Battle of Friedland
1807 CE · Russia (Kaliningrad)
The Battle of Friedland was fought in 1807 CE in Russia (Kaliningrad) between French Empire vs the Russian Empire; decisive French victory that led directly to the Treaties of Tilsit.
Battle of Friedland: quick facts
- Date
- 1807 CE
- Location
- Russia (Kaliningrad)
- Belligerents
- French Empire vs the Russian Empire
- Commanders
- Napoleon Bonaparte vs Levin August von Bennigsen
- Result
- decisive French victory that led directly to the Treaties of Tilsit.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Friedland?
Napoleon caught the Russian army with its back to the Alle River at Friedland and launched a devastating assault that shattered the Russian forces. Marshal Ney's corps stormed the town while French artillery poured fire into the Russian columns trapped against the river. The Russians suffered catastrophic losses trying to retreat across inadequate bridges. Fought on the anniversary of Marengo, the victory forced Tsar Alexander I to seek peace, leading to the famous meeting between the two emperors on a raft on the Neman River and the Treaty of Tilsit.
Did you know?
The Battle of Friedland was fought on June 14, 1807, exactly seven years to the day after Napoleon's victory at Marengo, a coincidence Napoleon took as an omen of victory.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Friedland 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.