Capitulation of Erfurt

Capitulation of Erfurt
Part of the War of the Fourth Coalition
Surrender of the Prussian troops after the capture of the city of Erfurt, 16 October 1806 Drawing by Benjamin Zix, 1806
Date 16 October 1806 Location Erfurt, Kingdom of Prussia 50°59′0″N 11°2′0″E / 50.98333°N 11.03333°E / 50.98333; 11.03333 Result French victory[1]
Belligerents
France	Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Joachim Murat	Prince of Orange
Strength
16,000	10,000[1]–12,000, 65 guns
Casualties and losses
None	10,000[1]–12,000, 65 guns

War of the Fourth Coalition

200km
125miles

Friedland

27

26

25

24

23

22

21

Eylau

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

Berlin

7

6

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4

Jena–Auerstedt

3

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1

  

⬤ current battle

⬤ Napoleon not in command

⬤ Napoleon in command

In the Capitulation of Erfurt on 16 October 1806, a large body of troops from the Kingdom of Prussia under Lieutenant General the Prince of Orange surrendered to Marshal Joachim Murat of France, at the city of Erfurt (now in Germany). The Prussian soldiers were demoralized by their shattering defeat at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt on 14 October and unwilling to put up much resistance. The event occurred during the War of the Fourth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Erfurt is located on the Gera River about 40 kilometers west of Jena.

Only eight days before, Emperor Napoleon I of France invaded the Electorate of Saxony with a large army and quickly inflicted two minor setbacks on his enemies. This was followed by the catastrophe of 14 October. In the aftermath of the battle, the organization of the Prussian army disintegrated. Large numbers of Prussian fugitives from the battle entered Erfurt and could not be induced to leave. When Murat's French cavalry arrived before the city, it was surrendered without any fighting.