June 18
Napoleon Defeated at Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon Bonaparte's final campaign ended in decisive defeat when his French army was routed by a Seventh Coalition force under the Duke of Wellington, supported by arriving Prussian troops.
Summary
After escaping exile on Elba, Napoleon Bonaparte rapidly rebuilt his army and launched the Hundred Days campaign to reclaim power in France. He faced a Seventh Coalition of European powers determined to prevent his resurgence. On June 18, 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, Napoleon's 72,000 French troops confronted approximately 68,000 Allied soldiers under the Duke of Wellington, reinforced later by 45,000 Prussians commanded by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Intense fighting throughout the day saw repeated French assaults repelled, with key strongpoints like Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte changing hands. The timely arrival of Prussian forces on the French flank turned the tide, leading to a rout as the Imperial Guard's final attack failed.
Context
Following his abdication in 1814, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba. He escaped in late February 1815, landed in France, and rapidly regained control of the government and army in what became known as the Hundred Days. European powers at the Congress of Vienna promptly declared him an outlaw and formed the Seventh Coalition, committing to field large armies until his overthrow.
What Happened
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon's Army of the North, numbering roughly 72,000 men, confronted the Duke of Wellington's Anglo-Allied army of about 68,000 troops positioned on the Mont-Saint-Jean ridge south of Brussels near the village of Waterloo in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The French launched repeated assaults against strongpoints such as the chateau of Hougoumont on the allied right and the farm of La Haye Sainte in the center, but these attacks were largely repelled despite intense fighting throughout the afternoon.
Aftermath
With Prussian forces under Gebhard von Blücher arriving on the French right flank and the final attack by the Imperial Guard repulsed, the French army broke and retreated in disorder. Napoleon returned to Paris and abdicated on June 22. Coalition troops entered Paris on July 7, restoring Louis XVIII.
Legacy
The outcome ended the Napoleonic Wars and established the conservative settlement of the Congress of Vienna, ushering in a long period of relative peace in Europe known as the Pax Britannica. Wellington's victory reinforced allied cooperation against revolutionary or expansionist threats and gave rise to the enduring phrase "meeting one's Waterloo."
Why It Matters
The defeat ended Napoleon's final bid for European dominance, forcing his second abdication and exile to Saint Helena, where he died in 1821. It ushered in the Congress of Vienna's conservative order and decades of relative peace known as the Pax Britannica. The battle's outcome reinforced the principle of collective security against revolutionary threats and cemented Wellington's legacy while diminishing French military preeminence.
Related Questions
Why did Napoleon return from exile in 1815?
He escaped Elba, landed in southern France, and rallied support to reclaim power during the Hundred Days.
What role did the Prussians play at Waterloo?
After their defeat at Ligny, Blücher's army marched to reinforce Wellington and attacked the French flank, turning the battle.
Where exactly was the battle fought?
On the Mont-Saint-Jean ridge near the village of Waterloo, then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium.
What happened to Napoleon after the defeat?
He abdicated, surrendered to the British, and was exiled to Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
How did the battle affect European politics?
It ended the Napoleonic Wars and confirmed the conservative order established at the Congress of Vienna.
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Sources
- Battle of Waterloo, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-12.
- Battle of Waterloo | Combatants, Maps, & Facts, Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-12.