Battle of the Nile
1798 CE · Egypt (Aboukir Bay)
The Battle of the Nile was fought in 1798 CE in Egypt (Aboukir Bay) between Royal Navy vs the French Navy; decisive British victory that stranded Napoleon's army in Egypt.
Battle of the Nile: quick facts
- Date
- 1798 CE
- Location
- Egypt (Aboukir Bay)
- Belligerents
- Royal Navy vs the French Navy
- Commanders
- Horatio Nelson vs François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers
- Result
- decisive British victory that stranded Napoleon's army in Egypt.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of the Nile?
Admiral Horatio Nelson launched a daring attack on the anchored French fleet in Aboukir Bay, sailing his ships between the French line and the shore to attack from both sides simultaneously. The French flagship L'Orient exploded in a massive fireball visible for miles, one of the most dramatic events in naval history. Nelson destroyed or captured eleven of thirteen French ships of the line, stranding Napoleon's army in Egypt and establishing British naval supremacy in the Mediterranean.
Did you know?
The explosion of the French flagship L'Orient at the Battle of the Nile was so massive that both fleets reportedly ceased firing for ten minutes in stunned silence.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of the Nile 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.