Battle of Waterloo - British History - HISTORY.com Battle of Waterloo A+E Networks Introduction The Battle of Waterloo, which took place in Belgium on June 18, 1815, marked the final defeat of French military leader and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who conquered much of continental Europe in the early 19th century. Napoleon rose through the ranks of the French army during the French Revolution (1789-1799), seized control of the French government in 1799 and became emperor in 1804. Through a series of wars, he expanded his empire across western and central Europe. However, a disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812, coupled with other defeats, led to his abdication and exile in 1814. He returned to France in 1815 and briefly resumed power. The Battle of Waterloo, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by the British and Prussians, signaled the end of his reign and the end of France’s domination in Europe. After Waterloo, Napoleon abdicated and later died in exile.

Google Napoleon’s Rise to Power Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. The year before his birth, France acquired Corsica from the city-state of Genoa, Italy. Although Napoleon’s parents were members of the minor Corsican nobility, his family was not wealthy. Did You Know? Today, the expression that someone has “met his Waterloo” means the person has suffered a decisive or final defeat or setback. After graduating from a French military academy in 1785, Napoleon joined an artillery regiment of the French army. The French Revolution began in 1789, and within three years revolutionaries had overthrown the monarchy and proclaimed a French republic. During the decade-long revolution, Napoleon rose rapidly through the ranks of the military and proved himself a talented and daring leader. After seizing political power in France in a 1799 coup d’état, he was given the title of first consul and became France’s leading political figure. In 1804, he crowned himself the emperor of France in a lavish ceremony.

Under Napoleon, France engaged in a successful series of battles against various coalitions of European nations, and the French empire expanded across much of western and central continental Europe. Napoleon’s Abdication and Return In 1812, Napoleon led a disastrous invasion of Russia in which his army was forced to retreat and suffered massive casualties. At the same time, the Spanish and Portuguese, with assistance from the British, drove Napoleon’s forces from the Iberian Peninsula in the Peninsular War (1808-1814). In the 1813 Battle of Leipzig , also known as the Battle of Nations, Napoleon’s army was defeated by a coalition that included Austrian, Prussian, Russian and Swedish troops. Afterward, Napoleon retreated to France, where in March 1814 coalition forces captured Paris. On April 6, 1814, Napoleon, then in his mid-40s, was forced to abdicate the throne. With the Treaty of Fontainebleau, he was exiled to Elba, a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy.

Less than a year later, on February 26, 1815, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the French mainland with a group of more than 1,000 supporters. On March 20, he returned to Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The new king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), fled, and Napoleon embarked on what came to be known as his Hundred Days campaign. Napoleon Marches on Belgium Upon Napoleon’s return to France, a coalition of allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians and Russians–who considered the French emperor an enemy began to prepare for war. Napoleon raised a new army and planned to strike preemptively, defeating the allied forces one by one before they could launch a united attack against him. In June 1815, Napoleon’s forces marched into Belgium, where separate armies of British and Prussian troops were camped. At the Battle of Ligny, on June 16, Napoleon defeated the Prussians under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher (1742-1819). However, the French were unable to totally destroy the Prussian army.

The Battle of Waterloo Two days later, on June 18, Napoleon led his army of some 72,000 troops against the 68,000-man British army, which had taken up a position south of Brussels near the village of Waterloo. The British army, which included Belgian, Dutch and German troops, was commanded by Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), who had gained prominence fighting against the French during the Peninsular War. In a critical blunder, Napoleon waited until midday to give the command to attack in order to let the waterlogged ground dry after the previous night’s rainstorm. The delay gave Blucher’s remaining troops, who, by some accounts, numbered more than 30,000, time to march to Waterloo and join the battle later that day. Although Napoleon’s troops mounted a strong attack against the British, the arrival of the Prussians turned the tide against the French. The French emperor’s outnumbered army retreated in chaos.

By some estimates, the French suffered more than 33,000 casualties (including dead, wounded or taken prisoner), while British and Prussian casualties numbered more than 22,000. Reportedly fatigued and in poor health during the Belgian campaign, Napoleon committed tactical errors and acted indecisively. He also was blamed for appointing inadequate commanders. Ultimately, the Battle of Waterloo marked the end of Napoleon’s storied military career. He reportedly rode away from the battle in tears. Wellington went on to serve as British prime minister, while Blucher, in his 70s at the time of the Waterloo battle, died a few years later. Napoleon’s Final Years On June 22, 1815, Napoleon once again abdicated. That October, he was exiled to the remote, British-held island of Saint Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. He died there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most likely from stomach cancer.

Napoleon was buried on the island; however, in 1840, his remains were returned to France and entombed in a crypt at Les Invalides in Paris, where other French military leaders are interred. Tags BBC - iWonder - The Battle of Waterloo: The day that decided Europe's fate The Battle of Waterloo: The day that decided Europe's fate Before the battle 20:30, 18 JuneNapoleon is defeated An epic contest In 1815 two men faced off in a muddy field in Belgium. Wellington, with his British and Allied army, and Napoleon with his French Imperial Guard. One decisive battle could end 20 years of bloody conflict on the continent. It was a showdown between two of history’s military giants. They were the same age, formidable strategists and had a string of victories behind them. By 18 June, the outcome hung in the balance and the victor would determine the fate of Europe. Before the battle Getty Images Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor of France in 1804. To understand Waterloo, it’s important to know Napoleon had been trying to establish a European empire under his military dictatorship since 1804.

The British defeated him at Trafalgar in 1805, but Napoleon went on to invade countries across Europe before being forced to abdicate. He returned to Paris in March 1815, prompting Britain, Prussia, Russia and Austria to declare war. In June, Napoleon invaded Belgium, hoping to capture Brussels. He sent troops to fight Wellington, and led a battalion against General Blucher's Prussian troops. Wellington's army wasn't defeated but Blucher retreated. The scene was set for a final, decisive battle. Taking positions The positions of Wellington, Napoleon and the Prussians the night before the battle. Before the battle, Wellington stayed at a Waterloo inn while Napoleon was three miles south. Their men slept out as rain fell throughout the night. Wellington knew success the next day rested heavily on the arrival of General Blucher and his Prussian reinforcements. They were recuperating in Wavre, 18 miles east of Waterloo. With the Prussians and Allied armies separated, Napoleon was confident he could defeat Wellington and make his way to Brussels. His presence on the field made the difference of forty thousand men.

Wellington on Napoleon The first tactical move The positions of Wellington and Napoleon's troops on the morning of June 18. Wellington established a strong defensive position, blocking the road to Brussels in order to stop Napoleon’s advance towards the capital. Wellington knew he was outnumbered – approximately 68,000 Allied troops versus Napoleon's 72,000 – so he positioned his men behind a ridge and three garrisoned farms. The farm of Papelotte was on his left, Le Haye Sainte in front and Hougoumont to his right. The combination of the incline, fields of high corn and well-placed garrisons meant Wellington had both a good vantage point and cover to shield his troops. From here he could try to hold the ground until the Prussians arrived. He is a bad general and the English are breakfast! Napoleon on Wellington Mary Evans Napoleon with the French army at Waterloo. Napoleon's mind was also on the terrain. It was sodden from the night's rainfall, making it difficult to move his men and guns into position. Napoleon decided to delay his first major attack until the ground had dried out.

