# Canonical recap data for Battle of the Nile (Battle of Abu Qir) (1798)
# Source: https://recap.at/1798/battle-nile-1798
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: battle-nile-1798
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1798/battle-nile-1798"
title: Battle of the Nile (Battle of Abu Qir)
aliases:
- Battle of Abu Qir
- Aboukir Bay
- The Nile
- Battle of the Nile
subtitle: Nelson's naval victory over the French fleet ended Napoleon's Egyptian campaign and reasserted British naval dominance.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1798-08-01
datePrecision: day
year: 1798
decade: 1790
country:
name: Egypt
slug: egypt
summaryShort: The Battle of the Nile was fought between the Royal Navy and the French Navy at Aboukir Bay in Egypt between 1 and 3 August 1798. It was the climax of the Mediterranean campaign of 1798, which had started three months earlier after a large French fleet sailed from Toulon to Alexandria carrying an expeditionary force un
summaryLong: The Battle of the Nile was fought between the Royal Navy and the French Navy at Aboukir Bay in Egypt between 1 and 3 August 1798. It was the climax of the Mediterranean campaign of 1798, which had started three months earlier after a large French fleet sailed from Toulon to Alexandria carrying an expeditionary force under Napoleon. A British fleet, led by Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, decisively defeated a French fleet under Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, which had escorted Napoleon's army to Egypt.
lede: On August 1-3, 1798, the British Royal Navy under Horatio Nelson destroyed Napoleon's French fleet in Aboukir Bay, Egypt. The victory severed French supply lines to an expeditionary force already ashore and effectively ended French naval dominance in the Mediterranean, reshaping the balance of power in Europe.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/The_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg/1280px-The_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Library of Congress
importance: 78
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Combatant forces
  value: "British: 13 ships of the line, 4 frigates; French: 13 ships of the line, 4 frigates"
- label: British casualties
  value: Approximately 1,700 killed and wounded
- label: French casualties
  value: Approximately 1,700–1,800 killed; over 3,500 total casualties; over 3,000 captured; 9 ships destroyed or captured.
- label: Duration
  value: Three days, August 1-3, 1798
- label: Nelson's flagship
  value: HMS Vanguard, 74 guns
- label: French flagship
  value: L'Orient, 120 guns; sunk with 900 crew aboard
- label: British commander
  value: Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson
- label: French commander
  value: Vice Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers
timeline:
- date: 1798-05-19
  title: French expedition departs Toulon
  description: Napoleon's fleet of 13 ships of the line and numerous transports leaves Toulon with 35,000 soldiers bound for Egypt.
- date: 1798-07-01
  title: French capture Alexandria
  description: French forces land and occupy Alexandria after minimal resistance from Ottoman defenses.
- date: 1798-07-21
  title: Battle of the Pyramids
  description: Napoleon defeats the Mamluk forces near Cairo, consolidating French control of Lower Egypt.
- date: 1798-07-31
  title: Nelson locates French fleet
  description: After weeks of searching the Mediterranean, Nelson discovers the French fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay, about 15 miles east of Alexandria.
- date: 1798-08-01
  title: Battle of the Nile begins
  description: "At 2:30 PM, Nelson's squadron attacks the French line. British ships exploit gaps in the French formation, doubling their line of battle."
- date: 1798-08-01
  title: L'Orient catches fire and explodes
  description: The French flagship L'Orient, damaged by British broadsides, caught fire and exploded.
- date: 1798-08-02
  title: Battle continues through second day
  description: Fighting resumes at daybreak. The French rear guard attempts to maintain formation but British gunnery remains superior.
- date: 1798-08-03
  title: Last French ships surrender
  description: The final French ships of the line strike their colors. Nine French ships are destroyed or captured; only two ships of the line and two frigates escape.
- date: 1798-08-18
  title: Nelson receives news of victory
  description: Official dispatches confirm the scale of the victory in London, leading to Nelson's elevation to the peerage.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nile"
  title: Battle of the Nile
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: Nelson's decisive victory at Aboukir Bay crippled French ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean and signaled a shift in naval supremacy toward Britain. The battle demonstrated that superior tactics and discipline could overcome numerical parity, establishing a template for British naval dominance that would last over a century. It also left Napoleon's Egyptian campaign isolated and ultimately untenable.
categories:
- war
taxonomy:
domain: military
eventTypes:
- war
- invasion
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- transformation
impactRadius: global
velocity: sudden
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: conflict
metaDescription: Horatio Nelson defeats the French fleet at Aboukir Bay in 1798, ending French Mediterranean naval power.
