The battle that is often regarded as Napoleon's greatest defeat in 1815 is the Battle of Waterloo. Fought on June 18, 1815, in present-day Belgium, this decisive battle marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's rule. The French army faced a coalition that included British forces commanded by Duke Wellington and Prussian troops led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Despite Napoleon's strategic attempts to divide and conquer his enemies, the determination and coordination of the opposing forces resulted in a catastrophic defeat for him, leading to his exile and marking a significant shift in European power dynamics.