Confederation of the Rhine 1806 – 1813

After the Treaty of Pressburg, which was a result of the Battle of Austerlitz and was signed on 26 December 1805, Napoleon decided to create a satellite body of states from several German nations under a confederation which was called the Confederation of the Rhine. Before, these territories were part of the Holy Roman Empire but after his defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz the Holy Roman Emporer was forced to cede various parts of his territory and recognize some monarchs (the kings of Bavaria and Württemberg) which previously were his legal subordinates because kings within the Empire were legally not allowed.

Napoleon merged 16 states into the Confederation of the Rhine which was officially formed with the Treaty of the Confederation of the Rhine which was signed on 12 July 1806. Initially the following 16 states joined the Confederation of the Rhine:

1. Grand Duchy of Baden
2. Kingdom of Bavaria
3. Grand Duchy of Berg
4. Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
5. Principality of Regensburg
6. Kingdom of Württemberg
7. Duchy of Arenberg
8. Principality of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
9. Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
10. Principality of Isenburg
11. Principality of Leyen
12. Principality of Liechtenstein
13. Nassau-Usingen  (forms the Duchy of Nassau  with Nassau-Weilburg)
14. Nassau-Weilburg (forms the Duchy of Nassau  with Nassau-Usingen)
15. Salm-Salm (forms the Principality of Salm with Salm-Kyrburg)
16. Salm-Kyrburg (forms the Principality of Salm with Salm-Salm)

Confederation of the Rhine (1806)

The Holy Roman Empire …1789 – 1806

 

In 1789 the lands of Germany had been know as the Holy Roman Empire for over 800 years.  It was spread all across central Europe and was home to various modern nations, such as Germany, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, parts of Italy, Croatia, Czech, Slovakia and Poland. The most notably member of the Holy Roman Empire were the Habsburg Empire, the Austrian branch which was ruled by Joseph II who also happened to be the elected Holy Roman Emperor. The Kingdom of Prussia had a personal union with the Margraviate of Brandenburg which was situated within the boundries of the Holy Roman Empire.

But the Empire was is its final stage. In neighbouring France the revolution against its king, Louis XVI, led to war with the Holy Roman Empire in 1792. France declared war on Habsburg monarchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Prussia joined Austria’s side. This war is known as the War of the First Coalition, in which also Britain, Spain (which switched sides in 1796), Portugal, Sardinia and Naples and Sicily fought the French and their allies (Batavian Republic after 1795 and immigrant Poles, known as the Polish Legion). France was invaded from several sides, but the initial success of these actions were reversed by the French who imposed the levée en masse and were able to draft a big army and counter-attacked. On several fronts the Austrians and Prussians were pushed back into their own territory and the French conquered various parts of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1795 Prussia stopped fighting and made peace with France at the Treaty of Basel and Austria followed in 1797 with the Treaty of Campo Formio. France gained a lot of territory, the Holy Roman Empire ceded the Austrian Netherlands and parts of Northern Italy and the Rhineland to France, and made the Batavian Republic a satellite state.

Napoleon at the Battle of Rivoli, 14 – 15 January 1797