Before seeing the map, I’d never head about the occupation here’s what I learned about it:
After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo (18 June 1815) and his subsequent abdication, the victorious coalition powers (Britain, Prussia, Austria, Russia, and their allies) imposed an occupation of France to guarantee peace and prevent another resurgence of Napoleonic rule.
Key points:
- Treaty of Paris (20 November 1815) formalized the terms. France had to:
- Accept reduced borders (back to 1790 boundaries).
- Pay a heavy indemnity: 700 million francs over five years.
- Accept a foreign Army of Occupation stationed in its territory until the indemnity was paid and the Bourbon monarchy was considered secure.
- The Army of Occupation was about 150,000 troops from all major coalition members.
- Occupation lasted from late 1815 until November 1818, when the indemnity was fully paid and the Allies decided France had been sufficiently “pacified.”
- The occupation was overseen by the Duke of Wellington as Commander-in-Chief.
Occupation Zones
The occupation zone system divided a wide swath of north-eastern France into sectors, each administered by a coalition partner.
This was done to maintain balance among the powers and avoid concentrating too much control in any single state’s hands.
Here’s a breakdown of each zone:
British Occupation Zone
- Commanded by the Duke of Wellington.
- Covered territory along the northwest frontier, including towns such as Cambrai (where Wellington had his headquarters).
- Purpose: Guard the Channel approaches and the shortest route to Paris.
- The British zone served as the main base for Allied coordination and logistics.
Prussian Occupation Zone
- Commanded by Field Marshal Blücher’s successors (Blücher himself retired soon after 1815).
- Covered a large area of north-eastern France, including Alsace and Lorraine frontier regions closest to Prussia.
- The Prussians were the most hardline faction, pressing for harsh terms and permanent territorial adjustments.
- Their zone acted as a direct security buffer for the newly established German Confederation and Prussia’s Rhineland territories.
Russian Occupation Zone
- Commanded by General Count Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly.
- The Russian zone was quite large and stretched deep into Champagne and eastern France.
- Russian troops were some of the most distant from home, and their presence projected Russia’s influence into central Europe.
- Russia was less interested in punitive measures and more in collective stability, so its occupation policy was comparatively moderate.
Baden and Saxony Occupation Zone
- These were contingents from smaller German states of the German Confederation.
- They occupied sectors adjoining their own borders, primarily in eastern France.
- Their role was to support the major powers and show Confederation solidarity in the post-Napoleonic order.
Bavarian Occupation Zone
- Bavaria contributed troops to the Allied force and was granted a sector near the eastern border with the rest of France.
- The Bavarian presence symbolized the participation of southern Germany and reinforced the German Confederation’s involvement.
Hesse and Württemberg Occupation Zone
- Like Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel, and Württemberg contributed contingents.
- Their zone was adjacent to Bavarian one.
Swiss Occupation Zone
- Switzerland, though neutral during much of the Napoleonic Wars, joined the post-war settlement as part of the coalition.
- The Swiss zone was relatively small, located near the Jura and Franche-Comté region, close to the Swiss border.
- Swiss troops were considered reliable and low-risk, maintaining order rather than punitive control.
Sardinian Occupation Zone
- The Kingdom of Sardinia (Piedmont-Savoy) contributed troops, reflecting its renewed status as a key player in postwar Europe.
- Sardinian forces were placed in south-eastern France near their own frontier, helping to secure the Alpine passes and prevent future French incursions into Italy.
Austrian Occupation Zone
- Commanded by Prince Schwarzenberg’s successors.
- Covered south-eastern France, including areas near the Alps and the Rhône valley.
- Austria’s zone was strategically important for guarding Italy and ensuring French influence stayed out of northern Italy.
Key Outcomes
- The occupation was largely peaceful, unlike earlier wartime campaigns.
- France paid its indemnity ahead of schedule, leading to an early withdrawal of occupation forces in 1818.
- This episode marked the beginning of France’s gradual reintegration into the European state system under the Bourbon monarchy.
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