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Events on September 18 in history

Fire of Moscow (1812)
1812Sep, 18

The 1812 Fire of Moscow dies down after destroying more than three-quarters of the city. Napoleon returns from the Petrovsky Palace to the Moscow Kremlin, spared from the fire.

During the French occupation of Moscow the 1812 Fire of Moscow persisted from 14 to 18 September 1812 and all but destroyed the city. The Russian troops and most of the remaining residents had abandoned Moscow on 14 September 1812 just ahead of French Emperor Napoleon's troops entering the city after the Battle of Borodino. The Moscow military governor, Count Fyodor Rostopchin, has been blamed to have organised the destruction of the sacred former capital to weaken the French army in the scorched city even more.

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Events on 1812

  • 27Feb

    Manuel Belgrano

    Argentine War of Independence: Manuel Belgrano raises the Flag of Argentina in the city of Rosario for the first time.
  • 26Mar

    Gerrymander

    A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette coins the term "gerrymander" to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.
  • 24Jun

    French invasion of Russia

    Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon's Grande Armée crosses the Neman river beginning the invasion of Russia.
  • 12Jul

    Upper Canada

    The American Army of the Northwest briefly occupies the Upper Canadian settlement at what is now at Windsor, Ontario.
  • 7Sep

    Battle of Borodino

    French invasion of Russia: The Battle of Borodino, the bloodiest battle of the Napoleonic Wars, was fought near Moscow and resulted in a French victory.