It was a dangerous strategy – it could allow time for Blucher's Prussian army to arrive and join Wellington on the ridge. Yet, having the French infantry and cavalry wade through mud risked tiring them out in the early stages of the battle. For now, Napoleon decided to draw out the British and make a dent in their defensive position. He launched a diversionary attack on Hougoumont farm. 11:30, 18 June Napoleon advances Napoleon's troops advanced on Hougoumont and made territorial gains around La Haye Sainte. With Wellington's right flank busy defending Hougoumont, Napoleon seized the opportunity to do some damage to the centre of the British line. He sent 18,000 infantry along the road to Brussels to strike a decisive blow. They captured the farm of Papelpotte and the area surrounding La Haye Sainte. It looked like victory was now within Napoleon’s grasp. If he took La Haye Sainte, he could attack the remaining British troops at close range. But at around 13:00, peering through his telescope, Napoleon spotted movement in fields to the east. He ordered a troop of cavalry to go and investigate.

14:20, 18 June Getty Images The British cavalry charge at the French infantry. Napoleon had spotted the Prussians but they were still far off. A desperate Wellington sent reinforcements to La Haye Sainte, driving back the French. Lord Uxbridge, Wellington's cavalry commander, had two brigades of cavalry over the ridge. With Napoleon's men advancing towards the British line, now was their moment – the cavalry charged and hit the French infantry, slicing through the soldiers on the ground. Napoleon’s line had been brutally weakened but Wellington’s left flank was also damaged – he couldn’t afford to launch another attack without reinforcements. 15:30, 18 June The Prussians at Plancenoit Napoleon's troops attacked La Haye Sainte. He sent another battalion to meet the Prussians in the east. Napoleon's cavalry at last reached Blucher's troops near Plancenoit, a village 5 miles east of the battlefield. The Prussians soon captured the high ground north-east of the village. They attacked the French hard: Napoleon was forced to commit more troops over the course of the afternoon as the territory changed hands several times.

Although Blucher was unable to reach Wellington at the main battle, his efforts meant the French were under pressure and had to split their resources. Wellington could hear the cannon fire in the distance – he knew Blucher had formed his own formidable front line, as promised. We must give air to the English army! General Blucher, during the battle of Waterloo 16:00, 18 June The battle for La Haye Sainte Getty Images The battle for the crucial garrisoned farm of La Haye Sainte. Napoleon was increasingly stretched – his men were fighting on both the west and east sides of the battlefield. He ordered Marshal Ney to capture La Haye Sainte, Wellington’s central stronghold. For the next two hours, wave after wave of heavily armoured French soldiers on horseback charged at the Allied line. In response, the Allied line changed formation into squares. They fended off the 4,000-strong French cavalry but their new formation made them vulnerable to Napoleon's heavy artillery fire. One British battalion, the 27th Regiment, lost nearly 500 of its 747 men. By God, those fellows deserve Bonaparte. They fight so nobly for him!

British soldier, being charged by the French cavalry 18:15, 18 June Wellington loses La Haye Sainte Getty Images Napoleon makes a final attempt to break Wellington's line. With the Allied centre weakened, Napoleon knew Wellington desperately needed Prussian support. He wasted no further time. Napoleon sent 6,000 French soldiers across the field up towards Wellington on the ridge, marching between Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. On the left, they suffered fire from the British-held garrison of Hougoumont but those on the right, facing the French-held garrison of La Haye Sainte, made it up over the ridge unhindered. 19:15, 18 June Wellington stands firm The French retreat as Wellington's troops advance, joined by the Prussians arriving from the east. As the French Imperial Guard advanced, swords drawn, Wellington's men waited in the long grass behind the ridge. At last, the French had broken through the Allied front line. When they reached the ridge, Wellington gave the order to stand and fire. His men fired at almost point blank range – muskets tore through the French soldiers, forcing them back.

At last, Blucher's forces were now arriving on Wellington's left. The Allied army advanced, pursuing the Imperial Guard. Wellington had a chance to kill Napoleon but ordered his men to hold fire. The Emperor was shielded by his men as they fled. 20:30, 18 June PBS - Napoleon: The Man and the Myth Could Napoleon have won the battle of Waterloo? Josh (Florida): Napoleon could have won the Battle of Waterloo, but his campaign would have been at a loss anyway. He could have defeated Wellington if he would have put tremendous force on Wellington's right flank, his escape route. Napoleon also knew from the beginning that this task would be far-fetched and so did his soldiers. If the Prussians would not have shown up at the end of the battle, I think that Napoleon would have broken Wellington's line and be crowned the victor. Maria (Ohio): I don't doubt that Napoleon could have won the battle of Waterloo because if in fact, Wellington did, he could have too. The odds were against him though, and even if Napoleon did win, the French might not have accepted him as emperor once again.

The truth though is that in no way was Wellington ever a better strategist or general than Napoleon, anyone can make it if they have a lucky break. To me though, Napoleon was still one of the greatest leaders that ever was and ever will be. Herbert (Florida): The younger, more aggressive Napoleon could have won the battle of Waterloo. But it would have made no difference. The defeated Anglo-Allied and Prussian forces would have fallen back to regroup, while larger armies from Russia and Austria were marching ever closer. Napoleon lacked reserve manpower and he no longer had the general staff support and the marshalate to field multiple armies effectively. Mortier (Maryland): Napoleon had many opportunities to win the battle of Waterloo. For instance, he could have attempted to storm the British positions without waiting to use his artillary, which might have allowed him a chance to drive them back before the arrival of Von Blucher's Prussians. Also, he should have done a reconnaissance of the terrain with some light cavalry before charging the supposedly feeble British position, which were actually used for Wellington's reverse slope tactic. He should have committed his reserve, the imperial guard early on so that any infiltrations of the enemy line could have been readily exploited.

Additionally, he needed to take personal command of the battle rather than watching Marechel Ney do it. Overall, if he had taken personal command and not wavering, showing the typical decisiveness that was characteristic of him, it should have been a ready-made victory. Mark (California): Certainly, and earlier in his career he more than likely would have prevailed, perhaps without extended difficulty. But by this time, his military and political resources had worn away. After years of extended campaigns and the stress and strains of maintaining an empire, the republic could no longer support the tremendous effort necessary to battle all of Europe. Napoleon no longer had the organizational staffing available to implement his strategy. Many of his best officers and loyal soldiers were gone, he lacked extended supply lines and no longer had the unqualified political support in Paris. Even if he had succeeded at Waterloo, it would have at best, only prolonged the inevitable. He was not in any position to conduct a 2 front war and no longer maintained the military industrial support for even limited campaigning. The Russian and Austrian troops would have quickly succeeded in taking the eastern territories before marching, once again on Paris.

