La Bataille d' Eggmuhl 1809

Württemburg Longest Napoleonic German Ally

Massive Württemberg Division Prominent At Eggmühl

However, Napoleon trusted the Württembergers. Not only did they have a prominent role in the Bonaparte constellation, but their arms would be extremely valuable to the French army in 1809. For much of the Eggmühl campaign, Napoleon would use the Württemberg cavalry regiment, Jäger zu Pferd König, as his personal escort. His chasseur a cheval uniform, must have been remarkably close to the green Württemberg cavalry attire.

Württemberg’s primary contribution to the French campaign would be the massive infantry division commanded by the French general Vandamme. This formation had over 9000 men and included not only line infantry, but several light battalions and excellent Württemberg artillery. This division would greatly assist the French in flanking the Austrians from the south and storming the bridge at Eggmühl. The Württembergers would hold Vienna during the Battle of Wagram. During the 1812 campaign, the Württemberg contingent comprised the 25 th Division and fought under Ney. There were also several good cavalry regiments attached. In 1813, Württemberg ended up in Bertrand’s IV Corps and provided an infantry division (38 th ). They fought with distinction in many battles during both the Spring and Fall campaigns. Though Württembergers did well at the Lindenau portion of the Leipzig battles, the French were soundly defeated at Leipzig. The Württembergers left Bertrand’s corps, but not until an emotional goodbye between the French and Württembergers. Jointly weeping over the end of a successful nine-year alliance, it was the end of an era for both the French and Württemberg, but this alliance had shown a new Kingdom of Württemberg how to survive—skills it would use to pilot itself through the next century. At the Congress of Vienna, Württemberg would manage to keep both its questionable territorial acquisitions from its relationship with the French; and retain its status as a kingdom. Becoming part of the new nation of Germany in 1870, it would survive as a kingdom until the end of World War I in 1918.

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