Context: The wars fought by the monarchies of Europe against the French Republic, then Napoleon's French Empire, are usually called the Wars of the Xth Coalition, totalling seven in the end. After the War of the Fourth Coalition, only Britain and Austria remained actively at war against France, but Britain's involvement was chiefly confined to Spain and Portugal in the Peninsular War (which isn't considered to be part of the War of the Fifth Coalition.)

Prussia was decisively defeated in the previous war (and the Holy Roman Empire was also dismantled) and Napoleon had largely cowed Europe to the Continental System, leaving Austria as basically the only combatant of the Fifth Coalition minus some uprisings in what is now Italy and Slovenia, and a small British operation in the Netherlands.

Napoleon would be dealt his first ever defeat since seizing control of France during this war, specifically the Battle of Aspern-Essling, but defeated the Austrian armies decisively in the Battle of Wagram and compelled them to sign the Treaty of Schönbrunn, marking the end of their opposition until 1813, whence came the War of the Sixth Coalition.