding volumes will take the war to its conclusion, including NapoleonÍs first unequivocal repulse at the Battle of Espern-Essling, the titanic Battle of Wagram and the neglected struggle at Znaim that led to armistice.

1809 Thunder on the Danube

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 9781848327580
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (275 download)

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Book Synopsis 1809 Thunder on the Danube by : John H. Gill

Download or read book 1809 Thunder on the Danube written by John H. Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2014-03-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the second volume of this epic work, John H. Gill traces Napoleon's progress as he sought to complete his victory over the Habsburgs. The war had erupted on April 10th with Austria's invasion of Germany and Italy. After just two weeks, Napoleon had battered the Habsburg Archduke Charles in a series of bruising defeats. This volume begins with Napoleon astride the Danube at Regensburg. He faced a critical strategic choice - whether to pursue the injured Austrian main army into Bohemia or march directly for Vienna, the seat of Habsburg power. After electing to target Vienna, his troops defeated the Austrians in the brutal Battle of Ebelsberg, allowing him to enter the city on May 13th. However on the far side of the Danube, he then suffered a dramatic loss at the grueling, two-day Battle of Aspern. While his Danube forces recovered from this setback, the Emperor cleared trouble from his strategic flanks. Gill describes in vivid detail the hopeful Habsburg invasion of Italy, led by the 27-year-old Archduke Johann, and the fierce French counter-offensive under Napoleon's stepson, Eugene de Beauharnais (also aged 27). In a series of encounters across Italy, de Beauharnais rebounded from initial defeat to advance triumphantly into Austrian territory, shattering and scattering Johann's army. In the wake of Aspern, while the Austrians vacillated, Napoleon gathered every man, horse and gun around Vienna, setting the stage for the gigantic spectacle of the Battle of Wagram, the final chapter in the story of the 1809 war.

The Battle of Znaim

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher : Greenhill Books
ISBN 13 : 1784384518
Total Pages : 391 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (843 download)

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Book Synopsis The Battle of Znaim by : John H. Gill

Download or read book The Battle of Znaim written by John H. Gill and published by Greenhill Books. This book was released on 2020-08-19 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The acclaimed Napoleonic historian sheds new light on a fascinating yet little-known battle in the Franco-Austrian War. Occurring in July of 1809, the Battle of Znaim was the last to be fought on the main front of the Franco-Austrian War. Cut short to make way for an armistice it effectively ended hostilities between France and Austria and is now considered a unique episode of simultaneous conflict and diplomacy. The battle began as a result of the Austrian decision to stage a rearguard action near Znaim, prompting the Bavarians to unsuccessfully storm a nearby town. As the battle progressed over the course of the two days, the village changed hands a number of times. Historian John H. Gill delves into the tactics of both sides as the two armies continually changed positions and strategies. His account dissects and investigates the dual aspects of the Battle of Znaim and explains the diplomatic decisions that resulted in the peace treaty which was signed at Schonbrunn Palace on October 14th, 1809.

The Battle of Znaim

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781784384500
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (845 download)

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Book Synopsis The Battle of Znaim by : John H. Gill

Download or read book The Battle of Znaim written by John H. Gill and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-19 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The little known Battle of Znaim (10th-11th July 1809) was the last battle to be fought on the main front of the Franco-Austrian War. Cut short to make way for an armistice it effectively ended hostilities between France and Austria and is now uniquely considered to be an episode both of conflict and simultaneously of diplomacy.The battle began as a result of the Austrian decision to stage a rearguard action near Znaim, prompting the Bavarians to unsuccessfully storm a nearby town. Battle ensued with the village changing hands a number of times over the course of the two days.Jack Gill delves deep into the respective tactics of both sides as the two armies continually changed positions and strategies. His account dissects and investigates the dual aspects of the Battle of Znaim and explains the diplomatic decisions that resulted in the peace treaty which was signed at Schonbrunn Palace on 14th October 1809.Gill's book is an unrivalled analysis of the Battle of Znaim. Accessible, highly detailed and expertly crafted, it sheds new light on this fascinating moment in Napoleonic history.

