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1792

9 Jan 1792

Peace of Jassy. End of third Turkish war. The coast between the Dniester and Bug rivers became Russian

14 Jan 1792

The Brissotins begin a series of speeches arguing the case for war.

24 Jan 1792

National Assembly passes decree accusing Austrians of breaking the treaty of 1756 & inciting other powers to interfere in France's affairs. If Leopold did not give assurances by Mar 1st that he wld keep the peace, a state of war wld be deemed to exist

28 Jan 1792

King Louis informs the National Assembly it has no power to deal with foreign affairs, but he had already made the demands in the decree two weeks previously.

6 Feb 1792

Napoleon promoted Captain en second. Active in pltcs in Corsica

7 Feb 1792

Formation of Austro-Prussian alliance. Piedmont joined the alliance soon after.

9 Feb 1792

Property of émigrés decreed forfeit to nation.

16 Feb 1792

Frederick William II chairs a meeting at Potsdam to decide plan of campaign against France.

1 Mar 1792

Emperor Leopold II dies in Vienna. Accession of Francis II

10 Mar 1792

Assembly brings about resignation of Ministry. Administration sympathetic to Girondins takes its place.

15 Mar 1792

Dumouriez appointed Foreign Minister.

1? Apr 1792

Napoleon elected Lt Col in Corsican National Guard.

8 Apr 1792

Napoleon involved in civil disturbances in Ajaccio.

12 Apr 1792

Austria orders 50,000 reinforcements to move to the frontier.

20 Apr 1792

France declares war on Austria

28 Apr 1792

Three columns of the Army of the North advance to invade the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium).

29 Apr 1792

Two columns of the Army of the North panic during advance to Tournai, though not in contact with enemy. General Dillon, commanding one of the columns, murdered by his troops during retreat to Lille. Further advances unsuccessful.

May 1792?

Austrians easily defeat French troops including National Guard in skirmishes around Lille. Lille besieged by Austrians.

May 1792?

Rochambeau resigns command of the Army of the North and is replaced by Lafayette, who had been in command of the Army of the Centre.

28 May 1792

Napoleon arrives in Paris to defend himself against charges after fighting in Ajaccio

14 Jun 1792

Dumouriez resigns as Foreign Minister to become Minister of War.

20 Jun 1792

Mob invades Tuileries

26 Jun 1792

First coalition between Prussia and Austria. Later joined by Britain, Spain, Russia, the Netherlands, Naples, Tuscany, and others.

28 Jun 1792

Lafayette returns to Paris

30 Jun 1792

Attempted French invasion of Belgium at an end

Jul 1792

Allied army under Duke of Brunswick begins to assemble at Coblenz. About 42,000 Prussians, 30,000 Austrians, Hessians, émigrés.

11 Jul 1792

Decree of 'la patrie en danger'

25 Jul 1792

Brunswick Manifesto

25-30 Jul 1792

Arrival of fédérés from Brest and Marseille

4 Aug 1792

P. B. Shelley born in Field Place, nr Horsham, Sussex

9 Aug 1792

Insurrectionary commune formed in Paris.

10 Aug 1792

Storming of Tuileries, massacre of Swiss Guard. King suspended from functions

16 Aug 1792

Closure of the school at St Cyr. Napoleon collects his sister Marie-Anne from the school and takes her to Paris.

17 Aug 1792

Lafayette defects to the Austrians. He was replaced by Dumouriez.

19 Aug 1792

Brunswick crosses frontier.

23 Aug 1792

Longwy falls to Prussians

31 Aug 1792

Napoleon promoted Captain in regular army

2 Sep 1792

Verdun surrenders to Prussians

2 Sep 1792

Kellermann arrives at his new HQ to take command of the Army of the Centre

2-6 Sep 1792

September massacres

8 Sep 1792

Brunswick enters Argonne Forest

9 Sep 1792

Napoleon leaves Paris to return to Corsica with his sister.

12 Sep 1792

Dumouriez asks Kellermann to move the Army of the Centre to join his Army of the North

20 Sep 1792

Kellerman and Dumouriez win Battle of Valmy against Brunswick. The Convention constituted.

21 Sep 1792

Convention abolishes mnrchy

29 Sep 1792

French army occupies Nice

Oct-Nov? 1792

Custine invades Germany from Alsace and reaches Frankfurt. Dumouriez moves north into Belgium. The Austrians retire before Dumouriez, who greatly outnumbers them.

21 Oct 1792

Mainz taken by the French.

6 Nov 1792

Dumouriez defeats the Austrians under Albert of Saxe-Teschen at Battle of Jemappes. French army advances into Belgium.

11 Nov 1792

Kellermann appointed commander of the Army of the Alps

14 Nov 1792

Dumouriez captures Brussels.

20 Nov 1792

National Convention declares the opening of the Scheldt.

23 Nov 1792

French gunboats move to capture Antwerp.

27 Nov 1792

Savoy becomes 84th département of France

29 Nov 1792

Dutch government makes formal request to Britain for assistance.

Dec? 1792

Brunswick counter-attacks, driving Custine back to the Rhine.

2 Dec 1792

Brunswick re-captures Frankfurt. Custine then retired to Mainz where he took up winter quarters.

13 Dec 1792

Executive Council orders Dumouriez into winter quarters.

15 Dec 1792

Decree of Guerre aux châteaux.

Note: These chronologies were prepared while the author was researching Napoleon's 1796-7 campaign in Italy, and they naturally refer largely to people who were involved in that campaign, or had a hand in shaping the military history of the period leading up to it. They were never intended to be complete or exhaustive, and they have been posted here merely in case the information contained in them should be of interest to others. However, when time permits, the author hopes to add further material.

The chronologies were compiled from standard reference works, but while the usual efforts were made to ensure accuracy, there may be errors. As always, it is advisable to cross-check. The major source works were:

Balteau, J., and others, eds. Dictionnaire de biographie française. Paris, 1933-
Berthelot, P.-E.-M., and others, eds. La grande encyclopédie. Paris, 1887-1902
Biographie nationale de Belgique. Brussels, 1866-1986
Der Grosse Brockhaus. Leipzig, 1928
Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford (various editions)
Ferrabino, A., and others, eds. Dizionario biografico degli Italiani. Rome, 1960-
Hassall, A., European History, Chronologically Arranged (476-1920). London, 1920
Hoefer, D., ed. Nouvelle biographie universelle/générale. Paris, 1852-66
Liliencron, R., von, and Wegele, F. X., eds. Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Leipzig, 1875-1912
Michaud, ed. Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne. Paris, 1843-?
The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago, c1997
The Pengiun Atlas of World History. London, 1794
Treccani, G., ed. Enciclopedia italiana. Milan, 1929-37
Wurzbach, C., von. Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. Vienna, 1856-91