Congress of Erfurt.


From 27th September to the 14th of October 1808 the Emperor of France 'entertained' the Tsar of Russia in Erfurt.

There were balls, concerts and hunting parties, including one such 'hunting party' that went out after tame rabbits. When the hunters arrived the rabbits mistook them for their handlers and rather than running away the rabbits charged towards them, when the hunters went to attack their tamed prey the rabbits then split into two wings and flowed around the 'hard point' of the hunters and enveloped them from both sides. Hussars were then employed to beat away the vermin whilst the hunters beat a retreat back to their coaches, 'hunting' was done for the day...

Bonaparte appeared to have the plan to 'dazzle' the Russians and get the needed support to keep Austrian war-hawks from sharpening their talons. A tacit show of support was all he really got in the end as it was the Russians who were holding the better hand by 1808. Spain was erupting and going to take away all the gains made by the Grande Armee in the Iberian peninsula.



This image from the Napoleon film is good, showing Tsar Alexander with a smirk while Bonaparte seems to already be nursing his 'ulcer'...