The son of Austerlitz
Preserved but no longer current.
When Napoleon fought the Russians and Austnans at Auster- litz (Dec. 2nd, 1805), a brilliant sun suddenly burst through and scattered the mists, thus enabling him to gain an overwhelming victory. Napoleon ever after looked upon this as a special omen from heaven.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The son of Austerlitz” mean?
When Napoleon fought the Russians and Austnans at Auster- litz (Dec. 2nd, 1805), a brilliant sun suddenly burst through and scattered the mists, thus enabling him to gain an overwhelming victory. Napoleon ever after looked upon this as a special omen from heaven.
Is “The son of Austerlitz” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.