War of the Sixth Coalition

What happened

After the 1812 Russia disaster, European powers coalesced against Napoleon. The War of the Sixth Coalition (1813-1815) saw Russia, Prussia, Austria, Britain, Spain, and others fight French forces. The Battle of Leipzig (1813) defeated Napoleon in Germany. Allies invaded France; Napoleon abdicated (April 1814). Louis XVIII restored. But Napoleon escaped from Elba, returned (Hundred Days, 1815), and was finally defeated at Waterloo (June 1815). Roughly 100,000+ died in the coalition wars. Europe was restructured at Congress of Vienna (1815).

Why it mattered

The coalition's victory established a balance-of-power system that prevented major European wars for 40 years (Concert of Europe). The Congress of Vienna redrew European borders and established principles of legitimate monarchy and territorial integrity. The coalition's success showed that alliances could defeat a hegemonic power. The wars established Britain as Europe's naval superpower and secured continental equilibrium. The coalition's victory influenced later thinking about international order and great power concerts. Modern multilateralism partly stems from the Concert of Europe's precedent.