Napoleon Bonaparte suffered his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. This decisive battle took place near Waterloo, in present-day Belgium, and was fought against the Seventh Coalition, which included British and Prussian forces. After his escape from exile on Elba, Napoleon sought to regain power but faced the coalition led by Duke of Wellington and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. The defeat at Waterloo resulted in his abdication and subsequent exile to Saint Helena, effectively ending his rule and altering the course of European history.