With Eagles to Glory

Author : John H Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1848325827
Total Pages : 538 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (483 download)

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Book Synopsis With Eagles to Glory by : John H Gill

Download or read book With Eagles to Glory written by John H Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2011-03-28 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Napoleons Grand Armee went to war against the might of the Habsburg empire in 1809, its forces included more than 100,000 allied German troops. From his earliest imperial campaigns, these troops provided played a key role as Napoleon swept from victory to victory and in 1809 their fighting abilities were crucial to the campaign. With Napoleons French troops depleted and debilitated after the long struggle in the Spanish War, the German troops for the first time played a major combat role in the centre of the battle line. Aiming at a union of German states under French protection to replace the decrepit Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon sought to expand French influence in central Germany at the expense of the Austrian and Prussian monarchies, ensuring Frances own security. The campaign Napoleon waged in 1809 was his career watershed. He suffered his first reverse at Aspern. Victory was achieved at Wagram was not the knock-out blow he had envisaged. In this epic work, John Gill presents an unprecedented and comprehensive study of this year of glory for the German soldiers fighting for Napoleon, When combat opened they were in the thick of the action, fighting within French divisions and often without any French support atall. They demonstrated tremendous skill, courage and loyalty.

Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1783830719
Total Pages : 578 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (838 download)

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Book Synopsis Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs by : John H. Gill

Download or read book Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs written by John H. Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2014-05-19 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This history of the 1809 Franco-Austrian War presents an in-depth chronicle Napoleon’s last great victory. On April 10th, 1809, while Napoleon was occupied in Western Europe with the Peninsular War, the Austrian Empire launched a surprise attack that sparked the War of the Fifth Coalition. Though France would ultimately win the conflict, it would be Napoleon’s last victorious war. Even then, the margin of French superiority was decreasing. Archduke Charles, the best of the Habsburg commanders, led a reformed Austrian Army that was arguably the best ever fielded by the Danubian Monarchy. Though caught off guard, the French Emperor reversed a dire strategic situation with stunning blows that he called his 'most brilliant and most skillful maneuvers'. Following a breathless pursuit down the Danube valley, Napoleon occupied the palaces of the Habsburgs for the second time in four years. He would win many battles in his future campaigns, but never again would one of Europe's great powers lie broken at his feet. In Thunder on the Danube, historian John H. Gill tackles the political background of the war, including the motivations behind the Austrian offensive. Gill also demonstrates that 1809 was both a high point of the First Empire as well as a watershed, for Napoleon's armies were declining in quality and he was beginning to display the corrosive flaws that contributed to his downfall five years later. His opponents, on the other hand, were improving.

Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs Volume III

Author : John H. Gill
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1783033541
Total Pages : 383 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (83 download)

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Book Synopsis Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs Volume III by : John H. Gill

Download or read book Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs Volume III written by John H. Gill and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2010-06-15 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A very impressive piece of work, and it is unlikely to be surpassed for many years . . . A very valuable guide to Napoleon’s last great victory” (HistoryOfWar.org). With this third volume, John Gill brings to a close his magisterial study of the war between Napoleonic France and Habsburg Austria. The account begins with both armies recuperating on the banks of the Danube. As they rest, important action was taking place elsewhere: Eugene won a crucial victory over Johann on the anniversary of Marengo, Prince Poniatowski’s Poles outflanked another Austrian archduke along the Vistula, and Marmont drove an Austrian force out of Dalmatia to join Napoleon at Vienna. These campaigns set the stage for the titanic Battle of Wagram. Second only in scale to the slaughter at Leipzig in 1813, Wagram saw more than 320,000 men and 900 guns locked in two days of fury that ended with an Austrian retreat. The defeat, however, was not complete: Napoleon had to force another engagement before Charles would accept a ceasefire. The battle of Znaim, its true importance often not acknowledged, brought an extended armistice that ended with a peace treaty signed in Vienna. Gill uses an impressive array of sources in an engaging narrative covering both the politics of emperors and the privations and hardship common soldiers suffered in battle. Enriched with unique illustrations, forty maps, and extraordinary order-of-battle detail, this work concludes an unrivalled English-language study of Napoleon’s last victory. “Sheds new light on well-known stages in the battle . . . he has covered more than just an epochal battle in a magnificent book that will satisfy the most avid enthusiasts of Napoleonic era military history.” —Foundation Napoleon

