N & E
Napoléon & Empire

Battle of Ligny

Date and place

  • June 16th 1815 in Ligny (province of Namur, Wallonia, Belgium) and its immediate surroundings

Involved forces

  • Northern Army (less than 60,000 men) under the command of Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte. 
  • Prussian army, known as the Army of the Lower Rhine (about 83,000 men) led by Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Bluecher, Fürst von Wahlstatt 

Casualties and losses

  • French army: from 7,000 to 12,000 killed or wounded. 
  • Prussian army: from 12,000 à 25,000 dead and injured, 8,000 deserters. 

Aerial panoramic of the battlefield of Ligny


On June 16, 1815, during the Battle of Ligny (sometimes called the Battle of Fleurus), Napoleon won the last victory of his career. However, this success proved neither decisive nor even sufficient to prevent the Prussians from taking, two days later near Waterloo, a decisive part in the final defeat of the Emperor.

The hamlet of La Haye and the battlefield from the hamlet of Saint-Amand
The hamlet of La Haye [also known as Long-Pré] and the battlefield, seen from the hamlet of Saint-Amand [also known as Beurre-sans-Croûte]

Map of the battle of Ligny

Napoleonic Battles - Map of the battle of Ligny

Picture - «The Battle of Ligny», watercolor by Théodore Yung (or Jung) (Strasbourg 1803 - Strasbourg 1865)

Napoleonic Battles - Picture of the battle of Ligny -

Photos Credits

 Photo of Lionel A. Bouchon Photos by Lionel A. Bouchon.
 Photo of Marie-Albe Grau Photos by Marie-Albe Grau.
 Photo of Floriane Grau Photos by Floriane Grau.
 Photo of Michèle Grau-Ghelardi Photos by Michèle Grau-Ghelardi.
 Photo of Didier Grau Photos by Didier Grau.
 Photo of various authors Photos made by people outside the Napoleon & Empire association.

Video credits

The shots are by Didier Grau, the editing by Lionel A. Bouchon