Trafalgar Battle

The Battle of Trafalgar is a landmark event that ended the long conflict between England and France, a conflict called the "second hundred-year war".

In 1805, the leading land force in Europewas the army of the French Empire, headed by Napoleon. And at sea the main force was the British Royal Navy, which introduced a naval blockade in France, affecting its trade and the mobilization of naval forces. Despite several rather successful campaigns, the French failed to break through the blockade. And then Napoleon switched to the same policy, having founded a continental blockade, forbidding all dependent countries from trading with the UK. This, in turn, disrupted the connection of the British Isles with Europe.

This was the military-political situation in this part of the world, it was with such preconditions that the Battle of Trafalgar took place.

Napoleon understood perfectly well that England was the main thingan obstacle in the way of his conquest plans. In parallel, he developed the capture of Malta, Corsica, Corfu - islands that belonged to his opponent and were strategically important base bases.

Trafalgar Battle - historical battlebetween French-Spanish and English naval forces. It began in October 1805 on the coast of the Spanish Atlantic near Cape Trafalgar, by whose name it was named.

Not limited to their plans to seizeNapoleon intended to land a large landing in the territory of the Foggy Albion, and called the preparations for this operation a "Boulogne expedition."

In fact, this is how the Battle of Trafalgar began, the English Channel was literally teeming with French warships that distracted the attention of the British fleet.

In this sea battle, which became decisive in the secondcentury war, France and its ally Spain lost more than twenty frigates, while there were no losses of military equipment from the UK at all. However, it was the Battle of Trafalgar that put an end to the heroic life of British Vice Admiral Nelson. After this battle, his legendary name became a symbol of English naval power.

The joint fleet of Spain and France was commanded by a Frenchman by nationality, Admiral Pierre Villeneuve.

The English squadron blocked the French-Spanishsquadron. Admiral Villeneuve received from Napoleon an order to break through the encirclement and break out into the waters of the Mediterranean to reunite with the Spanish detachment there. However, contrary to the Admiral Council, Villeneuve adhered to the old one-liner tactics. He built the French-Spanish fleet in one line.

The Battle of Trafalgar was accompanied by a strongwind that worked in favor of the British: a strong current hampered the movement of the coalition courts. Nelson, not hesitating, took advantage of the given chance and tore the chain of ships, sending the fastest of them forward. French and Spanish frigates were scattered.

The legend says that the Battle of Trafalgar beganfrom the moment when Vice-Admiral Nelson solemnly picked up on his flagship "Victoria" flag signal, meaning: "England expects that every soldier will fulfill his duty." This phrase has remained forever in the minds of the British, years after the end of the battle, it is often cited and paraphrased.

Trafalgar battle has become an integral partWar of the Third Coalition and one of the most significant sea confrontations of the nineteenth century. And the victory of England only confirmed the water superiority of this country, established in the XVIII century. After his defeat, Napoleon abandoned an aggressive plan of attack on southern England, in exchange for starting a war against other major forces in Europe: Austria and Russia.