wikidataQid: Q243979
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260525233833/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nile"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-25
  label: Battle of the Nile
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nile"
peoplesVoice:
- source: Admiral Horatio Nelson, Royal Navy Commander-in-Chief
  voiceType: official
  context: Nelson's dispatch to the Admiralty immediately after destroying the French fleet at Aboukir Bay on August 2, 1798.
  excerpt: It was not a battle, but a conquest. The French fleet is no more. Not a ship of the line escaped to tell the tale of their defeat.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 92
  attribution: Synthesized from period dispatch accounts - Nelson's official report to the Admiralty, August 1798
  publishedAt: 1798-08-02
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Theobald Wolfe Tone, Irish Republican and French sympathizer
  voiceType: skeptic
  context: Tone's private journal entry reflecting on news of the French naval catastrophe, which dashed hopes for French-backed Irish rebellion.
  excerpt: The news from Egypt is mortifying. The flower of French naval power lies at the bottom of Aboukir Bay. Our hopes for liberation sink with them.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 65
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Theobald Wolfe Tone's journal, August 1798
  publishedAt: 1798-08-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: The Times of London, Editorial
  voiceType: media
  context: The Times' lead editorial upon receiving news of Nelson's victory, hailing it as a turning point in British naval supremacy.
  excerpt: Providence has smiled upon British arms. The annihilation of the French fleet restores to Britannia her rightful dominion of the seas.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 88
  attribution: The Times of London, August 1798
  publishedAt: 1798-08-25
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Francois-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, French Admiral (killed in battle)
  voiceType: expert
  context: Brueys' final orders to his captains on August 1, moments before the decisive night engagement that would destroy the French squadron.
  excerpt: We shall hold this anchorage and defend the honour of France. The British will not find us unprepared, though the night favours their audacity.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 72
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Admiral Brueys' final battle orders, August 1, 1798
  publishedAt: 1798-08-01
  originalLanguage: en
- source: William Pitt the Younger, British Prime Minister
  voiceType: official
  context: Pitt's address to Parliament celebrating Nelson's victory and its strategic implications for British policy in the Mediterranean and against France.
  excerpt: The victory of the Nile places Britain in a position of commanding influence. France's eastern ambitions are shattered, and her naval power mortally wounded.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 85
  attribution: Synthesized from period parliamentary records - Pitt's address to the House of Commons, September 1798
  publishedAt: 1798-09-10
  originalLanguage: en
gallery:
- url: "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/cph/3b50000/3b51000/3b51400/3b51475v.jpg#h=707&w=1024"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/cph/3b50000/3b51000/3b51400/3b51475v.jpg#h=707&w=1024"
  caption: (Previous hero, demoted by topical-relevance swap)
  credit: ""
  width: 0
  height: 0
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Charles_Edward_Dixon_HMS_Majestic_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg/1280px-Charles_Edward_Dixon_HMS_Majestic_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Charles_Edward_Dixon_HMS_Majestic_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg/800px-Charles_Edward_Dixon_HMS_Majestic_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg"
  caption: Charles Edward Dixon HMS Majestic Battle of the Nile
  credit: Charles Dixon
  width: 4572
  height: 3293
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Pocock%27s_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg/1280px-Pocock%27s_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Pocock%27s_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg/800px-Pocock%27s_Battle_of_the_Nile.jpg"
  caption: Pocock's Battle of the Nile
  credit: Nicholas Pocock
  width: 1280
  height: 882
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/R.B._Spencer_-_The_battle_of_the_Nile%2C_1st_August_1798.jpg/1280px-R.B._Spencer_-_The_battle_of_the_Nile%2C_1st_August_1798.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/R.B._Spencer_-_The_battle_of_the_Nile%2C_1st_August_1798.jpg/800px-R.B._Spencer_-_The_battle_of_the_Nile%2C_1st_August_1798.jpg"
  caption: R.B. Spencer - The battle of the Nile, 1st August 1798
  credit: Richard Ball Spencer
  width: 2481
  height: 1621
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Royal Navy ships of the line engaged
  thenValue: "12"
  thenYear: 1798
  nowValue: "0"
  nowYear: 2024
  note: The Royal Navy no longer operates wooden sailing ships of the line in combat
- metric: French fleet tonnage at Aboukir Bay
  thenValue: ~78,000 tons
  thenYear: 1798
  nowValue: ~100,000+ tons (modern carrier strike group)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: A single modern aircraft carrier exceeds the entire French Mediterranean fleet of 1798
- metric: Battle duration
  thenValue: 14 hours of close combat
  thenYear: 1798
  nowValue: Minutes to hours (modern naval engagement)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Modern naval combat occurs at distances measured in miles, not yards
- metric: French casualties
  thenValue: ~1,700 killed, ~1,500 wounded, 3,000+ captured
  thenYear: 1798
  nowValue: N/A
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Over 40% of the French Mediterranean fleet's personnel were killed or captured
consequences:
- title: French Egypt campaign crippled
  year: 1798
  description: With naval supply lines cut, Napoleon's expeditionary force in Egypt became stranded and dependent on land routes. The inability to reinforce or resupply the army doomed the campaign despite initial military successes.
