At the end of 1813 the Bohemian army crossed the Rhine and invaded France. It was joined soon afterwards, at the beginning of 1814, by Silesian forces, creating an army of some 160,000 soldiers against the Napoleonic force of only 40,000 men. By the time the opposing forces arrived at Champaubert Napoleon's troops had been repeatedly defeated. But on 10 February 1814 he succeeded in splitting, and thus weakening, the Silesian army which he went on to defeat totally by 14 February.
The present drawing is a project for a medal commemorating this victory. Hercules fighting alone against three enemies was intended to symbolize the vastly superior numbers of the defeated Silesian army.
The medal was struck by the Imperial Mint