The

The Hello and welcome to a history of Europe Key Battles podcast.

This is the French Revolutionary Wars, part four of six.

Thank you. 4 of 6. If you'd like to know more about the background to the French Revenationary Wars,

then I recommend listening to the first three parts of

this series. But if you've already listened to those or want to continue anyway, then let's begin.

Last week I talked about the French Revolution and the build-up to war with Austria, whose royal

family were concerned for the safety of the imprisoned French King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette.

On the 1st of March 1792, Emperor Leopold II of Austria died suddenly at the age of 44 and was succeeded by his 24-year-old son,

Francis or Franz II. On the 20th of April, 1792, the French Legislative Assembly formally declared war on Austria and mobilised for battle.

They hoped that Prussia would decline to get involved,

but King Frederick William II honoured his alliance with Vienna

and declared war in return on Paris.

On the 25th of July, the Prussian commander, Charles Duke of Brunswick, then issued what became

known as the Brunswick Manifesto. This document stated that Berlin and Vienna has no intention

of enriching themselves by conquest and promised that all those who submitted to the imprisoned

French king would be protected. But in more menacing terms, it also threatened Paris with fire and sword should the royal family be harmed.

Accompanying the Austro-Prussian force was a small army of French emigres led by the king's brother, the Count of Artois.

These proved to be more trouble than they were worth, however, as they were deeply unpopular with the French population, and ineffective as a

fighting force. And so began the initial phase of the French Revolutionary Wars, known as the

War of the First Coalition, 1792 to 97.

Combat began already in late April 1792, when French troops launched a poorly organised invasion

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