The story of Waterloo, one of the most epic battles in history

On June 18th, 1815, Napoleon suffered his final and most crushing defeat. For over a decade, the French emperor had conquered or invaded much of Europe, using his seemingly super-human charisma, leadership, and strategic thinking to threaten Europe's conservative, monarchical order.

Even his defeat and exile in 1814 couldn't stop him. By mid-1815, Napoleon had returned to mainland Europe and raised an army. And so had his enemies.

Waterloo was one of the most massive single-day battles in modern history, with an estimated 60,000 total casualties. Today, "Waterloo" is shorthand for a pivotal confrontation - or for massive defeat.

Here's the story of one of the most important battles of all time.