Which battle in 1809 saw Napoleon's first major defeat?

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Which battle in 1809 saw Napoleon’s first major defeat? The Battle of Aspern-Essling.

Fought on 21–22 May 1809 near Vienna, the Battle of Aspern-Essling was Napoleon’s first personal defeat in a major battle. Austrian forces under Archduke Charles attacked after Napoleon crossed the Danube, forcing the French back from the villages of Aspern and Essling.

The battle became a crisis because repeated failures of the French pontoon bridges disrupted the flow of reinforcements and supplies. Although Napoleon’s army fought tenaciously, the damaged crossings made it impossible to sustain the bridgehead. He withdrew to Lobau island, while the Austrians secured their first major victory over the French in more than a decade.

The defeat damaged Napoleon’s reputation for invincibility and came at a heavy personal cost: Marshal Jean Lannes, one of his closest friends and most capable commanders, was mortally wounded. Napoleon recovered quickly and defeated the Austrians at nearby Wagram in July. The battle is sometimes called simply Aspern, or Aspern-Essling.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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