The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire

Author : A. Wess Mitchell
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691196443
Total Pages : 422 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

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Book Synopsis The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire by : A. Wess Mitchell

Download or read book The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire written by A. Wess Mitchell and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2019-10 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Habsburg Empire's grand strategy for outmaneuvering and outlasting stronger rivals in a complicated geopolitical world The Empire of Habsburg Austria faced more enemies than any other European great power. Flanked on four sides by rivals, it possessed few of the advantages that explain successful empires. Yet somehow Austria endured, outlasting Ottoman sieges, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon. A. Wess Mitchell tells the story of how this cash-strapped, polyglot empire survived for centuries in Europe's most dangerous neighborhood without succumbing to the pressures of multisided warfare. He shows how the Habsburgs played the long game in geopolitics, corralling friend and foe alike into voluntarily managing the empire's lengthy frontiers and extending a benign hegemony across the turbulent lands of middle Europe. The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire offers lessons on how to navigate a messy geopolitical map, stand firm without the advantage of military predominance, and prevail against multiple rivals.

The Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire, 1815-1918

Author : Alan Sked
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317880048
Total Pages : 365 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (178 download)

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Book Synopsis The Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire, 1815-1918 by : Alan Sked

Download or read book The Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire, 1815-1918 written by Alan Sked and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-12-14 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new and revised edition of Alan Sked’s groundbreaking book which examines how the Habsburg Empire survived the revolutionary turmoil of 1848. ‘The Year of Revolutions', saw the whole of Europe convulsed in turmoil and revolt. Yet the Habsburg Empire survived. As state after state succumbed to the violent winds of change that were sweeping the continent. How did the Habsburg Empire survive? How was the army able hold together while the rest of the empire collapsed in civil war, and how was it able to seize the political initiative In this new edition, Alan Sked reflects on the changed understanding of the period which resulted from the first appearance of this book, and widens the discussion to look at the Habsburg Empire alongside the decline of the Russian and German Empires, arguing that it is possible to understand their decline from a broad European perspective, as opposed to the overly narrow focus of recent explanations. Alan Sked makes us look at familiar events with new eyes in this radical, vigorously written classic which is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of nineteenth-century Europe.

The End of Empire

Author : George F. Nafziger
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781911628385
Total Pages : 768 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (283 download)

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Book Synopsis The End of Empire by : George F. Nafziger

Download or read book The End of Empire written by George F. Nafziger and published by . This book was released on 2019-06-15 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Having suffered a massive reversal of fortunes in Russia Napoleon found himself confronted, in Germany, by the combined forces of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. After the disaster of Leipzig Napoleon’s German allies fell away and he was forced to fall back, beyond the borders of France. Offered a negotiated peace on the basis of a return to the pre-1792 borders, Napoleon chose to continue to fight, trusting in his star. He was, however, desperate for troops and short of horses and cash. Cornered and threatened by three armies invading from the north, northeast, and east, every chance to stop the Allies had to be taken and there was desperate battle after desperate battle. Of all his campaigns, Napoleon’s 1814 campaign was one of his most brilliant. Eventually, after several terrible defeats, the Allies refused to engage him in battle when he confronted them. Instead they pushed their other two armies forward, slowly driving him back as he rushed to block the advance of the other armies on Paris. This strategy proved successful and eventually Napoleon was obliged to abdicate when his marshals refused to fight further.

Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806-7

Author : Francis Loraine Petre
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 418 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806-7 by : Francis Loraine Petre

Download or read book Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806-7 written by Francis Loraine Petre and published by . This book was released on 1907 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Napoleon's Polish Gamble

Author : Christopher Summerville
Publisher : Pen and Sword
ISBN 13 : 1473816599
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (738 download)

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Book Synopsis Napoleon's Polish Gamble by : Christopher Summerville

Download or read book Napoleon's Polish Gamble written by Christopher Summerville and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2005-09-30 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Napoleon's 1807 campaign against the Russians came close to being his first defeat. At Eylau the Emperor was outnumbered by the army of the Russian commander Bennigsen, yet he accepted battle. His reputation was saved by the flamboyant Murat, who led one of the greatest cavalry charges in history. Christopher Summerville's gripping account of this bitterly fought clash and of Napoleon's subsequent triumph at Friedland is the first extensive study of the campaign to be published for a century. The story is told in the concise, clear Campaign Chronicles format which records the action in vivid detail, day by day, hour by hour. Included are full orders of battle showing the chain of command and the fighting capabilities of the opposing armies.

The Napoleonic Wars: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Mike Rapport
Publisher : OUP Oxford
ISBN 13 : 0191642517
Total Pages : 168 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (916 download)

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Book Synopsis The Napoleonic Wars: A Very Short Introduction by : Mike Rapport

Download or read book The Napoleonic Wars: A Very Short Introduction written by Mike Rapport and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2013-01-31 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Napoleonic Wars have an important place in the history of Europe, leaving their mark on European and world societies in a variety of ways. In many European countries they provided the stimulus for radical social and political change - particularly in Spain, Germany, and Italy - and are frequently viewed in these places as the starting point of their modern histories. In this Very Short Introduction, Mike Rapport provides a brief outline of the wars, introducing the tactics, strategies, and weaponry of the time. Presented in three parts, he considers the origins and course of the wars, the ways and means in which it was fought, and the social and political legacy it has left to the world today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Vienna, 1814

Author : David King
Publisher : Crown
ISBN 13 : 0307407365
Total Pages : 448 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (74 download)

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Book Synopsis Vienna, 1814 by : David King

Download or read book Vienna, 1814 written by David King and published by Crown. This book was released on 2008-03-11 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Reads like a novel. A fast-paced page-turner, it has everything: sex, wit, humor, and adventures. But it is an impressively researched and important story.” —David Fromkin, author of Europe’s Last Summer Vienna, 1814 is an evocative and brilliantly researched account of the most audacious and extravagant peace conference in modern European history. With the feared Napoleon Bonaparte presumably defeated and exiled to the small island of Elba, heads of some 216 states gathered in Vienna to begin piecing together the ruins of his toppled empire. Major questions loomed: What would be done with France? How were the newly liberated territories to be divided? What type of restitution would be offered to families of the deceased? But this unprecedented gathering of kings, dignitaries, and diplomatic leaders unfurled a seemingly endless stream of personal vendettas, long-simmering feuds, and romantic entanglements that threatened to undermine the crucial work at hand, even as their hard-fought policy decisions shaped the destiny of Europe and led to the longest sustained peace the continent would ever see. Beyond the diplomatic wrangling, however, the Congress of Vienna served as a backdrop for the most spectacular Vanity Fair of its time. Highlighted by such celebrated figures as the elegant but incredibly vain Prince Metternich of Austria, the unflappable and devious Prince Talleyrand of France, and the volatile Tsar Alexander of Russia, as well as appearances by Ludwig van Beethoven and Emilia Bigottini, the sheer star power of the Vienna congress outshone nearly everything else in the public eye. An early incarnation of the cult of celebrity, the congress devolved into a series of debauched parties that continually delayed the progress of peace, until word arrived that Napoleon had escaped, abruptly halting the revelry and shrouding the continent in panic once again. Vienna, 1814 beautifully illuminates the intricate social and political intrigue of this history-defining congress–a glorified party that seemingly valued frivolity over substance but nonetheless managed to drastically reconfigure Europe’s balance of power and usher in the modern age.