Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815, was a decisive conflict that marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars. It took place near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, where Napoleon Bonaparte led his French forces against a coalition army commanded by the Duke of Wellington and Prussian General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. The battle resulted in a significant defeat for Napoleon, leading to his abdication and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France. This event reshaped European politics and maintained a balance of power for several decades.