Napoleon's primary blunder, came years earlier when he failed to recognize the importance of consolidating his possessions in Spain and driving the British off the continent. Instead, he marched off to Russia and let the ambition that had served him so well, sow the seeds of his destruction. Thomas (Texas): Napoleon had many opportunities to triumph with a major victory at Waterloo. I have studied the tactics of Civil War Battles, from the West Point Manuals, and historical archives, and if many of those generals base their tactics on Napoleonic traditions, but not Waterloo. Napoleon�s genius was stated quite succinctly by a highly successful, Southern Cavalry Commander, "Get there fustest with the mostest." The other principle precept that Napoleon exploited so successfully was to commit your reserves, without reserve, in the best offensive method possible. Never weaken the commitment with partial, fall back scenarios. He had no fall back at Waterloo, it was either Major Victory or eventual defeat. There were too many allied forces to be dealt with.

The capture of Brussels, two defeats of Prussia, would be too much for the Austrians and Russians, who were separated by many leagues of supply lines from support, and knowledge of past defeats would have been too much, and they would have sued for peace. Protection of lines of retreat, a lesson learned in Russia, was not applicable to Waterloo for Napoleon. In closing, it is much easier in all of the media that I have participated in to win against the computer, or an opponent using the historical opposition strategy, to win as Napoleon, than to win an Wellington. The Allies have a difficult command structure with language differences, colored by national misconceptions as to fighting abilities, and belief in that the allies would stay in the field under adverse conditions. The French have a unified command structure with no language difficulties, and strengthen with a hard core of battle hardened NonComs and Officers. The French just have to realize the decisive moments, and utilize the proper times for consolidation, and the times for pursuit, and remember that delay brings victory to the allies. To win as Wellington, one must rely on French mistakes, make all the correct choices, and French unwillingness to press the attack before six pm.

If the Prussians arrive in strength before Wellington has been routed, it is all over for the French. Napoleon, the genius, lost using the tactics of his opponents. Pavlik (Florida): Napoleon could have won the battle of Waterloo, and indeed, he almost did. After the brave but uncoordinated assaults made by Ney, Wellington's line was on the verge of complete dicintegration. La Haye Sainte was taken and the Allied center was almost destroyed. If Napoleon would have allowed Ney to push on with fresh troops of the Imperial Guard, Wellington would have been forced to retreat, leaving Blucher on the battlefield alone. The Prussians, I believe would not have stood alone again against Napoleon (after Ligny) and retreated as well. Even if they stayed to fight, Napoleon's troops could have destroyed them piece-meal as they emerged from their long march. Napoleon could indeed have won the campaign of the Hundred Days. What would follow that I think would ultimately be his demise (he could not face the combined forces of Austria and Russia - if they persisted with their invasion). Jason (Iowa): Napoleon certainly could have won the battle of Waterloo.

Being outnumbered is typical in most for his campaigns, and by concentrating against one opponent at a time, in this case Wellington, he could have had a strong victory. One of his problems is definitely his hesitation, especially in the morning. I realize that artillery is an important branch of his force, but wasting the entire morning waiting for the ground to dry seems a little bit silly. After all, if the ground is too wet for his artillery to be effective, then the British artillery should also be ineffective. His heitation to use the Imperial Guard also crippled his fighting capabilities. This hesitation seemed to hurt him in several battles. What good are elite shock troops if you are unwilling to commit them at crucial times? If they are your best troops, you have feel confident about and willing to deploy them. If he threw them into battle while Ney's cavalry occupied the enemy, they would have a screen from enemy fire and enhance the fighting capabilities of the cavalry. I should also mention that I always find Ney's tactical decisions disappointing. Perhaps Napoleon should have factored in Ney's record in previous battles more heavily and appointed a different field marshall to that position.

If Napoleon really routed the British troops (about 1/3 casualties or higher), the British would probably pull the leftovers of their army out of the continent in the same way they did in other engagements during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. With a strong French victory over Wellington, the Prussians would most likely fall back or be defeated in combat. It might take a couple more battles after that, but like in previous years, the Austrians and Russians would not be able to get it done against France and Napoleon. The best case scenario after they are defeated is to have a France (around 1803 borders) ruled by Napoleon that would probably remain at war with Britain, but that could convince other european powers that it is too exhausted for offensive campaigns. This could provide for stability on the continent, especially if some of Austria's lands are returned to them. Dave (Hawaii): Napolean was at the fate of circumstance... several things went just so slightly against him at Waterloo... he could have easily won. I think he should have crushed the Prussians which would have compelled the British to move from the prefered ground of Waterloo to try and save the Prussians.

Napolean then could do 1 of 3 things: He could continue into central Eurpoe and toward the Austrians (whom would have likely been easily routed)... if the British persued their flank and supply line would be extreemly vulnerable to the French forces still in France. Napolean then could turn on Wellington and crush him from both sides. This would work since the British would not press Napolean since they would be reluctant to be cut off from the sea... this would likely be the Allies undoing. The Russians would miss out as they were slow to respond. Napolean could retire toward Paris. The British would likely advance...they Napolean could choose his ground. If he waited for the Allies to combine I think he still stood an excellent chance as the advantage would fall to the defender (even against a huge allied force). I think Napolean's best bet was to destroy the Prussians then try to crush the British utterly. That would give him substantial time to deal with the others. Paul (Connecticut): Yes. If he had detained the Prussian forces long enough to wear down the British blocks, his forces would have won the day.

However, I do agree that Europe would never have come under his control again. Paul (New York): Certainly Napoleon could have won the battle of Waterloo. Unfortunately, he chose poor battlefield commanders. Grouchy had little experience with independent command; Soult would have known better and marched to the sound of the guns. Ney was always impetuous and unthinking; if Davout had been with Napoleon, instead of back in Paris as Minister of War, he would have known better than to send waves of cavalry against the British squares unsupported by infantry. Davout may have even made the battle unnecessary, for he would have had the knowledge to crush Wellington at Quatre Bras as he did Brunswick at Auerstadt. And if Marmont had not been a traitor, he could have led the artillery to better, more concentrated fire. Napoleon's army was a veteran unit, but its morale was brittle. The treason of 1814 sowed the seeds of defeat in 1815, because so many officers and marshals proved themselves more concerned about their own estates than the survival of the empire. Travis (North Carolina): Yes, Napoleon could have won at the battle of Waterloo had several things not taken place.

First, Napoleon needed his confidence to win, and in this battle, he lacked it. After his Russian defeat and exile, he became inconfident. Thus, he lead his armies with less power and confidence. Second, he shouldn't have sent troops to stop the Prussians from coming. He could've just crushed the British first, then taken care of the Prussians later with more troops. Third, if Berthier was present at the battle, Napoleon's chief of staff, he would have won. Napoleon was also very ill, and if he'd been in full health, he wouldn't have delayed on attacking. Although, if Napoleon had won the battle, he would've lost eventually in the end. Mainly because Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria would continually come at him. Reuben: No, and you have to go back to the disastrous campaign against the Russians. Any force that has attacked Russia and this attack prolongs itself into the Russian winter, has never succeeded in history. IE: Stalingrad. The Grand Armee had been reduced to a Petit Armee, demoralized, tired, and really out of shape.

