Frederick William III of Prussia vs Leopold I

Frederick William III led Prussia into war against Napoleon. The Prussian army was decisively defeated at the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt. The defeat was catastrophic, leading to the collapse of the Prussian state, the occupation of Berlin, and the flight of the royal family to East Prussia.

In response to the defeat, Frederick William III supported a series of reforms led by Stein, Hardenberg, Scharnhorst, and Gneisenau. These included the abolition of serfdom, municipal self-government, military reorganization, and educational reform. The reforms modernized Prussia and laid the foundation for its recovery.

After the defeat at Jena, Frederick William III was forced to sign the Treaty of Tilsit with Napoleon. Prussia lost half of its territory, including all lands west of the Elbe, and was forced to pay huge indemnities and reduce its army to 42,000 men. Prussia became a French satellite state.

After Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign, Frederick William III joined the Sixth Coalition against France. The Prussian army played a key role in the War of Liberation, culminating in the Battle of Leipzig. This restored Prussia's status as a major European power and led to territorial gains at the Congress of Vienna.

Frederick William III was represented at the Congress of Vienna, which redrew the map of Europe after Napoleon's defeat. Prussia gained significant territories, including the Rhineland, Westphalia, and parts of Saxony, becoming a major German power. The Congress also confirmed the Prussian-led German Confederation.

Leopold I, as Holy Roman Emperor, organized the relief of Vienna from the Ottoman siege. A combined imperial, Polish, and German army under John III Sobieski defeated the Ottoman forces, halting Ottoman expansion into Central Europe and marking the beginning of the Great Turkish War.

Leopold I led the Holy Roman Empire in the War of the Grand Alliance against Louis XIV of France. The conflict, fought across Europe and the colonies, ended with the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697, which confirmed French gains but checked French expansion.

Leopold I's forces, under Prince Eugene of Savoy, defeated the Ottomans, leading to the Treaty of Karlowitz. The treaty ceded Hungary, Transylvania, and Slavonia to the Habsburgs, establishing Austria as a major European power and ending Ottoman dominance in the region.