Battle of Leipzig
1813 CE · Germany
The Battle of Leipzig was fought in 1813 CE in Germany between Sixth Coalition (Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden) vs the French Empire and allies; decisive Coalition victory; the largest battle in Europe before the First World War.
Battle of Leipzig: quick facts
- Date
- 1813 CE
- Location
- Germany
- Belligerents
- Sixth Coalition (Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden) vs the French Empire and allies
- Commanders
- Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg, Gebhard von Blücher and Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte vs Napoleon Bonaparte
- Result
- decisive Coalition victory; the largest battle in Europe before the First World War.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Leipzig?
The largest battle in European history before World War I saw over 600,000 soldiers clash as a coalition of Russia, Austria, Prussia, and Sweden converged on Napoleon's army at Leipzig. After four days of fighting, Napoleon was decisively defeated and forced to retreat across the Rhine, abandoning Germany entirely. The battle effectively ended French domination of Central Europe and set the stage for the invasion of France and Napoleon's first abdication.
Did you know?
At Leipzig, Saxon and Wurttemberg troops switched sides mid-battle and turned their guns on the French, one of the most dramatic mass defections in military history.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Leipzig on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.