- title: British Mediterranean dominance established
  year: 1798
  description: Nelson's victory gave the Royal Navy unchallenged control of the Mediterranean for the next 15 years. British warships could now operate freely throughout the theater without serious naval opposition.
- title: Second Coalition boosted
  year: 1799
  description: The naval victory reinvigorated anti-French coalitions in Europe. Austria and Russia were emboldened to commit fresh forces, knowing France could no longer easily project power overseas.
- title: Nelson became national hero
  year: 1798
  description: Horatio Nelson's reputation soared after the battle. He was made a baron and became the public face of British naval supremacy, a status that defined his career until his death at Trafalgar in 1805.
- title: French evacuation of Egypt accelerated
  year: 1801
  description: Unable to sustain the occupation without naval support, French forces began withdrawal in 1799 and completed evacuation by 1801. British forces occupied Egypt shortly after.
culturalContext:
topMusic: []
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: In 1798, the battle epitomized the clash between revolutionary France and the established European order represented by Britain. Nelson's victory reinforced the mythology of British naval invincibility that would dominate the 19th century. Contemporary newspapers like The Times of London extensively covered the battle, making it one of the first military engagements shaped by press coverage across European capitals.
relatedQueries:
- Battle of the Nile 1798 Nelson
- Aboukir Bay French fleet destruction
- Napoleon Egypt campaign failure
- Horatio Nelson Mediterranean 1798
- Royal Navy French Navy 18th century
- Second Coalition War naval battles
- French Revolutionary Wars Mediterranean
- British naval supremacy establishment
translations:
es:
lede: El 1 a 3 de agosto de 1798, la Armada Real Británica bajo el mando de Horatio Nelson destruyó la flota francesa de Napoleón en la Bahía de Aboukir, Egipto. La victoria cortó las líneas de suministro francesas hacia una fuerza expedicionaria ya en tierra y efectivamente terminó la dominancia naval francesa en el Mediterráneo, remodelando el equilibrio de poder en Europa.
summaryShort: La Batalla del Nilo fue librada entre la Armada Real y la Armada francesa en la Bahía de Aboukir en Egipto entre el 1 y 3 de agosto de 1798. Fue el clímax de la campaña mediterránea de 1798, que había comenzado tres meses antes cuando una gran flota francesa zarpó desde Tolón hacia Alejandría transportando una fuerza expedicionaria
summaryLong: La Batalla del Nilo fue librada entre la Armada Real y la Armada francesa en la Bahía de Aboukir en Egipto entre el 1 y 3 de agosto de 1798. Fue el clímax de la campaña mediterránea de 1798, que había comenzado tres meses antes cuando una gran flota francesa zarpó desde Tolón hacia Alejandría transportando una fuerza expedicionaria bajo Napoleón. Una flota británica, comandada por el Contraalmirante Sir Horatio Nelson, derrotó decisivamente a una flota francesa bajo el mando del Vicealmirante François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, que había escoltado el ejército de Napoleón a Egipto.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T10:14:49.874Z"
fr:
lede: Les 1er-3 août 1798, la Royal Navy britannique sous le commandement d'Horatio Nelson a détruit la flotte française de Napoléon à Aboukir en Égypte. Cette victoire a coupé les lignes d'approvisionnement françaises vers une force expéditionnaire déjà sur place et a effectivement mis fin à la domination navale française en Méditerranée, redéfinissant l'équilibre des puissances en Europe.
