BEFORE THE BATTLE

On 1 December 1805, the Russian and Austrian allied armies, 85,000 men strong, established their position in the area between Pozořice, Holubice, and Prace, extending up to Újezd. Against them stood the French army, which had nearly 10,000 fewer troops than the allies. A final re-grouping of the armies prior to the upcoming battle transpired all throughout the day.
Shortly after midnight, Napoleon abandoned his command post on Žuráň, a man-made mound situated westward from Jiříkovice, in order to personally ensure that his French units were prepared for the inevitable battle. He set off from Jiříkovice on horseback with an entourage, and under an ominous veil of darkness he reached the French forward guard, positioned beneath the Pratecké heights. Somewhere between Ponětovice and Jiříkovice, Napoleon's personal doctor, Yan, fell from his horse while attempting to jump over either the Rokytnice Stream or the Velatický Stream, and it is believed that the Emperor himself helped to pull Yan to his feet.
The Vandamme Division soldiers who were spending the frosty night in Jiříkovice and its surrounding meadows, recognized their Emperor, who was passing through the village, around the chapel belfry and mill, travelling towards Žuráň.

A stately tree known as Napoleon's Linden stood by the Jiříkovický Mill until 1972. A village path led around the tree, over the Rokytnice Stream towards Loučky, and up to Žuráň. Napoleon used to follow this path when carrying out nightly inspections of his army. The path was still used by market vendors from Líšeň until the beginning of this Century. This old connecting path disappeared from existence when the surrounding fields were consolidated in the years of collectivization.

People gave the Emperor a heartfelt ovation in the torchlight. "This is the most beautiful evening of my entire life," Napoleon confided on his coronation anniversary eve, emotionally moved by the unexpected and undoubtedly overwhelming spectacle.