The Battle of Waterloo

Learn more about our popular Napoleon-themed chess set on this page.

Near the village of Waterloo just south of Brussels, Belgium on 18th June 1815, was fought the final and decisive battle of the Napoleonic Wars. The combined armies of British and Prussian forces under the Commander in Chief, the Duke of Wellington, met in battle with the French army commanded by Napoleon. Without doubt the Battle of Waterloo was the most significant European battle as its result determined Europe's future history. Our sculptors and designers have combined to create, from the principal characters of the era, a chess set of great authentic detail. Below is information on the key players of the war that inspired the pieces of the set.

Napoleon Bonaparte & The French Army

Napoleon sought to re-establish his dominance over Europe by defeating the Coalition forces before they could properly unite, Napoleon helmed an army 72,000 strong with the plan to engage Duke Wellingtons Anglo-Allied forces while preventing the Reinforcements from Blucher's Prussian army.

However, Napoleon's army was decisevly defeated, factors such as Poor Coordination, over-reliance on Marshal Ney, delayed reinforcements and the inevitable arrival of the Prussian army all contributed to his downfall.

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French Emperor and military leader of genius. Born in Corsica he quickly rose from the rank of Corporal to become an artillery officer. His reputation grew during the French Revolutionary Wars and his politically astute marriage to the widow Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796 enabled him to gain power. A national hero, he became First Consul of France in 1799 and in 1804 crowned himself Emperor. His military campaigns went well and he won over 50 battles, giving him the reputation of invincibility.

However, his disastrous Russian campaign led to the virtual destruction of his 'Grand Army' during the harsh winter retreat from Moscow. A series of defeats culminated in Napoleon's abdication in 1814 when he was exiled to the island of Elba. He escaped from there in March 1815 and returned to France where he ruled for 100 days ending in his defeat at Waterloo on 18 June. He was afterwards imprisoned on the island of St Helena where he died in exile in 1821.

As Madame de Beauharnais, a widow with two children she married Napoleon in 1796, then a little known artillery officer. Her first husband, a General had been guillotined during the reign of terror but she escaped by pretending to hold republican beliefs. Using her wits and charm she achieved a prominent position in Parisian society which greatly aided Napoleon. Although at first he was madly in love with her, the lack of an heir to his throne and her unfaithfulness during his campaigns resulted in him forcing her to consent to divorce in 1809. Her son, Eugene, was an able and loyal General under Napoleon. Her daughter, Hortense, married Napoleon's brother Louis, King of Holland and became mother of Napoleon III. Although dead a year prior to the battle, Josephine's influence on Napoleon wholly justifies her place by his side, if in spirit alone.

French soldier in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic armies, described by Napoleon as "the bravest of the brave"! He first distinguished himself at the battle of Ulm in 1805 and, in 1812 at the Battle of Borodino he exhibited such courage that Napoleon made him 'Prince de la Moskowa'. He led the Grand Army's rearguard on the retreat from Moscow. After Napoleon's abdication he retained his rank as one of the Marshals of France under the new ruler Louis 18th. However, when sent to arrest Napoleon after his return from Elba he defected to Napoleon's side and fought for him at Waterloo where he commanded the Old Guard. After the defeat at Waterloo Ney was arrested by the new French government under the Bourbons and was tried for treason, found guilty and shot.

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Duke Arthur & The Seventh Coalition

The Seventh Coalition sought to prevent Napoleon from reclaiming power, and restore European stability under the post-Napoleonic era. Including British, Dutch, Belgian and German Troops led by the Duke of Wellington, and Prussian troops under Blucher.

With around 68,000 troops, they maintained a primarily defensive posture awaiting the reinforcements of the Prussian Army, 50,000 strong. With the Prussian army flanking Napoleon on the right and rear, sealing his defeat and leading to his exile to Saint Helena.

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The first Duke of Wellington. An English soldier commissioned in 1787 and served as an army officer and administrator in India from 1796-1805. On his return to England he became the Member of Parliament for Rye in Sussex, although he remained a serving officer in the British army. In 1808 he was given command of the army that was sent to Portugal to fight the occupying French troops. He defeated the French in battle but allowed them to withdraw, for which he was re-called to London and court-martialled. He was exonerated and returned to his command after the death of Sir John Moore at Corunna in 1809. From then until 1814 he fought many campaigns against the French across Spain, driving the French Army back over the Pyrenees into France. In 1814 he accompanied the Foreign Secretary Viscount Castlereagh to the Congress of Vienna which created the Fourth Coalition, an alliance between, Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia against Napoleon. Wellington was Commander in Chief of the army at the Battle of Waterloo and the resulting defeat of Napoleon enhanced his political career.

Kitty, the wife of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, one of Britain's most celebrated military leaders. Born into the Irish aristocracy, she was the daughter of Edward Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford, and grew up in a socially prominent family. Kitty's early life was marked by her beauty and charm, which attracted Wellesley's attention. The couple first met in Ireland in the 1790s, and Wellesley proposed to her, but her family initially rejected him, considering his prospects too modest. After a successful military and political career elevated his status, they married in 1806, but their union was largely unhappy. Kitty reportedly struggled with ill health, bouts of depression, and the pressures of Wellesley's demanding career, while their personalities and interests often clashed. Despite their strained relationship, Kitty remained a prominent figure in society as the wife of the hero of Waterloo. She passed away in 1831, three years after Wellesley achieved the title of Duke of Wellington. Her legacy reflects the complexities of marriage and societal expectations in the Georgian and Regency periods.

A Prussian Field Marshall who commanded the army of the Lower Rhine in campaigns against Napoleon. Wounded at the Battle of Ligny in June 1815 just two days before the Battle of Waterloo he nevertheless succeeded in joining his forces with those of Wellington and enabled the defeat of the French armies.

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The Battle of Waterloo ended the wars that terrorised Europe since the French Revolution, also ending France's attempts to dominate the European Continent.

This inaugurated a European peace, that asides from the brief interruption from the Crimean War, lasted until 1914. In the years that followed the Battle of Waterloo, France and Britain were brought closer together, fighting as partners throughout the two World Wars.

Throughout Britain, Waterloo is commemorated in the names of streets, bridges, railways and parks. A person who has been defeated after a run of success is said to have 'met their Waterloo'

Below are a variety of curated resources where you can learn more about the pivotal battle and its remarkable characters.

Below is a link to the Waterloo Museum in France, maybe you can take a visit and really experience the locale in which the decisive battle took place!

Waterloo Museum

Studio Anne Carlton are also suppliers to Historic Royal Palaces, The British Museum, English Heritage and many other famous museum and historical sites.

If you want to bring a piece of this history home, the best option is to take a look at our hand crafted Battle of Waterloo Chess Set.

The Teddy Bear Collection

The Battle of Waterloo