On 18 June 1815 some 200,000 men fought in what would be the most important land battle Europe had ever seen, the Battle of Waterloo. It was not the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars, nor would it actually be the last, but it ultimately brought to an end almost a quarter of a century of virtually uninterrupted conflict. The result of the battle, which the Duke of Wellington would later describe as a 'near-run thing', changed the course of history, and Europe - indeed much of the world - would never be the same again.An Illustrated Introduction to the Battle of Waterloo tells the dramatic story of the battle, from Napoleon's escape from exile on Elba to the final desperate attempt of the Imperial Guard to turn the tide against the Allies. A truly fascinating battle, in an equally fascinating period of history, is explored in full colour.