DNA study rewrites what we know about Napoleon's defeat in Russia
A new analysis reveals unexpected pathogens behind the disastrous 1812 retreat from Moscow.
More than 200 years after Napoleon's failed invasion of Russia, researchers have uncovered new evidence that sheds light on what truly decimated his army, all thanks to DNA from the teeth of French soldiers.
DNA extracted from the teeth of 13 French soldiers who died during the retreat from Moscow suggests that paratyphoid fever and relapsing fever (not typhus or trench fever, as long believed) were among the main causes of death.
The study, published in Current Biology by a team at the Institut Pasteur in Paris (via 404 Media), provides the first direct biological evidence that these previously unsuspected diseases played a role in one of history's most disastrous military campaigns.
While the sample size is small, the findings add a new layer to the story of Napoleon's defeat, suggesting that disease, exhaustion, and freezing conditions together sealed the fate of more than 300,000 troops. What do you think about these findings?