The Battle of Lübeck ended organized Prussian resistance northwest of the Elbe, forcing Blücher's surrender and accelerating French dominance in the War of the Fourth Coalition.
Key Facts
- Date
- 6 November 1806
- Prussian commander
- Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
- French commanders
- Marshals Murat, Bernadotte, and Soult
- Distance from Hamburg
- 50 km
- Blücher surrendered
- 7 November 1806, at Danish frontier
- Swedish force captured
- Small Swedish detachment taken by Bernadotte
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the catastrophic Prussian defeat at Jena–Auerstedt in October 1806, Blücher's forces retreated northwest after being cut off from the Oder River by Hohenlohe's surrender at Prenzlau. Pursued relentlessly by Murat, Bernadotte, and Soult, Blücher was left with no viable escape route and forced his troops into the neutral city of Lübeck to make a stand.
On 6 November 1806, French forces under Murat, Bernadotte, and Soult stormed Lübeck. Bernadotte's troops broke through the city's northern defenses while the Prussians facing Murat and Soult were overwhelmed. Blücher narrowly escaped, but most of his staff was captured, casualties were enormous, and French troops brutally sacked the city during and after the fighting.
The day after the battle, French forces cornered the surviving Prussians against the Danish frontier, compelling Blücher to surrender on 7 November 1806. The engagement effectively destroyed the last significant Prussian field force in the region and helped consolidate French control over northern Germany in the early stages of the War of the Fourth Coalition.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.
Side B
1 belligerent
Marshal Murat, Marshal Bernadotte, Marshal Soult.