200 years ago on 18 June, 1815, two men faced off in a muddy field in Waterloo, Belgium.
The Duke of Wellington, with his army made up of British troops and Dutch, Belgian and German soldiers.
And Napoleon with his French Imperial Guard.
It was a showdown between two of history's military giants.
They were the same age, incredible leaders and had a string of victories behind them.
Napoleon versus Europe
Napoleon had been trying to create a European empire under his rule sinceIn 1805, the British defeated him at the Battle of Trafalgar.
But that didn't stop Napoleon - he went on to invade countries across Europe before being forced to give up his power.
He returned to Paris in March 1815, prompting Britain, Russia, Austria and an historic state called Prussia, to declare war.In June of that year, Napoleon invaded Belgium, hoping to take over the capital Brussels.
The Duke of Wellington and his army was waiting and Napoleon sent troops to fight him.
At the same time he led an attack against General Blucher's Prussian troops.
Wellington's army wasn't defeated but Blucher retreated.
The scene was set for a final battle.
Taking positions
Before the battle, Wellington stayed in Waterloo while Napoleon was three miles south. Their men slept outside as rain fell throughout the night.With the Prussians and Wellington's armies separated, Napoleon was confident he could defeat the British and make his way to Brussels.
The first tactical move
Wellington and his troops blocked the road to Brussels in order to stop Napoleon's men heading 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 farms that were heavily defended.
His presence on the field made the difference of forty thousand men.
The Duke of Wellington talking about Napoleon
The steep hills, fields of high corn and a well-placed group of troops on the farms meant Wellington had a good viewpoint and lots of cover to protect his army.
From here he could try to hold the ground until the Prussians troops, which had retreated in the previous battle, arrived to help him.
Napoleon devises a plan
Because of heavy rain that had fallen through the night Napoleon decided to delay his first major attack until the ground had dried out.Napoleon's first move was to launch an attack on Hougoumont farm.
The attack on Hougoumont
Napoleon began the battle firing his cannons.No troops but the British could have held Hougoumont and only the best of them at that.
The Duke of Wellington
Led by his brother 5,000 troops headed to the farm, outnumbering the 1,500 British soldiers that were there.
The attacks at Hougoumont lasted all day.
At 12.30pm, they broke open the gates but the British quickly closed them again, trapping 40 French soldiers inside. They killed all but one - an 11-year-old drummer boy.
Napoleon advances
With a big chunk of Wellington's army defending Hougoumont, Napoleon took the opportunity to attack more of his troops.
He sent 18,000 soldiers along the road to Brussels to capture the farm of Papelpotte and the surrounding area.It looked like victory was now within Napoleon's grasp. If he took the other farm, La Haye Sainte, he could attack the remaining British troops at close range.
But at around 1pm, looking through his telescope, Napoleon saw something on the horizon and sent a troop of horsemen to investigate.
Wellington on the ropes
It was the Prussians, who had come to help Wellington and his troops, but they were still far away.
When did the battle of Waterloo begin?
Who was the allied (British) leader?
Describe the Battle of Waterloo.
The Battle of Waterloo began on 18 June, 1815.
The allied (British) leader was the Duke of Wellington.
The Battle of Waterloo was a decisive battle in which the Duke of Wellington's allied army, made up of British, Dutch, Belgian and German troops, faced off against Napoleon's French Imperial Guard. The battle took place in Waterloo, Belgium, and was a showdown between two of history's military giants. The battle was a fiercely fought contest, with both sides taking heavy casualties. In the end, the allied forces emerged victorious, dealing a crushing blow to Napoleon and ultimately leading to his defeat and exile.