The Combat of Schöngrabern was a relatively minor rearguard action fought by Austrian V Korps and supporting elements of the Kaiserlich-königliche Hauptarmee under Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen against elements of the French IV Corps of the Armée d'Allemagne, under the command of Claude Legrand.

Reuss's orders were to form a rearguard and delay the enemy before him, preventing them from arriving at Znaim, where the main Austrian force was massed and combat was set to begin.

Opposite to Reuss lay the vanguard of the Marshal André Masséna's IV Corps, under the overall command of General Legrand.

Masséna's orders were to push on towards Haugsdorf and then head to Znaim where General Auguste de Marmont's XI Corps had made contact with the enemy's main force.

Executing his orders, Legrand moved forward but, towards 09:00, encountered staunch opposition towards Schöngrabern, a village in front of which Reuss had left a rearguard of 6,000.