# Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1812-napoleon-s-invasion-of-russia
Location: Russia
Categories: battle

Close to 100,000 Poles joined Napoleon's Grande Armée, which many hoped would restore the Commonwealth. The campaign ended in catastrophe, and most of them never returned. Within the broader Napoleonic & Congress Poland period: Poles fought beside Napoleon in hope of restoring their state, gaining the Duchy of Warsaw. After 1815 the Congress Kingdom of Poland enjoyed a constitution under the Russian tsar until the November Uprising. At this point in the timeline (1812), the governing authority was Frederick Augustus I (Duke of Warsaw). King of Saxony appointed by Napoleon as Duke of Warsaw; grandson of Augustus III. Napoleon's invasion of Russia mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Napoleon's invasion of Russia mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed.

Ruler at the time: [Frederick Augustus I](https://poland-history.com/rulers/frederick-augustus-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — French invasion of Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Napoleon's invasion of Russia](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Napoleon%27s+invasion+of+Russia)
- [Wikipedia — Congress Poland (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Poland)