Napoleonic Wars: History Research Paper Topics for College Students
If you study World History, you cannot overlook incredibly interesting events related to the Napoleonic Wars between 1792 and 1815. France was an extremely powerful country then, but its hegemony ended with the defeat of Napoleon. Do some research on the topics listed below and learn about personalities and places, warfare and diplomacy, campaigns and battles, and more.
Battles
The series of fierce battles in Europe in the end of the XVIII and the beginning of the XIX centuries are worth studying. Learning different aspects of each battle can narrow your topic. Look through the following list of the most remarkable ones:
- the battle of Austerlitz
- the battle of Borodino
- the battle of Copenhagen
- the battle of Dresden
- the battle of Jena
- the battle of Leipzig
- the battle of the Nile
The last one is also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay. It took place near Alexandria city in Egypt. The French army was defeated and the battle had several far-reaching effects.
Campaigns
A campaign is a series of military operations intended to achieve a particular goal in a defined area. The Napoleonic Wars are famous for the two campaigns, namely:
- the Hundred Days
- the Peninsular War
Both took place in the beginning of the XIX century. You may find it interesting to learn more about the Napoleon’s downfall. Study the strategies of the British, Portuguese and Spanish forces during the Peninsular War or focus your research on the Bourbon Restoration.
Countries
Every European country was affected by the policy of France in those times. Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, the Ottoman Empire, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden are interesting to study and understand how ambitions of a single country can change lives of the millions of people.
Warfare
The Napoleonic Wars forced the development of different kinds of weapons. Military logistics also improved a lot. However, it was not enough to defeat Russia, partially because the army of Napoleon was not prepared for the Russian winter. You can analyze the conditions French militaries faced and determine the main reasons of their loss.
Personalities
It is hard to underestimate the role of the European royalty and military commanders. Let us mention the most prominent personalities whose input in the events was considered being significant. They are Alexander the First, Pierre Augereau, Barclay de Tolly, Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Mikhail Kutuzov, Adolf von Lützow, Selim the Third and others. There are many names worth mentioning, so you can easily choose an interesting personality as a research subject.