The hundred days were really a major turning point in European history -- things would go back to the way they were on the continent, with each side having and protecting their own interest without interference until WW1. Wellington, as Sun Tzu remarks, had the field. He was in a better position to see the battle, the British squares were extremely formidable against either infantry or calvary attacks. If Napolean pushed his artillery forward to smash the squares, British snipers and infantry would have had an open shot at the Frech artillery. Napolean lost the battle before it began. Napolean even comments about this and he himself knows that he and his men are in a poor location and the terrain does not suit calvary nor artillery. He fought at the wrong place, a place of not his choosing. Remember, if you fight a battle of the opponent's choosing, you are at a disadvantage and Napolean knew that he was at a disadvantage, but he had no choice, the Allies trapped him, he had to fight or go back to Paris and wait for a much larger Allied force. Duc: Quite possibly, as Wellington put it, the battle was "a near run thing".

There are hundreds of what-ifs related to the specific course of the battle, as well as the campaign that preceeded it. Disregarding all of these, one can quite simply, and with great confidence, say that Napoleon was let down by his subordinates, Ney and Grouchy, neither of whom wher competant to command an entire wing of the French army, as they had to do at critical times of the campaign. In addition, Ney had shown at Liepzig and Jena his inability to coordinate large numbers of troops in battle, a patern he repeated with disasterous consequences at Waterloo. Bottom line, if Davout had been availble to command either wing of the French army, either pursuing the Prussians on the 17th and 18th, or attacking the British on the 16th and 18th, Napoleon would have won on the 18th, with either Wellington or Blucher destroyed. RJ (California): Napolean could easily have won the battle of Waterloo and retained control of France. Marshal Ney led a cavalry assault in which the vast majority of British guns were in French hands for several hours.

There was ample opportunity to destroy the guns, but Ney lacked the forsight when he led the assault. Also, von Blucher may have died or been captured in an earlier battle, in fact he was knocked off his horse and was hidden only by a coat pulled over his face from a French search. If he had been killed or captured, his successors would have allowed Grouchy to push them back into Prussia. Finally, there were several direct orders from Napolean to Grouchy to screen the Prussians and hit Wellington on the flank, but Grouchy ignored them and continued to follow a diversion of 10,000 Prussian troops. If Ney had had the forsight to spike the British guns and ordered infantry to follow his cavalry assault, if von Blucher had been killed or captured or if Grouchy had followed Napolean's orders, the Russians would likely have gone home and signed a treaty and the Austrians would have probably been defeated. James (Oklahoma): Military Command is a matter of both skill and chance. Had "old Bluker" not arrived at the last moment with his fresh troops the "Grand Army" may very well have carried the battle.

In that event our view of Napoleon would no doubt be quite different. Rob (Michigan): Yes Napolean could have won. If only he had used the brilliance that he used in all his prior Prussian campaigns. Napolean was so successful agianst Prussia and Italy because he changed the rules of war, and that is what he should have done again at Waterloo. By this time all of Europe was familiar to Napolean's new flanking strategy, and his strategy of fighting the enemy one-by-one. Napolean should have changed the rules again, instead of sending the cavalry. Napolean should have simply attacked the enemy's supply line. Or use the same strategy that the Rusians used on him, slowly retreat and at the same time sabatoge the land that your enemy will cross as they persue you, (or force them to cross a bridge and place cannons on the other side) and once the enemy has been weakened strike with full force. Charles (California): Of course, Napoleon could have won the Battle of Waterloo, except that he made enough mistakes to turn it into a disastrous defeat. First, he underestimated his opponents.

He had no respect for Blucher, who had been defeated several times already by the French, and was confident that Wellington was merely a "Sepoy" General. He also underestimated the British Infantry, who were remarkably cool under fire, and the resiliency of the Prussians to bounce back quickly after the Battle of Ligny. Those who say that the Prussians won or that the English won, do a disservice to both armies. It was a joint effort all the way and neither the English nor the Prussians could have won on their own. Although relations between the two armies were strained at best, they still had a common enemy and this united them in their cause to defeat the Emperor. As far as the battle itself, Napoleon's decision to give Ney the overall command was the first of a long string of errors that ultimately led to his defeat. The waste of enormous resources to overtake Hougemount was another. Ney's total lunacy in charging the British squares with French Cavalry but without the infantry may have been the turning point of the battle. It gave Wellington's army confidence to stand up to the final desperate attack by the Imperial Guard. Napoleon's gamble to use the Guard was his most disastrous mistake.

Never had he attacked without leaving something in reserve to at least preserve some kind of order in case of a defeat. As soon as the Prussians arrived on the field in large numbers, Wellington, with his customary skill, advanced the entire Allied line---and there was nothing left to stop them from completely routing the French. In the final analysis, no historian can make the case that either Blucher or Wellington was a superior commander to Napoleon. Wellington himself said on many occasions after the Battle of Waterloo, that Napoleon was the greatest general of any age, past or present. Blucher was not of a similar mind, but this probably had more to do with his hatred of Napoleon and the damage the French had done to Prussia. Historians can make the case, however, that on June 18, 1815, both the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blucher outperformed and outsmarted the greatest military man of the age, sending him into his final well-deserved exile. Robert (Massachusetts): He should have won easily. Wellington is the most overrated general in the history of Britain.

If Grouchy follows the standing orders of "March to the sound of the guns" instead of running around the Prussians would have been caught in a vice. Mistakes are mistakes. He left his best marshal in Paris to mind the store. What people forget is they still had a large force training that would have outnumbered the two allied armies as they rallied and entered France. Without support from Austria or Russia they would have been crushed. The only interesting thing in a "what if" scenario is if they killed Wellington in the battle and/or the Prussians don't find Blucher trapped under his horse. The British and Prussians may sue for peace which losing two armies at once may let Napoleon settle into France to consolidate gains. Plus the utter shock value to the Austrians and Russians. Carlos (Oregon): I think Napoleon had a greater mind than The Duke of Wellington and that only luck helped The English. Chen (Utah): Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo was an unnecessary event, just as were the Russian defeats at Austerliz and Prussia's defeat at Jena. In the sense of asking whether there was a possibility that Napoleon could've won the Battle of Waterloo itself, there certainly was a possibility.

There is the first fact that Napoleon had some 200,000 troops at his disposal but only took 70,000 into battle against Wellington. He could easily have turned the tide of the battle with the reinforcements. Then there is the failure of Grouchy to intercept the Prussians. Had he done so, the Olds Guards of Napoleon would still have failed to break through the British lines, but the failure of the Prussians to arrive would have prevented a rout on the part of the French. Then there is the fateful calvary charge on Wellington's lines, which could've been coordinated with more artillery and the guards, which would've have been more likely to break through. Also, Napoleon was bleeding his forces on Wellington's right flank, and there is no evidence that it seriously threatened Wellington's lines, another mistake of Napoleon. Even in the end, when Napoleon took La Saint Hayne or whichever name that barnhouse should be assigned, he didn't have enough guns nor men to reinforce the position and ultimately lost it. So in the sense of the single battle of Waterloo, Napoleon clearly could have won. But ever since his invasion of Russia, Napoleon's ultimate defeat was guaranteed.

