1-632-815 - Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images

The French retreat after the Battle of Leipzig, Germany, 19th October 1813. The Battle of the Nations (or Battle of Leipzig ) in 1813 was one of the most decisive defeats suffered by Napoleon Bonaparte in the Napoleonic Wars. The French were opposes by the Prussian, Russian, Austrian and Swedish armies of the Sixth Coalition. The battle was fought on German soil and involved German troops on both sides, as a large proportion of Napoleon's troops actually came from the German Confederation of the Rhine. It is considered to be the largest battle in Europe before World War I, with over 500,000 troops involved. Leipzig ended the French Empire's presence east of the Rhine.