Battle of Mariazell

The Battle of Mariazell or Battle of Grossraming (8 November 1805) saw the advance guard of the French III Corps attack a retreating Austrian force led by Maximilian, Count of Merveldt. The advance guard, led by Étienne Heudelet de Bierre overwhelmed their demoralized enemies, capturing about half of them. Marshal Louis Davout commanded the III Corps. The action occurred during the War of the Third Coalition, which is part of the Napoleonic Wars. Mariazell is located in the Austrian province of Styria, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of St. Pölten.

Battle of Mariazell
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Mariazell as it appeared around 1900
Date 8 November 1805 Location Mariazell, Austria Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Holy Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Étienne Heudelet	Count of Merveldt
Units involved
III Corps (Grande Armée)	Merveldt's Corps
Strength
3,800	4,000
Casualties and losses
light	2,000, 16 guns

The 1805 war began with the Ulm Campaign which was disastrous for Austria, with only the corps of Michael von Kienmayer and Franz Jellacic escaping envelopment by the Grande Armée of Napoleon. As Kienmayer's columns fled to the east, they joined with elements of the Russian Empire's army in a rear guard action at the Battle of Amstetten on 5 November. A few days later, Davout's III Corps caught up with Merveldt's division at Mariazell. The Austrian soldiers, their morale shaken by continuous retreating, were routed after a brief struggle. On 12 November, Austria's capital Vienna fell to the French without a fight. The outcome of the war would be decided by the Battle of Austerlitz in early December.