Paul (California): If he had not sent a third of the Grand Armee, under Grouchy, to chase Blucher's Prussians, after their defeat at Ligny, and "Keep his sword in Blucher's back" OR more precisely, if Blucher had been smart enough to cut across and "March to the sound of the guns" to reinforce Napoleon at Waterloo, instead of plodding along behind the Prussian army, then Napoleon could have won and taken Brussels that night or next day. If Grouchy's 30,000 men had got to the field at Waterloo in the mid to late afternoon, ahead of the Prussians instead of behind them and too late, this would have been enough to push Wellington off the ridge. Wellington himself said "It was a damn near-run thing," after the battle.

Of course during the battle, when told his men were down to three rounds per man, he prayed "Give me night, or give me Blucher." Yes, against all odds, Napoleon made a dramatic comeback from Elba, an incredible forced march and shock arrival at Charleroi, and it was indeed "a near run thing" that he could have won, if Grouchy had cut across and reinforced him at Waterloo. (This was partly Napoleon's fault for not spelling out his orders more precisely. But a more brilliant, less plodding, General than Grouchy, would have known what to do when the cannons were blasting over the hills at Waterloo. Certainly if had been Marshall Ney and his cavalry, he would have been there at full charge, without a doubt.) Thomas (Michigan): No, he was vastly outnumbered. It was idealistic of him to think that part of his command could hold off the Prussians from arriving on the scene. At best he could hope for a draw. Even then time would have caught up with him and internal political foes would of weakened him, just as the grand alliance of all of Europe would of bled France to death on the battle field.

Like much the same situation that Gen Lee faced when opposing Gen Grant: Lee was a better General but he could not replace the men he lost, just as Grant brought to bear all the force and overwhelming manpower of the north. Don: I think he could if he had enough time to prepare. He almost did win but I think his generals did him in. The British were able to suprise his toops by hiding under the crest of a hill. I think if Ney could have charged when he should have, it would have ment a victory. Also if Blucher could have been delayed longer, it would have been a French victory. Dave (California): His surviving officers seem to concur that Napoleon had become ambivalent, overweight and lethargic. This plus his absolute uncareing attitude towards the suffering his men endured during battle didn't help much either. His Armies defeat was inevitable. Thomas (California): I think the biggest consideration at the battle of Waterloo was the untimely arrival of the Prussians.

We must remember that Napoleon wanted to attack at dawn, as was his custom, but the soft, damp ground, which negated the lethal riquochet effects of cannonfire, and the pleadings of his advisors, convinced him to delay the attack 4 hours. At the time when Blucher arrived, Wellington was beat, despite all of the mistakes that Napoleon made during the battle. If Napoleon attacked at dawn, then the Prussians are still 2 hours away when Wellington is defeated. Azat (New Jersey): Yes. The only reason he lost was because he was very ill at the moment and could not move to attack Wellington before the Prussians were supposed to come with reinforcements. If he was in full health, he would have attacked as soon as he could, and most historians should agree he would have won Waterloo. His genious did not leave him, his health did. Napoleon was a very ill man at the end of his career. Veronica (Kansas): No, Napoleon did not manage the battle nor did he effectively utilize the resources he possessed. By searching out a decisive battle with the allies when he did, he fought on less than ideal terrain.

He lacked full command and control of his forces, and ended up attacking in peicemeal fashion. He wasted an entire corps on Hougemont when a smaller force could have held down the same number of Allied troops. His cavalry and infantry did not coordinate thier attack, and the British cannons (captured and held by the french cavalry for only a few minutes) were not destroyed. The failure to bring equipment to destroy the cannon reflects a lack of planning for actions on the objective when it was taken. Problems with supply forced him into believing he had to fight. In short - he fell victim to Clauswitz's principals of war. He was less effective than Wellington at bringing together all the principals of war and synthesizing them into winning tactics. Andrew (California): Maybe, had a lot of "what ifs" occured all in his favor. However, I think the larger issue is even had he won what would that have accomplished? I don't think an allied defeat would have forced them to sue for peace terms, I think they would have pushed ahead with the eastern invasions again a la 1814, and eventually Napoleon would have been defeated again, only the losses would have been even greater.

Unfortunately there was no turning back the clock once they declared war against Napoleon instead of France, only his total defeat would satisfy. Kevin (North Carolina): Yes, Napoleon could have won the Battle of Waterloo. Two days earlier, if d'Erlon's corps had attacked at Ligny on the Prussian's right flank, the Prussians could have lost two thirds of their army instead of the 34,000 they did lose. They would have been effectively out of the campaign and Wellington would have had to face the Armee du Nord alone. It was the presence of the Prussians on 18 June that defeated Napoleon. If Grouchy had followed the Prussians or even had taken off across country on hearing the gunfire at Mont St. Jean on the 18th, that would have kept the Prussians off Napoleon's flank and would have allowed him to finish Wellington. With the British and Prussians defeated/destroyed, the Russians would have found themselves quite far from home, and there were indications that the Austrians might have switched sides again.Napoleon's greatest weakness in 1815 was Berthier, his chief of staff since 1796, being absent.

Napoleon himself said that 'if Berthier had been there, I would not have met this misfortune.' Paul (Michigan): Yes, Napoleon could have won the battle of Waterloo. a) If the heavy cavalry had been accompanied by artillery for deployment at close range against the infantry squares. b) If the heavy cavalry had taken the necessary equipment with them for spiking the British guns, which were in the possession of the cuirassiers for about 20 minutes following the first charge. c) If the Old Guard had followed the cuirassiers and opened a gap in the British line. Jean-Denis: A few things may have helped the French cause: Hougoumont bogged down most of Reille corps that could have been used to support D'erlon assault. mixed order was not used. cavalry charged in isolation and with infantry support would have won the day. relations between Wellington and the prussian HQ were not good and a defeated Allied army would have prompted to retreat of the Prussian army. However, what's next after Waterloo? Belgians and Dutch rallying to France? Who would have stopped a Russo-Austrian army? At best another 1814 Campaign...

Read posted reponses to another question: Napoleon defeated at Waterloo - Jun 18, 1815 - HISTORY.com Napoleon defeated at Waterloo Publisher A+E Networks At Waterloo in Belgium, Napoleon Bonaparte suffers defeat at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, bringing an end to the Napoleonic era of European history. The Corsica-born Napoleon, one of the greatest military strategists in history, rapidly rose in the ranks of the French Revolutionary Army during the late 1790s. By 1799, France was at war with most of Europe, and Napoleon returned home from his Egyptian campaign to take over the reigns of the French government and save his nation from collapse. After becoming first consul in February 1800, he reorganized his armies and defeated Austria. In 1802, he established the Napoleonic Code, a new system of French law, and in 1804 was crowned emperor of France in Notre Dame Cathedral. By 1807, Napoleon controlled an empire that stretched from the River Elbe in the north, down through Italy in the south, and from the Pyrenees to the Dalmatian coast.

Beginning in 1812, Napoleon began to encounter the first significant defeats of his military career, suffering through a disastrous invasion of Russia, losing Spain to the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula War, and enduring total defeat against an allied force by 1814. Exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean, he escaped to France in early 1815 and set up a new regime. As allied troops mustered on the French frontiers, he raised a new Grand Army and marched into Belgium. He intended to defeat the allied armies one by one before they could launch a united attack. On June 16, 1815, he defeated the Prussians under Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher at Ligny, and sent 33,000 men, or about one-third of his total force, in pursuit of the retreating Prussians. On June 18, Napoleon led his remaining 72,000 troops against the Duke of Wellington’s 68,000-man allied army, which had taken up a strong position 12 miles south of Brussels near the village of Waterloo.

