CAMPAIGN OF NAPOLEON IN ITALY.

In the meantime Napoleon was carrying on war with Austria. The battles
of Eckmuhl, Ratisbon, and Ebersberb, opened the gates of Vienna to him,
and he entered that city about a month after the Austrians had commenced
hostilities. From Vienna he issued a decree revoking the grant
of territory made to the pope by Charlemagne, "his illustrious
predecessor," and annexing Rome to the French empire; the pontiff being
allowed to remain there as bishop, with a certain revenue. Pius VII.
opposed this decree by a bull of excommunication; and it is said that
Napoleon received this intelligence with a considerable degree of
anxiety. Orders, however, were issued by him, under which the pope was
seized in his palace, and transported over Mount Cenis to Savona, where
he lived three years, partly on a prison allowance and partly on alms.
On the defeat of the Austrians, who were commanded by the Archduke
Charles, that commander took a circuitous route through Bohemia, and
finally occupied the bank of the Danube opposite Vienna, over against
the proud victor Napoleon, who, selecting for the passage of the river
the place where two islands divide the Danube into three arms, conducted
his battalions to the left bank, occupied Aspern, Engesdorf, and
Esslingen, and offered battle. In this position the archduke fell upon
him with his army, glowing with anger and exalted by the sight of the
imperial city, and gained a great victory. The French army retreated to
the island of Lobau, leaving 11,000 dead on the field, while 30,000 were
wounded. The world saw now that Napoleon was not invincible: but this
victory was not attended with the expected results. An armistice of six
weeks followed, during which time Napoleon was making preparations for
a second attack; and at the lapse of that time he again passed the river
with 150,000 men, and six hundred cannon, fully resolved to crush the
house of Austria. The terrible battle of Wagram, which lasted two whole
days, followed, and Napoleon was once more victorious: the archduke,
after sustaining a fearful loss, retreated into Moravia. He might still
have contested the palm of victory, for his army was still formidable,
and Napoleon in the battle of Wagram had lost more in dead and wounded
than the vanquished. An armistice, however, was concluded about the
middle of July, and after negociations which lasted for three months, a
treaty called the "peace of Vienna" was concl