British-French War 1793-1815

On February 1, 1793 France declared war on Britain. This battle lasted for 22 years up to 1815 and represents a significant moment of crisis in British history.

The long period of war can be divided into two phases: 1.1793-1802 called “French Revolutionary Wars”; 2. 1803-1815 called “Napoleonic Wars”.

The reason for this battle was the British cooperation with other European nations against France’s revolutionary government. Here, violent civilian administrations followed the French monarchy, whereas the monarch Louis XVI and his wife Marie-Antoinette were executed in 1793. In 1794, a British attempt to support French counter-revolutionaries in Brittany finally failed. In August 1798, the British navy triumphed against the French in the battle of the Nile. On March 27, 1802 the first phase ended, whereas both countries return their conquests, except for Trinidad and Ceylon which were still occupied by the British.

But only one year later, in 1803, the battle between the British and the French continued. Three years later, Napoleon forbids importing British goods to Europe as a reaction to the Britain’s blockage of the French coast. Thus, Napoleon intends to stop the trade market and defeat the British enemy.

The Battle of Waterloo represents the end of this conflict. On June 18, 1815 Napoleon is defeated by the 1st Duke of Wellington and has to go to exile to St. Helena.

Britain kept all the gained colonies, such as the West Indies and South Africa. Moreover, it proved its influence on India and maintains its power in Egypt.

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