In a fatal blunder, Napoleon waited until mid-day to give the command to attack in order to let the ground dry. The delay in fighting gave Blucher’s troops, who had eluded their pursuers, time to march to Waterloo and join the battle by the late afternoon. In repeated attacks, Napoleon failed to break the center of the allied center. Meanwhile, the Prussians gradually arrived and put pressure on Napoleon’s eastern flank. At 6 p.m., the French under Marshal Michel Ney managed to capture a farmhouse in the allied center and began decimating Wellington’s troops with artillery. Napoleon, however, was preoccupied with the 30,000 Prussians attacking his flank and did not release troops to aid Ney’s attack until after 7 p.m. By that time, Wellington had reorganized his defenses, and the French attack was repulsed. Fifteen minutes later, the allied army launched a general advance, and the Prussians attacked in the east, throwing the French troops into panic and then a disorganized retreat. The Prussians pursued the remnants of the French army, and Napoleon left the field.

French casualties in the Battle of Waterloo were 25,000 men killed and wounded and 9,000 captured, while the allies lost about 23,000. Napoleon returned to Paris and on June 22 abdicated in favor of his son. He decided to leave France before counterrevolutionary forces could rally against him, and on July 15 he surrendered to British protection at the port of Rochefort. He hoped to travel to the United States, but the British instead sent him to Saint Helena, a remote island in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. Napoleon protested but had no choice but to accept the exile. With a group of followers, he lived quietly on St. Helena for six years. In May 1821, he died, most likely of stomach cancer. He was only 51 years old. In 1840, his body was returned to Paris, and a magnificent funeral was held. Napoleon’s body was conveyed through the Arc de Triomphe and entombed under the dome of the Invalides.

Related Videos Timeline of Napoleon's Empire (1798-1821) Timeline of Napoleon's Empire (1798-1821) 1798 19 May: Napoleon begins his Egyptian Campaign 2 July: Fall of Alexandria 21 July: The French defeat the Mamelukes at the Battle of the Pyramids in Egypt 24 July: Fall of Cairo 1 August: Under the command of the Admiral Nelson, the British fleet destroys the French navy Battle of Aboukir. 29 December: Second Coalition formed against France. The Second Coalition included Austria, Russia, and Britain, but not Prussia. 1799 20 February: Napoleon invades Syria towards the end of his Egyptian Campaign 18 June: Purge of Directory; Napoleon's ally, Paul Barras, consolidates his power. July: The Rosetta Stone is discovered by Napoleon's troops. 24 August: Receiving news of turmoil in France, Napoleon leaves Egypt and sets sail for France. 16 October: Napoleon arrives in Paris. 9-10 November: Coup de Brumaire. Napoleon and Sieyes overthrow the Directory, and form the three-person consulate.

Sieyes and Ducos are appointed as the other two consuls. 12 December: Constitution of Year VIII. Napoleon is appointed First Consul. 1800 7 February: New Constitution approved by the French through a plebiscite. 19 February: Napoleon establishes his residence in the Tuileries Palace, the location where Louis XVI was held under house-arrest between the period of his attempted escape from Paris and his execution. 15-23 May: Napoleon leads his army across the Alps in the Second Italian Campaign. 14 June: Napoleon's army handily defeats the Austrian army, for Russia by 1799 had removed itself from the Second Coalition, at Marengo. End of Second Italian Campaign. 5 November: Negotiations for Concordat open with the Papacy. 24 December: "Opera Plot" attempt to assassinate Napoleon, organized by Cadoudal, a French royalist who also took part in the counter-revolutionary Vendee peasant rebellion in 1793. 1801 9 February: Treaty of Luneville signed with Austria.

This Treaty was a renewal of the earlier, Treaty of Campo Formio, which secured France's defeat of Austria and right to administer Italian lands independent of Austria's will. This treaty also ends the Second Coalition. 15 July: Napoleon signs the Concordat with Pope Pius VII. The Concordat ends the schism between the French government and the Catholic Church, by returning lands to the clergy that were confiscated from the Church during the anti-clerical periods of the French Revolution, and by assuring the Pope that France would remain a Catholic country. 30 August: French army still in Egypt surrenders to the British. 1802 26 January: Napoleon becomes president of the Republic of Italy. 25 March: Treaty of Amiens signed with the British. This treaty was essentially a pact in which British and French forces agreed not to fight, and had no significant territorial provisions. With Austria defeated, a peace signed with the British, and Russia's withdrawal from the Second Coalition, for the first time in 10 years, Europe was at peace.

1 May: Napoleon begins his administrative and social reforms by instituting a new educational system in France with the creation of the lycees, the Ecole Normale Superieur, and the Polytechnique. 19 May: Napoleon establishes the Legion of Honor as a reward for loyal service to the nation under the consulate of 1802. The creation of such an institution was in line with Napoleon's emphasis on the creation of a meritocracy that awards those who serve the nation most courageously and loyally. 2 August: Napoleon named Consul for Life through a plebiscite. 4 August: Constitution of Year X is also approved through a plebiscite. 1803 11 March: Camps established at Boulogne to train army for invasion of England. 3 May: Napoleon sells Louisiana territory to the U.S. 18 May: Rupture of Treaty of Amiens due to England's breach of the treaty leads to resumption of war between France and Britain. 1804 February-March: Royalist plot to kidnap Napoleon leads to arrest of Generals Moreau and Pichegru and Georges Cadoudal.

21 March: Civil Code, also known as the Napoleonic Code, is promulgated. The Civil Code sought to abolish the privileges and inequalities embodied in the customs of the Ancien Regime. The principles of personal liberty, freedom of conscience, and equality before the law were consecrated by the Code. It protected property, but made women into second-class citizens. 18 May: Proclamation of the French Empire, and the declaration of Napoleon as the Emperor. 19 May: Marshals of the empire created. 2 December: Napoleon crowns himself Emperor of the French Empire in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. 1805 26 May: Napoleon is crowned king of Italy in Milan. 7 June: Eugene de Beauharnais, relative to Josephine, Napoleon's wife, is named viceroy of Italy. 9 August: Third Coalition is formed. Austria joins British and Russian Alliance to fight France. 25 August: The Grande Armee, Napoleon's International Army comprised mostly of French and Italians, leaves Boulogne for Germany. 21 October: Battle of Trafalgar marks another French naval defeat at the hands of the British under the command of Admiral Nelson. 14 November: Napoleon enters Vienna.

