The Battle of Waterloo marked the beginning of the end for the Napoleonic Wars, taking place on June 18, 1815. This decisive battle pitted the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, against an Anglo-allied army commanded by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Napoleon's defeat culminated in his abdication and led to his exile to Saint Helena. The battle was pivotal in shaping European politics, ushering in a period of relative peace and the Congress of Vienna, which sought to balance power in Europe.