How many days did the Battle of Leipzig last?

The Battle of Leipzig lasted 4 days, from 16 to 19 October 1813. Also known as the Battle of the Nations, it was fought around Leipzig in Saxony during the German campaign of the War of the Sixth Coalition.

Napoleon Bonaparte commanded the French army and its German, Polish, Italian, and other allies. Opposing them was a large coalition led by Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden. The fighting unfolded across several days: an initial major clash on 16 October, further combat and shifting alliances on 17 and 18 October, and the French retreat on 19 October.

Leipzig was a decisive coalition victory. Napoleon’s forces withdrew westward, French control over Germany collapsed, and the Confederation of the Rhine soon dissolved. The battle involved roughly 560,000 soldiers, making it one of the largest engagements of the Napoleonic Wars.

A common mix-up is confusing the battle’s four-day duration with the wider 1813 campaign, which lasted for months. The answer counts the calendar dates inclusively: 16, 17, 18, and 19 October.