Why did Bavaria turn against Napoleon in 1813?

Bavaria’s decision to turn against Napoleon in 1813 was primarily driven by the catastrophic failure of the French invasion of Russia in 1812.1

Bavaria had been a loyal member of the Confederation of the Rhine and had contributed a contingent of 30,000 men to Napoleon’s Russian campaign. Following the destruction of the French forces in that conflict, the political landscape shifted. Recognizing the weakening of French power, Maximilian I sought to secure the future of his kingdom by aligning with the anti-French coalition.1

This strategic pivot was formalized through the Treaty of Ried on October 8, 1813, in which Bavaria joined the coalition against Napoleon in exchange for a guarantee of the integrity of its kingdom. Shortly thereafter, Bavarian forces under Karl Philipp, prince von Wrede actively engaged the retreating French army at the Battle of Hanau.12