<Li> Reduction of the French fortresses </Li> <Ul> <Li> Guadeloupe </Li> </Ul> <P> The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near Waterloo in present - day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands . A French army under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by two of the armies of the Seventh Coalition: a British - led Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington, and a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prince of Wahlstatt . The battle marked the end of the 20 year Napoleonic Wars . </P> <P> Upon Napoleon's return to power in March 1815, many states that had opposed him formed the Seventh Coalition, and began to mobilize armies . Wellington and Blücher's armies were cantoned close to the north - eastern border of France . Napoleon chose to attack them separately in the hope of destroying them before they could join in a co-ordinated invasion of France with other members of the coalition . On 16 June Napoleon successfully attacked the bulk of the Prussian army at the Battle of Ligny with his main force, while at the same time a portion of the French army attacked an Allied army at the Battle of Quatre Bras . Despite holding his ground at Quatre Bras, the defeat of the Prussians forced Wellington to withdraw north to Waterloo on the 17th . Napoleon sent a third of his forces to pursue the Prussians, who had withdrawn parallel to Wellington in good order . This resulted in the separate and simultaneous Battle of Wavre with the Prussian rear - guard . </P>

Who led the french army during the battle of waterloo