On 18 ژوئن 1815, the decisive battle of the Battle of Waterloo took place in present-day Belgium. This battle marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte, who had returned from exile in Elba. The forces opposing Napoleon included the Duke of Wellington leading the British and allied troops, and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher commanding the Prussian army. The defeat at Waterloo led to Napoleon's second abdication and his subsequent exile to Saint Helena, where he spent the remainder of his life.