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1812
It began when he decided to invade Russia in 1812 -
French Invasion to Russia
A Grand Army of more than 600,000 men entered Russia. Napoleon's hopes depended on a quick victory over the Russians, but they refused to do battle. Instead they retreated for hundreds of miles. As they retreated, they burned their own villages and countryside to keep Napoleon's army from finding food. When the Russians did fight at Borodino, Napoleon's forces won an indecisive victory, which cost many lives. -
European Reaction
After the defeat of Napoleon, European rulers moved to restore the old order. This was the goal of the victors: Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia when they met at the Congress of Vienna in September 1814 to arrange a final peace settlement. -
Congress of Vienna
Practical considerations of power were addressed at the Congress of Vienna. The great powers rearranged territories in Europe, believing that this would form a new balance of power. The powers at Vienna wanted to keep any one country from dominating Europe. This meant balancing political and military forces that guaranteed the independence of the great powers. -
Concert of Europe
To maintain the new balance of power, Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria (and later France) agreed to meet in conferences to discuss their common interests and to maintain peace in Europe. -
Battle of Waterloo
At Waterloo in Belgium on June 18, 1815, Napoleon met a combined British and Prussian army under the Duke of Wellington and suffered a bloody defeat. -
Napoleon's exile
The victorious allies after the Battle of Waterloo exiled him to St. Helena, a small island in the south Atlantic. Napoleon remained in exile until his death in 1821 -
Napoleon´s Death
Napoleon was laid to rest by his wife, three sons and one daughter
