In 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.
After the ‘Seven Years War’ and aiding the US in their War of Independence, France was ruined financially. Their King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette continued to live a life of luxury as the poor starved and a revolution began that would affect the entire continent of Europe. The French revolution began in 1787 with peasant revolts which grew into battles with other European nations and a new constitution. The development of the European battles led to the growing power of one of Frances most successful military commanders, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon gained extensive power through his victories in Europe and by On the 9th of November 1799 a coup made Napoleon the leader of France and on the 24th of December a new constitution was signed giving Bonaparte the powers of a Dictator. The French revolution was over and on the 18th of May 1804 the people of France had replaced a king for an emperor.
Napoleon continued to expand the French Empire, taking control of many countries including Spain, where he replaced their King for his brother. With Napoleon invading and conquering much of Europe Britain strengthened its seafront defences with over a hundred towers and many forts covering the south coast in anticipation of an invasion. But its greatest defence was the Royal Navy and on the 21st of October 1805 Lord Horatio Nelson led the Royal Navy to defeat the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies; paying with his life Lord Nelson saved Britain.
In 1808 Sir Arthur Wesley, The duke of Wellington, took control of the British, Portuguese and Spanish forces in the ‘Peninsular War’ and by 1814 he had defeated Napoleon and his forces on land, and returned Spain to the Spanish King. Napoleon was again defeated by the combined forces of Russia, Austria and Prussia in the battle of Paris. On the 11th of April 1814 Napoleon abdicated as emperor and as per the Treaty of Fontainebleau, he was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba. One year later Napoleon returned to France and amassed an army once more. In response many nations created the seventh coalition in order to defeat him once and for all. Wellingtons Army with support from Prussian forces under the leadership of Gebhard Von Blucher amassed on the border of Northern France. Napoleon advanced to their position expecting to crush the army before their allies could come to their aid but this would not be the case. On the 18th of June the two armies met at Waterloo (in modern day Belgium) and in a very close run battle Napoleon was defeated. Napoleon was captured attempting to flee to the US and exiled as a British prisoner to the Island of Saint Helena and died on the 5th of May 1821.
In 1812 the United States of America declared War on the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom and their allies in Europe were at war with France attempting to stop Napoleons expansion of the French Empire. On 21 Nov 1806 Napoleon ordered a blockade of shipping in order to cripple British trade. In return the Royal Navy had set up a blockade around France preventing trade and military aid. This blockade of trade to France angered the US as well as the act of Impressment on American merchant sailors during the Napoleonic War. The act of Impressment was often used by many European nations in times of war and the US (during their war for independence) where by merchant sailors were captured and forced to man military ships. Another practice was the Royal Navy’s consistent demand to inspect foreign ships within the blockade looking for contraband and naval deserters. America also had desires to expand its territory into British North America (now part of Canada) an area they were denied in the settlement of their War of Independence.
On this day in 1812, US President James Madison signed the declaration of War with the United Kingdom. The US began their advance into Upper Canada but suffered defeat on the 16th of August to British forces under the command of Sir Isaac Brock who chased them back over the border and captured Detroit. The United States fought back and had many victories including Naval Victories against the Royal Navy. But when Napoleon was defeated by Nelson on the 17th of June 1814 the United Kingdom was able to free up most of its forces and focus on the US conflict. In response to the US army burning buildings in Canada the British captured Washington DC on the 24th of August 1814 and set alight many of their government buildings. On the 13th of September 1814 the Royal Navy began a 25 hour bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Instead of surrendering, as hoped by the Royal Navy, the troops inside hoisted a large US flag. It was the hoisting of this flag, the morning after the bombardments, that lead to the poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” which became the national anthem of the US.
Britain sought an armistice with the US and peace talks began in Ghent (now Belgium). The Treaty of Ghent was signed on the 24th of December 1814 and resulted in no border change to either territory.
