Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace originally appeared under the title 1805. The title referred to the opening historical period of the novel, which begins before Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and follows Russian aristocratic families during the early Napoleonic Wars.
Tolstoy began publishing the work in serialized form in 1865. As the novel expanded beyond the events of 1805, its scope changed substantially, and the familiar title War and Peace became appropriate to its wider treatment of military conflict and civilian life.
The novel is often associated mainly with the 1812 French invasion, but its narrative starts earlier and covers events through the aftermath of Napoleon’s defeat. The original title therefore reflects the book’s initial chronological focus rather than its complete final structure.
The title is sometimes written in Russian as 1805 год, meaning “The Year 1805.” It should not be confused with Tolstoy’s later historical focus on 1812, the year of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.