The Second Coalition was on the brink of collapse. France's technological superiority, combined with Manuel's modern military strategies, had shattered the outdated forces of Europe. Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had all suffered devastating defeats, their armies reduced and their morale shattered. But Manuel knew that desperate enemies were the most dangerous. The war was not over yet.
Britain's Last Gambit
Despite their repeated failures on land, Britain still held one advantage—their powerful navy. The Royal Navy had long dominated the seas, and with France's technological advancements now threatening their supremacy, Britain sought to strike where France was weakest. Using their vast naval fleet, they launched a blockade, cutting off France from valuable trade routes and foreign resources.
Manuel, however, had anticipated this move. His naval engineers had been working tirelessly on advanced steam-powered ironclads—ships that could withstand cannon fire and outmaneuver the wooden vessels of the British fleet. As the blockade tightened, he ordered the deployment of his experimental fleet.
The Battle of the English Channel began on a stormy morning in June 1803. Britain's navy, expecting an easy victory, found themselves outgunned and outclassed. French ironclads moved through the water with unprecedented speed, their reinforced hulls deflecting cannonballs. Steam-powered artillery mounted on rotating turrets ripped through the British ships, setting them ablaze. Within hours, the Royal Navy had suffered one of its worst defeats in history. The blockade was broken, and France regained control of its trade routes.
Austria and Prussia's Last Stand
With Britain reeling from its naval disaster, Austria and Prussia knew they had to make one final push before the war was lost. They gathered the remnants of their armies, bolstered by mercenaries and fresh conscripts, and launched a massive assault into central France.
Manuel saw this as an opportunity. Rather than simply defending, he planned a decisive counterattack that would cripple the coalition once and for all. He lured the Austrian and Prussian forces into a false sense of confidence by allowing them to advance unopposed for days. As they pushed deeper into French territory, Manuel unleashed his full might.
Rail-mounted artillery rained down explosive shells on the invaders. Steam-powered transport vehicles deployed elite divisions behind enemy lines, cutting off their retreat. Infantry armed with rapid-firing rifles overwhelmed the coalition's musket-wielding troops. The battlefield became a slaughterhouse, and within a week, the once-formidable Austrian and Prussian forces were in full retreat.
At the decisive Battle of Reims, Manuel personally led a cavalry charge with his elite guard, breaking through the enemy lines and capturing thousands of soldiers. Austria and Prussia, seeing their armies in ruins, had no choice but to surrender.
The Russian Withdrawal
Tsar Alexander I, upon hearing of Austria and Prussia's collapse, knew that further fighting was futile. His forces were still struggling to recover from the disastrous Battle of Warsaw, and with France's technological supremacy growing, he feared a direct invasion of Russian territory. Reluctantly, he sent diplomats to negotiate peace.
On August 12, 1803, Russia officially withdrew from the First Coalition, signing a treaty that acknowledged France's dominance in Europe. Manuel had successfully neutralized one of his greatest threats without ever having to set foot in Moscow.
The End of the First Coalition
With Russia out of the war, Austria and Prussia defeated, and Britain's naval supremacy shattered, the First Coalition had crumbled. One by one, the remaining allies of Britain abandoned the war, unwilling to suffer the same fate. Britain, isolated and without support, was forced to agree to an uneasy truce.
On October 1, 1803, the Treaty of Paris was signed. France emerged as the undisputed superpower of Europe, its technological and military advancements ensuring that no nation could challenge it again.
But he was not done yet.
His empire was secure, but new opportunities lay ahead. He turned his eyes toward the horizon, toward the lands beyond Europe. If he could change history here, what was stopping him from reshaping the world itself?
The war was over.
But his conquest had just begun.