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Why did Russian czar Alexander I order the burning of Moscow?

Russian czar (emperor) Alexander I (1777–1825) ordered his troops to burn Moscow on September 14, 1812, because he did not want French general Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) and his invading armies to reap the benefits of occupying an historic Russian city. By 1805 Napoleon had dominated most of Europe through a series of wars, and he posed a threat to the authority of Alexander. Already, in 1805 and 1807, the Russian armies had suffered extreme losses in battles against Napoleon's forces. In the face of these setbacks, Alexander's decision to burn Moscow was a great success. Napoleon's troops had managed to reach Moscow, but they were physically exhausted from fighting and were unable to pursue the Russian armies. Alexander and Napoleon made peace in the Treaty of Tilsit (1807). As a result of the treaty, the Russian ruler vowed to...

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