The Time Napoleon Was Attacked by Bunnies

Napoleon Bonaparte, military genius, Emperor of the French, conqueror of Europe. A man who went toe-to-toe with coalitions of superpowers and won.

But in the summer of 1807, he met his match in an opponent no general could have predicted: rabbits.

Yes, fluffy, twitchy-nosed rabbits. And not just one or two.

A full-blown furry brigade.

This is the story of how one of history’s greatest strategists was hilariously outmaneuvered by a bunch of bunnies.

Setting the (picnic) scene

After signing the Treaties of Tilsit with Russia and Prussia, Napoleon was riding high. Victory looked good on him. Naturally, to celebrate, he ordered a rabbit hunt – because what says “triumph” like slaughtering small mammals for sport?

His chief of staff, Alexandre Berthier, was tasked with organizing the event. And organize it he did, with military precision. Instead of sourcing a modest number of wild hares, Berthier arranged for hundreds, possibly as many as 3,000 domesticated rabbits, to be brought in and caged along the hunting grounds.

That’s where things began to go… off-script.

The bunny uprising

As Napoleon and his entourage took their positions, the cages were flung open. But instead of bolting in fear, the rabbits turned, saw their “hunters”… and charged.

You read that correctly. These were not timid woodland creatures. These were barn-raised fluff balls who had been hand-fed by humans. When they saw Napoleon and his officers, they didn’t see predators… they saw waiters. With snacks.

The rabbits surged forward in a fluffy tidal wave of confusion and misplaced enthusiasm. At first, there was laughter. Then the laughter stopped. Because the bunnies kept coming. They climbed boots. They stormed carriages. Napoleon tried shooing them away with a riding crop. Others tried to scatter them with sticks and hats.

Nothing worked.

Napoleon was eventually forced to retreat. In the face of adorable, unstoppable bunny zeal.

A PR disaster? Not exactly.

Surprisingly, this ridiculous affair didn’t make it into the official memoirs. No scathing political cartoons (though it’s a crime we didn’t get one). The entire debacle flew under the radar for centuries, only to be uncovered by historians with a sense of humor and a love for the absurd.

It’s proof that even the most tightly controlled narratives leave room for the bizarre. And let’s be honest, knowing that Napoleon was once undone by a bunny ambush adds a certain charm to his otherwise formidable legacy.

So, what’s the moral here?

Perhaps: Never underestimate the enemy. Especially if it’s cute, fast, and thinks you’re holding snacks.

Sources:

• Andrew Roberts, Napoleon: A Life
  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/307215/napoleon-by-andrew-roberts/ 
• Smithsonian Magazine: Napoleon’s Bunny Battle
  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/napoleon-once-attacked-by-rabbits-180965130/ 
• Mental Floss: The Time Napoleon Was Attacked by Rabbits
  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/51364/time-napoleon-was-attacked-rabbits