A portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Duke of Wellington, and the fateful clash of their armies in 1815 from "a remarkably good writer" ( The New York Times). It was the greatest of battles—the defining military engagement of the nineteenth century that forever ended one man's dreams of a European empire unified under his rule. This epoch-defining conflict would ultimately be remembered for the showdown between two of history's most legendary commanders: the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Bonaparte.

In this definitive account divided into three parts, Christopher Hibbert masterfully depicts first Napoleon and his rise to power, then Wellington and the allied armies, and lastly the steps leading up to the battle and the battle itself, the final clash on the fields of Waterloo. It is a gripping, succinct and panoramic survey of this legendary event, the history surrounding it, and the personalities that defined it.

Praise for the work of Christopher Hibbert

"Well-written, lucid, and vivid." — The Washington Post

"Interesting detail." — Booklist

"A skillful storyteller and historian." — Publishers Weekly