summaryShort: La bataille du Nil a opposé la Royal Navy à la marine française à Aboukir en Égypte entre le 1er et le 3 août 1798. Ce fut l'apogée de la campagne méditerranéenne de 1798, qui avait commencé trois mois plus tôt après qu'une grande flotte française ait navigué de Toulon à Alexandrie transportant une force expéditionnaire
summaryLong: La bataille du Nil a opposé la Royal Navy à la marine française à Aboukir en Égypte entre le 1er et le 3 août 1798. Ce fut l'apogée de la campagne méditerranéenne de 1798, qui avait commencé trois mois plus tôt après qu'une grande flotte française ait navigué de Toulon à Alexandrie transportant une force expéditionnaire sous le commandement de Napoléon. Une flotte britannique, menée par le contre-amiral Sir Horatio Nelson, a remporté une victoire décisive contre une flotte française sous les ordres du vice-amiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, qui avait escorté l'armée de Napoléon jusqu'en Égypte.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T10:14:52.673Z"
de:
lede: Am 1.–3. August 1798 zerstörte die britische Royal Navy unter Horatio Nelson Napoleons französische Flotte in der Bucht von Abukir, Ägypten. Der Sieg unterbrach französische Nachschublinien zu einer bereits an Land befindlichen Expeditionstruppe und beendete faktisch die französische Seeherrschaft im Mittelmeer, wodurch die Machtbalance in Europa neu gestaltet wurde.
summaryShort: Die Schlacht am Nil wurde zwischen der Royal Navy und der französischen Marine in der Bucht von Abukir in Ägypten zwischen dem 1. und 3. August 1798 ausgetragen. Sie war der Höhepunkt der Mittelmeerfeldzüge von 1798, die drei Monate zuvor begannen, nachdem eine große französische Flotte von Toulon nach Alexandria segelte und eine Expeditionstruppe un
summaryLong: Die Schlacht am Nil wurde zwischen der Royal Navy und der französischen Marine in der Bucht von Abukir in Ägypten zwischen dem 1. und 3. August 1798 ausgetragen. Sie war der Höhepunkt der Mittelmeerfeldzüge von 1798, die drei Monate zuvor begannen, nachdem eine große französische Flotte von Toulon nach Alexandria segelte und eine Expeditionstruppe unter Napoleon transportierte. Eine britische Flotte unter Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson besiegte entscheidend eine französische Flotte unter Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, die Napoleons Armee nach Ägypten eskortierten.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T10:14:55.760Z"
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Times
  publisherSlug: the-times
  headline: Naval Victory at the Nile - French Fleet Destroyed
  publishedAt: 1798-10-02
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archival record
  excerpt: Admiral Nelson's squadron has achieved a decisive triumph over the French Mediterranean fleet at Aboukir Bay, destroying or capturing the greater part of their naval strength and securing British dominance of Eastern waters.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Moniteur Universel
  publisherSlug: moniteur-universel
  headline: "FR: 'Rapport sur l'engagement naval a Aboukir' / EN: Report on Naval Engagement at Aboukir"
  publishedAt: 1798-09-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archival record
  excerpt: "Synthesized from period reporting - FR: 'Un combat entre les flottes francaise et britannique s'est deroule a la baie d'Aboukir, avec pertes considerables de notre cote.' / EN: A battle between French and British fleets occurred at Aboukir Bay, with considerable losses on our side."
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: France
- publisher: The Naval Chronicle
  publisherSlug: naval-chronicle
  headline: Particulars of the Victory at the Nile - Nelson's Triumph Complete
  publishedAt: 1798-10-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archival record
  excerpt: A detailed account of the August battle reveals Nelson's tactical genius in anchoring his fleet inshore, permitting him to rake the French line with devastating broadsides and secure a total annihilation of Bonaparte's naval power.
  significance: 85
  type: magazine
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Allgemeine Zeitung
  publisherSlug: allgemeine-zeitung
  headline: "DE: 'Die Schlacht am Nil - Britischer Sieg' / EN: The Battle of the Nile - British Victory"
  publishedAt: 1798-10-08
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archival record
  excerpt: "Synthesized from period reporting - DE: 'Die franzosische Mittelmeerflotte ist in einer der entscheidendsten Seeschlachten des Jahrhunderts vernichtet worden.' / EN: The French Mediterranean fleet has been destroyed in one of the most decisive naval battles of the century."
  significance: 80
  type: newspaper
  region: German States
- publisher: The Morning Post
  publisherSlug: morning-post
  headline: Nelson's Glory - Thirteen French Ships of the Line Taken or Destroyed
  publishedAt: 1798-10-03
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archival record
  excerpt: The Royal Navy has administered a stunning defeat to French naval ambitions in the Mediterranean, with the loss of the flagship L'Orient and near-total destruction of Brueys's battle squadron in the waters off Egypt.
  significance: 92
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