2 December: Napoleon defeats Russian and Austrian forces at the Battle of Austerlitz. 26 December: Napoleon signs the Treaty of Pressburg with Austria. In this treaty the defeated Austrians surrender their Italian territory of the region of Veneto in Northern Italy to the French. 1806 30 March: Napoleon appoints his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, king of Naples. Napoleon also appoints other members of his family to rule conquered lands such as Spain. May-June: Creation of Kingdom of Holland with Louis Bonaparte as king. 12 July: Napoleon establishes the Confederation of the Rhine, effectively ending the Holy Roman Empire which was established by Charlemagne in 800. July: Formation of Fourth Coalition led by Prussia, Russia, and Britain. 25 September: Prussian army invades the Confederation of the Rhine. 14 October: Napoleon, after having taken command of the Grande Armee in Germany, defeats Prussia at the Battles of Jena-Auerstadt. 27 October: Napoleon enters Berlin. 21 November: Continental System inaugurated by Berlin Decrees. The Continental System was Napoleon's plan to stop all shipping of British goods into Europe.

The Continental System resulted in a British blockade of all European shipping, and ended up hurting France more than Britain. By trying to spread the Continental System into Spain, Napoleon and France had to endure the constant harassment of the disastrous Peninsular War. 18 December: Napoleon enters Warsaw, setting the stage for the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. 1807 14 June: Napoleon defeats the Russians at the Battle of Friedland. 7-9 July: Treaty of Tilsit between France, Russia, and Prussia. The Treaty required Russia and Prussia to abide by the Continental System. 22 July: Napoleon creates the Grand Duchy of Warsaw (Poland), to be overseen by France. The creation of this state angers Tsar Alexander I, who saw this land as part of Greater Russia. 30 November: With the help of Spain, Napoleon begins the French occupation of Portugal under the command of General Junot, which marks the beginning of the Peninular War. 1808 February: J.G. Fichte, a German Romantic philosopher and nationalist, delivers 'Address to the German Nation' in Berlin hoping to inspire anti-Napoleonic and pro-German Nationalistic movements.

1 March: Organization of the imperial nobility. 18 March: Ferdinand VII proclaimed king of Spain. 2 May: Revolt in Madrid against Murat's troops marks beginning of Spanish revolt against French rule, which were immortalized in Goya's set of paintings 'The Disasters of War.' 7 July: Joseph Bonaparte crowned king of Spain; Murat and Caroline Bonaparte become king and queen of Naples. 30 July: Joseph evacuates Madrid after growing resistance to France's occupation. 8 October: Napoleon's allies, including Alexander I of Russia, meet at Erfurt, Saxony. 5 November: Napoleon assumes command of the army of Spain. 13 December: Napoleon recaptures Madrid. 1809 16 January: Battle of Corunna; Napoleon leaves Spain. 6 April: Fifth Coalition formed by Britain, Austria, and rebel Spain, after Austria declares a 'War of Liberation' against the Napoleonic Empire. 26 April: British army under Arthur Wellesley (later duke of Wellington) lands at Lisbon. 17 May: France annexes the Papal States. 5-6 July: Napoleon defeats the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram.

14 October: Treaty of Schonbrunn between France and Austria, in which Austria lost some of its northern land, which was added to the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. 15 December: Napoleon divorces Josephine because she does not beget him a male heir. 1810 17 February: Rome annexed to French Empire 1 April: Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria. 1 July: Holland annexed to France; Louis abdicates as king. 13 December: North German territories annexed to French Empire. 31 December: Tsar Alexander I breaks with Continental System because Britain was a major importer of Russian grain. 1811 January-December: Preparations for Russian Campaign 20 March: Birth of Napoleon II, referred to as the king of Rome. 1812 30 May: Sixth Coalition formed by Russia and Sweden with support from Britain and rebel Spain; Napoleon takes command of the Grande Armee in East Prussia and Poland. 24-25 June: The Grande Armee crosses the Niemen river, beginning the Russian campaign. 22 July: Battle of Salamanca in Spain 7 September: Battle of Borodino in Russia.

Napoleon defeated the Russians making important territorial gains, but suffered significant losses. 14 September: Napoleon's Grand Armee enters Moscow to find the city abandoned and set aflame by the inhabitants; retreating in the midst of a frigid winter, the army suffers devastating losses. October: Duke of Wellington made allied commander in Spain. 19 October: French begin retreat from Moscow. 19 December: Napoleon, after leaving his army under the command of Murat in early December, reaches Paris. 1813 26 February: Treaty of Kalisch between Prussia and Russia in which Russia commits to assist Prussia regain the territory lost in the Treaty of Tilsit (1806). 16 March: Prussia declares war on France, leading to two battles of Prusso-Russian forces against French forces, namely the Battle of Lutzen and Bautzen, both in May of 1813. 21 June: Wellington, leader of Spanish forces, defeats French forces under the command of Joseph Bonaparte at Vitoria.

16-19 October: Battle of Leipzig: also known as the 'Battle of the Nations;' Austrian, Prussian, Russian, Swedish, and Bohemian forces defeat Napoleon's Grande Armee in this town in Saxony. One of the many civilian casualties in this battle was that of Friedrich Wagner, survived by his wife and six-year old son Richard. October-November: Collapse of the Confederation of the Rhine and Napoleon's power in Germany. November: Metternich offers Napoleon the 'Frankfurt Proposals,' a provision which gave Napoleon the opportunity to surrender and remain 'Emperor of France.' Napoleon soon refuses this deal. 1814 January: Castlereagh, British diplomat, goes to Europe to negotiate the post-Napoleonic peace. January-March: Campaign of France. Allied army enters France. 11 January: Murat defects to the Allied forces. 9 March: Treaty of Chaumont-the four powers that defeated Napoleon (Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia) all agreed to ally for 20 years, promising to fight together to stop France if it ever got too powerful again. 12 March: Wellington's Allied Army enters Bordeaux.

31 March: French Marshals Marmont and Mortier surrender Paris to the Allies. 2-3 April: The Senate and the Legislative Body proclaim the deposition of Napoleon. 6 April: Napoleon abdicates in favor of his son, and, according to the Treaty of Fontainebleau, agrees to go into exile on the island of Elba, where he will receive a stipend of 2 million francs a year (which was never paid) and he could keep the title Emperor. 11 April: Napoleon abdicates unconditionally. 1 May: Treaty of Paris-Louis XVIII proclaimed king of France, and France reverts to her 1792 borders. 4 May: Napoleon begins his exile on Elba, his wife and son take refuge in Vienna. September: Congress of Vienna begins. 1815 1 March: Napoleon lands in Southern France, near Cannes, after setting sail from Elba a few days earlier. 20 March: Napoleon arrives in Paris and takes control, Louis XVIII flees, marking the beginning of the Hundred Days campaign. 18 June: Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by British and Prussians, led by Wellington.

22 June: Napoleon's second abdication. 7 July: Allies enter Paris 16 October: Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena, an island in the remote South Atlantic, in which escape would be virtually impossible. 20 November: Second Treaty of Paris signed, whose provisions are essentially the same as the first. 1821 Napoleonic Wars | European history | Britannica.com European history THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic. Europe in 1812. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Europe after the Congress of Vienna (1815). Inset shows the greatest extent of the Napoleonic empire (1812). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Learn about this topic in these articles: in French revolutionary and Napoleonic wars a series of wars between 1792 and 1815 that ranged France against shifting alliances of other European powers and that produced a brief French hegemony over most of Europe. The revolutionary wars, which may for convenience be held to have been concluded by 1801, were originally undertaken to defend and then to spread the effects of the French Revolution.

