Hundred Days, The

Hundred Days, The 

the second reign of Napoleon I in France, from Mar. 20 to June 22, 1815. Following his flight from Elba, an island offered to him as a lifetime possession in April 1814, Napoleon landed on the southern coast of France on Mar. 1, 1815. Many Frenchmen of various social strata were discontented with the reactionary policies of the Bourbons, who had been restored to the throne in 1814, and gave their support to Napoleon. The Bourbons failed to organize resistance against Napoleon’s advancing detachment and their troops went over to Napoleon’s side. Napoleon entered Paris on March 20. The Seventh Coalition of European states was organized in opposition to the restored Napoleonic Empire. In the battle of Waterloo on June 18, Napoleon’s army was defeated by British and Prussian troops. On June 22, Napoleon abdicated for the second time.