Fire of Moscow (1812)
On the 14th of September 1812, Russian troops and most civilians abandoned Moscow just ahead of French Emperor Napoleon's advancing army. This decision followed a deliberate strategy to weaken the Grande Armée through attrition warfare. General Mikhail Kutuzov utilized Count Fyodor Rostopchin to burn resources as part of a scorched earth policy. Cossack guerrillas targeted French supplies while peasants fought against foraging parties. The approach focused on military logistics rather than major battles. This method exploited the French army at its most vulnerable point during the invasion.
Count Rostopchin reportedly ordered the head of police to set fire to the Kremlin and major public buildings before leaving the city. Police officers captured trying to ignite the Kremlin admitted they received orders from the Governor. One officer was bayoneted by guardsmen after confessing to Napoleon himself. Some historians argue that Rostopchin ordered his own mansions destroyed so no French soldiers could lodge there. Germaine de Staël corresponded with Kutuzov about these events shortly after leaving Moscow. Louise Fusil wrote in her memoirs that the fire began on Petrovka Street. Modern historical consensus often blames the initial fires on this strategic Russian plan.
The fire persisted from the 14th of September until the 21st of September 1812, consuming three-quarters of Moscow's wooden structures. On the evening of the 15th of September, a shot rang out from the Kaluga Gate signaling the start of massive destruction. Six or seven thousand little shops caught fire again as hurricane-strength winds changed direction. By four o'clock in the morning on the 16th of September, the firestorm threatened the Kremlin itself. The flames spread into the arsenal and were eventually put out by French guardsmen. Reports stated the burning city remained visible up to 215 kilometers away. Rain finally helped subside the fires on the 18th of September before they fully ended on the 21st of September.
Emperor Napoleon watched the burning capital from the walls of the Kremlin while transfixed by the sight. He reportedly exclaimed what a terrible sight it was and questioned how such people could exist. A witness recorded him calling them Scythians after seeing palaces destroyed by their own hands. Most churches and monasteries survived because they were built of stone rather than wood. The catastrophe started as many small fires that grew out of control into a massive blaze. Larrey noted the fire originated from the northeast side of the city. Napoleon later relocated to the Petrovsky Palace when the firestorm reached his position within hours.
Between 6,200 and 10,000 civilians chose to remain in Moscow after the French arrival alongside thousands of wounded soldiers. Some Russian sources claim priests who refused to surrender shrines were murdered savagely while nuns faced rape. Churches became stables or latrines for occupying forces despite Napoleon ensuring food delivery for all remaining Russians. Looters targeted church silver which ended up in Napoleon's mobile treasury. General Marcellin Marbot argued the destruction was not so complete that housing remained insufficient for the army. The treatment of those left behind varied between systematic violence and organized relief efforts.
Rebuilding the city under military governor Alexander Tormasov lasted well over a decade starting in 1814. Dmitry Golitsyn continued reconstruction work from 1820 until approximately 1840. Only about 200 stone buildings and 500 wooden houses survived the fires out of thousands originally present. Vasily Pushkin house stands as a typical example of cheap 1810s architecture with neoclassical trim added later. The process involved gradual restoration of some 18th-century buildings to their original plans. This effort transformed the devastated capital back into a functioning imperial center over twenty years.
Leo Tolstoy described the occupation and fire extensively in his novel War and Peace during Book XI. Louise Fusil witnessed the event and detailed her retreat in published memoirs after living six years in Russia. A 1965, 67 Soviet film adaptation planned scenes for ten months while shooting fires with six ground cameras. Helicopter footage captured additional angles during that production era. The 1955 film Napoléon depicted the disaster alongside the 2023 film Napoleon. These cultural works preserve the memory of the burning city across two centuries of artistic interpretation.
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Common questions
When did the fire of Moscow 1812 start and end?
The fire of Moscow 1812 started on the 14th of September 1812 and ended on the 21st of September 1812. The flames persisted for seven days while consuming three-quarters of the city's wooden structures.
Who ordered the burning of Moscow during the French invasion of Russia in 1812?
Count Fyodor Rostopchin reportedly ordered the head of police to set fire to the Kremlin and major public buildings before leaving the city. General Mikhail Kutuzov utilized this scorched earth policy to weaken Napoleon's Grande Armée through attrition warfare.
How many civilians remained in Moscow after the French arrival in 1812?
Between 6,200 and 10,000 civilians chose to remain in Moscow after the French arrival alongside thousands of wounded soldiers. Most churches and monasteries survived because they were built of stone rather than wood.
What happened to Moscow after the fire of Moscow 1812 ended?
Rebuilding the city under military governor Alexander Tormasov lasted well over a decade starting in 1814. Dmitry Golitsyn continued reconstruction work from 1820 until approximately 1840 to transform the devastated capital back into a functioning imperial center.
Which historical figures documented the fire of Moscow 1812?
Leo Tolstoy described the occupation and fire extensively in his novel War and Peace during Book XI. Louise Fusil witnessed the event and detailed her retreat in published memoirs after living six years in Russia.