Hello and welcome to Legacy for the final episode of our series on Napoleon.

We left the story with Napoleon making a triumphant return to Paris after escaping from exile on the island of Elba.

Well, escaping is probably somewhat overstating it. He just hopped on a boat and sailed back

home with his friends. Now, in the last episode, we mentioned a man called Arthur Wellesley.

Wellesley is an Anglo-Irish officer, serving mainly in India until returning to the UK in 1804,

where he becomes a Tory MP. Four years later, now age 39, he resumes his military service

and leads the British forces against the French in Spain. There he's involved in numerous

skirmishes with Napoleon's army and some significant victories raise his profile back home.

When Napoleon is exiled to Elba, Welles is made, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon's

return means the stage is set for a showdown. France versus the Allies, Napoleon versus Wellington.

The decisive battle comes in Belgium in a small town 10 miles south of Brussels, Waterloo.

Julia. 10 miles south of Brussels, Waterloo. June the 18th, 1815, Le Cuyne Farmhouse.

Napoleon pinches the bridge of his nose.

Throughout the night, an endless stream of messengers interrupted his rest.

His head feels tight.

In the farm's cramped dining room, he lowers himself into a chair.

Around him, his generals pensively pull at mutton joints.

One, Michel Ney, fixes Napoleon with hesitant blue eyes our intelligence suggests

Prussian troops will arrive in the afternoon to bolster the English line

Napoleon feels a knot of irritation form in his stomach two days ago he decisively saw

off Prussian forces and sent a unit after them. They couldn't possibly

return for today's battle. He looks at the despondent faces around the table, pushes himself

...