Image: Napoleon and his staff at Borodino. (Public Domain)

On this day in history, following the Russian Tsar’s denunciation of the French Continental System, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte ordered his Grande Armee, the most significant European military force ever assembled to that date, into Russia. This massive army, featuring nearly 600,000 soldiers, included troops from all European countries under the grip of the French Empire. By this point, the French Emperor had won many military victories, giving him control over much of Europe. However, his invasion of Russia would be a disastrous point in the Napoleonic wars and a significant blow to his political and military power across Europe.