Napoleon’s Unlikely Foe: The Rabbit Incident of 1807

Napoleon Bonaparte is often remembered as a formidable military strategist who nearly conquered Europe. However, one peculiar and humorous event stood out in his illustrious career: his unexpected defeat by a swarm of rabbits. This unusual incident occurred in July 1807, shortly after Napoleon signed the Treaties of Tilsit to celebrate his victory over Russia.

The Celebration Plan

Napoleon’s Chief of Staff, Alexandre Berthier, planned an elaborate and unconventional celebration to commemorate this significant triumph—a rabbit hunt. Berthier organized an extensive luncheon on marshland, followed by various forms of entertainment. One of the highlights was intended to be a hare coursing event. To excite the festivities, Berthier released farmhouse rabbits into the area for Napoleon and his men to hunt down.

The Unexpected Turn

After enjoying their meal, it was time for a dessert course with running hares instead of confectioneries. Berthier ordered his men to release the rabbits. To everyone’s surprise, instead of scattering away from the humans as wild animals typically do, the rabbits turned towards their supposed hunters and collectively charged in Napoleon’s direction.

Chaos Ensues

No amount of yelling or flailing arms could dispel these fervent furballs that were significantly large in number and seemingly well-coordinated. As the situation grew more chaotic and humiliation set in, Napoleon ordered his coach in an attempt to escape from his fluffy adversaries. However, many rabbits had already smuggled themselves inside before he entered.

The soldiers had no other option but to beat out as many rabbits as possible from within the coach for their emperor’s escape.

The Root Cause

It turns out that these were not typical wild hares used for hunting excursions but tame or semi-domesticated ones bred on farms. These farm-raised rabbits were accustomed to human interaction, encouraging them rather than causing fear when encountering people.

A Memorable Anecdote

Thus, one of history’s most outstanding military leaders experienced an unexpected and bizarre defeat at the hands (or rather feet) of some audacious bunnies—a memorable anecdote illustrating that even great leaders can have their share of curious mishaps. This incident serves as a humorous reminder that no matter how powerful or strategic one might be, life can always throw an unexpected curveball—or, in this case, a swarm of determined rabbits.