The marriage celebrated in 1810 between Napoleon and archduchess Marie-Louise, Marie-Antoinette’s niece, ended two decades of tensions and conflicts between the two European powers. At least, for a short period of time. The Habsburg monarchy rejected the French Revolution from the start, joining a number of military coalitions. Defeated time and again by Napoleon, from 1797 on, the Habsburgs were forced to negotiate a peace with the “Ogre”, only to betray him at the first opportunity.
In the series:
Nov. 9: Charles V and Francis I
Nov. 16: Louis XIV, the Habsburgs and the War of Spanish Succession
Nov. 23: Reversal of Alliances
Nov. 30: The Habsburgs and Napoleon
Dec. 7: France and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire during WW1