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Napoleon has become the master of most of Europe by 1805 after his victory over the Austrians and the Russians at the Battle of Austerlitz. For several years Napoleon and France dominated Europe and only the British continued to oppose Bonaparte’s ambitions. Napoleon decided to invade the Russian Empire, to force the Tsar to join a trade embargo on Britain. The French army marched into Russian and captured Moscow, but it disintegrated in the terrible Russian winter.<ref> Palmer, R.R. , [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0073106925/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0073106925&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=aaf81ee4b016b99b72d6e0bb4a744f61 A History of the Modern World], (New York: Knopf, 1956), p. 143</ref> Napoleon retreated back into Europe and in the process lost the majority of his army. The French Empire was severely weakened after the Russian Invasion and eventually the allies, (Britain, Russian, Austria and Prussia) marched into France and deposed Napoleon and restored the Bourbon Monarchy. Napoleon was exiled on the island of Elba in 1814.

However, Napoleon escaped from Elba in 1815 and returned to France and this prompted many in France to declare their loyalty to the old Emperor. The recently installed new French King fled and once more Napoleon was master of France. The allies were stunned and began to mobilize their armies to crush the French once and for all. From the east the Russian army advanced and the Austrians began to gather their forces in Italy.<ref> Palmer, p. 156</ref> The British assembled a large force in the Low Countries and the Prussians army advanced through Germany and planned to link up with their British allies. Napoleon was effectively surrounded but he soon had taken control of his old army, that was still a formidable force.<ref> Palmer, p. 157</ref>