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Wellington's Great Victory
Napoleon's Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo now features as one of the greatest battles in European history, the final confrontation between France and the rest of Europe, marking the fall of Napoleon and opening the way towards a new era of peace in Europe.
18th June 1815
During the entire day of 18th June 1815, in the middle of the countryside in the districts of Braine-l’Alleud and Waterloo south of Brussels, a French Army of 124,000 men led by the Emperor Napoleon and the Allied armies of six different nations (the Anglo-Dutch army of 97,000 men led by the Duke of Wellington and 117,000 men led by Field-Marshal Blücher) came face-to-face.
The defeat of the french troops
After eight hours of intense fighting, the battle ended in the defeat of the French troops caught in a pincer movement between the Anglo-Dutch forces and the Prussians. There were close to 9,500 dead and 32,000 wounded. The victory dispatch written by Wellington was sent from Waterloo, whence the name of the battle.
This event echoed loudly throughout the world. The Battlefield of Waterloo became a memorial site where veterans of the battle rapidly developed the habit of going on a pilgrimage.