Third Coalition: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

In the Napoleonic Wars, the Third Coalition against Napoleon emerged in 1805, and consisted of an alliance of Great Britain, Austria, Russia, Naples, and Sweden against France.

The coalition, seeking to take advantage of the concentration of Napoleon's forces in the north for an invasion of Britain made plans to attack Italy and Bavaria. The Prussian army entered the fray but was defeated by the French at Ulm.

This stage of the war came to an end as Napoleon enticed the Russian and Austrian armies to attack him at Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, and staged a strategic retreat, counterattacking when reinforcements arrived. Austria surrendered, and Russia retreated, leading to an end of the war of the third coaliton.