Napoleon Bonaparte was the guy who just wouldn’t quit. The Hundred Days, also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, stands out as one of history’s boldest comebacks. After a cosy exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon decided he’d had enough of beaches and boredom. In March 1815, he packed up, and slipped past his British babysitters.
Napoleon entered Paris on March 20th, with Louis XVIII already on his way out. The Bourbon king had seen the writing on the wall and fled, leaving his throne wide open for the returning Emperor. The people of Paris greeted Napoleon as a hero, and he quickly resumed power.
Napoleon’s 100 Days weren’t all about military strategy. He also attempted some quick reforms. He held a meeting called the Champ de Mai, promising constitutional reform and elections - but if you thought Napoleon had transformed into a democratic leader, think again. The guy was still Napoleon, and power-sharing wasn’t his deal.
Beginning of The End:
All good things must come to an end, and Napoleon’s comeback tour was no exception. When word reached Vienna of the former (current? It really was a toss-up) emperor's march towards Paris, most of Europe's power brokers were at a ball but they moved quickly to counter his resurgence.
Napoleon knew he needed to strike fast to have any hope of retaining power - which was clearly his driving motivation. By the time the French army reached Waterloo, Napoleon was no longer the tireless young general of his early campaigns.
His health was deteriorating, and he was said to suffer from painful hemorrhoids, which made riding a horse (vital for commanding his army) utterly agonising. But Napoleon never let a little discomfort stop him from trying to dominate his enemies.
No one likes reruns:
The Coalition forces were eager to put an end to Napoleon once and for all. The Duke of Wellington led the British and Dutch-Belgian forces, while Marshal Blücher commanded the Prussians. Their goal? Crush Napoleon and ensure that this comeback would be his last.
On the morning of June 18, the fields of Waterloo were soaked from days of rain, turning the battlefield into a muddy mess. Napoleon delayed his attack, hoping the ground would dry. Those few hours gave the Prussians just enough time to march to Wellington’s aid.
When the battle finally began, Napoleon aimed to split Wellington’s forces. His first move was an assault on Hougoumont, a fortified farmhouse. It was a fierce fight, but Wellington’s troops held their position. Napoleon then launched a massive infantry assault on Wellington’s centre. Despite initial success, British infantry held firm in a disciplined square formation, repelling the French forces.
Charge of the Horsemen:
One of the most dramatic moments of the battle came when Marshal Ney, Napoleon’s trusted but impulsive general, ordered a massive cavalry charge. Ney’s horsemen thundered across the field, but without infantry support, they couldn’t break through Wellington’s battle lines. Over and over, the cavalry charged, only to be repelled. Napoleon was furious; Ney’s reckless attack had cost valuable resources and gained little.
By late afternoon, things looked bleak for Napoleon and his French forces. The Prussians, led by Blücher, finally arrived on the battlefield, crashing into the French right flank. Napoleon tried to hold them off with reinforcements, but the tide had turned. Wellington saw his chance and ordered a full counterattack.
Napoleon’s Last Stand:
Desperate, Napoleon called on his elite Old Guard for one last push. These seasoned veterans were his best soldiers, loyal to the end. They marched bravely into the fray, but even they couldn’t turn the battle around. As the Old Guard retreated, Napoleon’s army began to crumble.
By nightfall, the French army was in disarray. Napoleon fled the battlefield, his dream of an empire shattered. Within weeks, he surrendered to the British.
Legacy of Waterloo
If Napoleon’s 100 Days was the ultimate comeback, then his last stand was the dramatic finale. The Battle of Waterloo was the end of an era. Napoleon’s defeat marked the close of 20 years of near-constant warfare in Europe. It was a battle of epic proportions, and it’s been remembered ever since as a symbol of both heroism and hubris. Napoleon’s ambitions may have ended in a muddy field in Europe, but his legend was immortalised on that fateful day at Waterloo.
By July 8, Louis XVIII was back on the throne, and Napoleon was shipped off to an even more remote exile on the island of Saint Helena. Saint Helena is the second oldest British colonial outpost. It's a remote little island in the South Atlantic Ocean, located over a thousand miles each way between Africa and South America. The allies were taking no chances this time.
Napoleon was escorted there by the British navy and lived under near-continual house arrest (I mean the 'house' was a handsome villa owned by local colonial land barons, but he was very much a prisoner this time). The dictator was finally done.
It took seven wars to defend Europe from tyranny. Never give up.
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