Battle of Borodino
1812 CE · Russia
The Battle of Borodino was fought in 1812 CE in Russia between French Empire and allies vs the Russian Empire; tactical French victory; the Russians withdrew intact and Moscow was abandoned rather than defended.
Battle of Borodino: quick facts
- Date
- 1812 CE
- Location
- Russia
- Belligerents
- French Empire and allies vs the Russian Empire
- Commanders
- Napoleon Bonaparte vs Mikhail Kutuzov
- Result
- tactical French victory; the Russians withdrew intact and Moscow was abandoned rather than defended.
- Casualties
- about 70,000 combined, among the bloodiest single days of the Napoleonic Wars
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Borodino?
The bloodiest day of the Napoleonic Wars saw Napoleon's Grande Armée clash with Kutuzov's Russian army in a brutal frontal battle with over 70,000 casualties. Napoleon captured the battlefield but failed to destroy the Russian army, which withdrew in good order. He marched on to Moscow only to find it abandoned and burning, beginning the catastrophic retreat that would destroy his Grande Armée.
Did you know?
During the retreat from Moscow after Borodino, starving French soldiers discovered that Russia's vast distances and scorched-earth tactics were deadlier than any army they had faced.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Borodino 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.