Arc I Overview Settings People Maps ← All Eras
Arc I · 1805–1815

Maps

Most readers will be unfamiliar with the geography of Napoleonic Prussia. These maps orient the story's action — from the Prussian heartland to the eastern frontier, the retreat corridor, and the diplomatic stage at Tilsit.

Why this geography matters

Understanding the Stage

Prussia in 1805

Prussia in 1805 was not yet Germany — the German nation didn't exist. What existed was a collection of states with complicated overlapping allegiances, dynasties, and languages, loosely grouped under the Holy Roman Empire (which Napoleon would formally dissolve in 1806).

The Prussian state was elongated and discontinuous — stretching from the Rhine in the west to the Memel river in the east, with considerable territory in what is now Poland. Berlin sat roughly in the center, but the eastern provinces were the historical core of Hohenzollern power.

After Jena, the story moves eastward. Königsberg, Memel, Tilsit — these are eastern places that most Western readers have never encountered. The maps are designed to make this geography navigable.

Map Key

Gold Prussian territory and controlled zones
Red French / Napoleonic Empire territory
Blue Russian Empire
Diamond Key settings from the narrative
Orange Battle sites and military movements
Map Library

Arc I: Six Key Maps

Maps are being created as illustrated originals. This page will host them as they're completed.

🗺 In preparation
Prussia in Europe, 1805
The State of the Continent
The political map of Europe as Arc I opens — Prussia, France, Austria, Russia, and the tangled smaller states. Designed to orient readers unfamiliar with pre-German geography.
In preparation
🗺 In preparation
The Prussian Heartland
Berlin · Potsdam · Brandenburg
The core Prussian territory — Berlin at center, Potsdam to the west, the palace towns and garrison cities of the Mark Brandenburg. The world of the court before the fall.
In preparation
⚔️ In preparation
The Campaign of 1806
Saalfeld · Jena · Auerstedt
Napoleon's advance corridor through Thuringia, the twin battles of October 14, and the subsequent Prussian collapse. Shows the speed of the campaign and the scale of the disaster.
In preparation
🏃 In preparation
The Court in Exile
The retreat to Memel · 1806–1807
The Prussian court's eastward flight — Berlin to Königsberg to Memel. The geography of defeat and the eastern frontier of the kingdom.
In preparation
🕊 In preparation
Tilsit and the Peace
July 1807 · The Memel River
The geography of the Tilsit negotiations — the raft in the river, the two emperors on French and Russian sides, and Prussia waiting on the bank. The territorial losses under the Peace of Tilsit.
In preparation
🌊 In preparation
The Stephani's Route
Hamburg to New York · Arc I → II
The Atlantic crossing that bridges Arc I and Arc II — the Stephani's departure port, the ocean route, and the arrival in America. The geography of departure.
In preparation
External Resources

Historical Map Sources

While original illustrated maps are in preparation, these external sources offer period-accurate reference geography.

Napoleonic Atlas
West Point Atlas
The USMA West Point Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars remains the definitive English-language source for campaign cartography. Available in most research libraries.
Period Geography
Prussian Historical Maps
The David Rumsey Map Collection holds high-resolution scans of Napoleonic-era German and Prussian cartography — searchable online at davidrumsey.com.
Modern Reference
German-American Heritage Map
The 1872 ethnic distribution map on our Heritage page illustrates where the Stephani family's descendants landed — the bridge between Arc I and Arc II.

Original illustrated maps are being produced. If you have cartographic or illustrated design skills and are interested in contributing to this project, please reach out to the author.