With Napoleon’s rise to absolute power,... in Battle of Austerlitz (Dec. 2, 1805), the first engagement of the War of the Third Coalition and one of Napoleon’s greatest victories. His 68,000 troops defeated almost 90,000 Russians and Austrians nominally under General M.I. Kutuzov, forcing Austria to make peace with France (Treaty of Pressburg) and keeping Prussia temporarily out of the anti-French alliance. in Battle of Borodino (Sept. 7 [Aug. 26, Old Style], 1812), bloody battle of the Napoleonic Wars, fought during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, about 70 miles (110 km) west of Moscow, near the river Moskva. It was fought between Napoleon’s 130,000 troops, with more than 500 guns, and 120,000 Russians with more than 600 guns. Napoleon’s success allowed him to occupy Moscow. The Russians were commanded by General M.I....

in Battle of Copenhagen (April 2, 1801) British naval victory over Denmark in the Napoleonic Wars. The armed-neutrality treaty of 1794 between Denmark and Sweden, to which Russia and Prussia adhered in 1800, was considered a hostile act by England. In 1801 a detachment of the British navy was sent to Copenhagen. After a fierce battle in the harbour, Adm. Horatio Nelson, ignoring orders to withdraw from the fleet... in Battle of Eylau (Feb. 7–8, 1807), one of the engagements in the Napoleonic War of the Third Coalition. The first major deadlock suffered by Napoleon, the battle was fought around the East Prussian town of Eylau (modern Bagrationovsk, Russia), 23 miles (37 km) south of Königsberg (Kaliningrad). The 76,000 Russians and Prussians under Leonty Leontyevich Bennigsen confronted 74,000 men under Napoleon...

in Battle of Friedland (June 14, 1807), victory for Napoleon that compensated for a setback the preceding February at Eylau and led to the Treaty of Tilsit between Napoleon and Alexander I of Russia. It was fought at Friedland (modern Pravdinsk, Russia), 27 miles (43 km) southeast of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia) in East Prussia. in Battle of Jena (Oct. 14, 1806), military engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought between 122,000 French troops and 114,000 Prussians and Saxons, at Jena and Auerstädt, in Saxony (modern Germany). In the battle, Napoleon smashed the outdated Prussian army inherited from Frederick II the Great, which resulted in the reduction of Prussia to half its former size at the Treaty of Tilsit in July 1807. in Battle of Leipzig ...resulting in the destruction of what was left of French power in Germany and Poland.

The battle was fought at Leipzig, in Saxony, between approximately 185,000 French and other troops under Napoleon, and approximately 320,000 allied troops, including Austrian, Prussian, Russian, and Swedish forces, commanded respectively by Prince Karl Philipp Schwarzenberg, General Gebhard Leberecht... in Siege of Mantua (June 4, 1796–Feb. 2, 1797), the crucial episode in Napoleon Bonaparte’s first Italian campaign; his successful siege of Mantua excluded the Austrians from northern Italy. The city was easy to besiege: the only access to it was via five causeways over the Mincio River. The two Austrian commanders, Count Dagobert Siegmund Graf von Wurmser and Baron Josef Alvintzy, in four successive tries,...

in Battle of Marengo (June 14, 1800), narrow victory for Napoleon Bonaparte in the War of the Second Coalition, fought on the Marengo Plain about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Alessandria, in northern Italy, between Napoleon’s approximately 28,000 troops and some 31,000 Austrian troops under General Michael Friedrich von Melas; it resulted in the French occupation of Lombardy up to the Mincio River and secured... in Battle of the Nile The French Revolutionary general Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798 made plans for an invasion of Egypt in order to constrict Britain’s trade routes and threaten its possession of India. The British government heard that a large French naval expedition was to sail from a French Mediterranean port under the command of Napoleon, and in response it ordered John Jervis, earl of St. Vincent, the commander... in Battle of Wagram (July 5–6, 1809), victory for Napoleon, which forced Austria to sign an armistice and led eventually to the Treaty of Schönbrunn in October, ending Austria’s 1809 war against the French control of Germany.

The battle was fought on the Marchfeld (a plain northeast of Vienna) between 154,000 French and other troops under Napoleon and 158,000 Austrians under Archduke Charles. After a... in Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815), Napoleon’s final defeat, ending 23 years of recurrent warfare between France and the other powers of Europe. It was fought during the Hundred Days of Napoleon’s restoration, 3 miles (5 km) south of Waterloo village (which is 9 miles [14.5 km] south of Brussels), between Napoleon’s 72,000 troops and the combined forces of the duke of Wellington’s allied army of 68,000 (with... in Hundred Days (French history) Less than a year following his abdication (April 6, 1814) and the Bourbon Restoration, Napoleon left his island exile in the Tyrrhenian Sea and landed at Cannes on March 1, leading 1,500 men, and marched at once upon Paris. Louis XVIII fled to Ghent on March 13, and Napoleon entered Paris one week later.

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The Prussians seized it in 1801 and 1805 and the French in 1803 and 1806, after which part of it was incorporated into the French empire and the rest into the Kingdom of... in India: The ascent to paramountcy ...as well as salutary. The more-compelling immediate cause was the transformation of European politics by the French Revolution. A new French threat to India emerged, this time overland, with Napoleon I’s Egyptian expedition of 1798–99. It was certain that a French army under such a leader would find many friends in India to welcome it, not least Tippu Sultan. in India: The government of Lord Minto Lord Minto (governor-general 1807–13) was occupied with the revived French danger, which was once again serious with the Treaty of Tilsit (1807) and Napoleon I’s resulting alliance with Russia. To guard against a French-sponsored Russian attack, British missions were sent to Afghanistan, to Persia, and to Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler of the Punjab. The first two proved fruitless, but the...

in Thomas Jefferson: Presidency But Jefferson’s major disappointment had its origins in Europe with the resumption of the Napoleonic Wars, which resulted in naval blockades in the Atlantic and Caribbean that severely curtailed American trade and pressured the U.S. government to take sides in the conflict. Jefferson’s response was the Embargo Act (1807), which essentially closed American ports to all foreign imports and... in United States: The Jeffersonian Republicans in power By the start of Jefferson’s second term in office, Europe was engulfed in the Napoleonic Wars. The United States remained neutral, but both Britain and France imposed various orders and decrees severely restricting American trade with Europe and confiscated American ships for violating the new rules. Britain also conducted impressment raids in which U.S. citizens were sometimes seized. Unable... in logistics (military): Fundamentals Jomini’s discussion of logistics was really an analysis of the functions of the Napoleonic general staff, which he conceived as the commander’s right arm, facilitating his decisions and seeing to their execution. The mobility and gargantuan scale of Napoleonic warfare had left the simple old logistics of marches and encampments far behind.

The new logistics, said Jomini, had become the science... in logistics (military): Logistic systems before 1850 The era of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic domination of Europe (1789–1815) brought back both mobility and range of movement to European warfare, along with an immense further increase in the size of armies. Abandoning the siege warfare of the 18th century, Napoleonic strategy stressed swift offensives aimed at smashing the enemy’s main force in a few decisive battles. The...

Question: In what battle did Napoleon meet his final defeat?
Answer: Battle of Waterloo