In the War of the Sixth Coalition (1812–1814), a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and a number of German States finally defeats France and drives Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba.

After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers who have been humiliated by Napolean in various wars see an opportunity to defeat him and join the coalition which previously consisted only of Russia, Britain and the rebels in Spain and Portugal.

With their armies reorganized along more Napoleonic lines, they drive Napoleon out of Germany in 1813 and invade France in 1814, forcing Napoleon to abdicate and restoring the House of Bourbon.Two-and-a-half million troops fight in the conflict and the total dead amount to as many as two million.

(Some estimates suggest that over a million died in Russia alone.)

The War of the Sixth Coalition includes the battles of Smolensk, Borodino, Lützen, Bautzen, Dresden and the epic Battle of Leipzig (also known as the Battle of Nations), which is the largest battle of the Napoleonic wars, and, indeed, the largest in Western history prior to the First World War.The final stage of the war, the defense of France, sees the French Emperor temporarily regain his former mastery; he repulse vastly superior armies in the Six Days Campaign, which many believe to be the most brilliant feat of generalship of his illustrious career.

Ultimately, Napoleon's earlier setbacks in Russia and Germany prove to be the seeds of his undoing, and the Allies occupy Paris, forcing his abdication.