# Battle of Sedan (1870)

URL: https://germany-history.com/timeline/1870-battle-of-sedan
Location: Sedan, France
Categories: battle

After the Ems Dispatch, France declared war on Prussia in July 1870. The southern German states joined Prussia. On 2 September 1870 Napoleon III surrendered at Sedan.

## Why it matters
Victory over France made German unification possible.

Ruler at the time: [Wilhelm I](https://germany-history.com/rulers/wilhelm-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia – Battle of Sedan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sedan)
- [Wikipedia – Franco-Prussian War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Prussian_War)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica – Battle of Sedan](https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Sedan)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica – Franco-Prussian War](https://www.britannica.com/event/Franco-German-War)