It was the clash that finally lifted the threat of Napoleon ’ s imperial ambitions from Europe and brought peace after decades of war . The Battle of Waterloo also marked a new era for France , freed from the yoke of Bonaparte tyranny . But it seems that the French don ’ t see it that way , even after 200 years . The defeat of Napoleon ’ s army outside a Belgian town by Britain , Prussia and allies from Northern Europe still appears to be something of a sore point . The victory by the Duke of Wellington ( left ) in 1815 stopped dictator Napoleon Bonaparte 's ( right ) conquest of Europe , and sent the Emperor into exile for the second and final time . Paris is attempting to block the creation of a two Euro coin commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo . Britain 's £5 coin that has been issued to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo . In an extraordinary intervention , France has blocked plans for a two euro coin to commemorate Wellington ’ s 1815 victory over Napoleon . President Francois Hollande claimed the Belgian project would be a ‘ symbol that is negative ’ and undermine eurozone unity . Now the Belgians have scrapped plans to have the commemorative coin produced next month to avoid a diplomatic row . Hollande ’ s government argued the battle was still a bad memory for the French people . A Brussels source said : ‘ Belgium have withdrawn the project because it would not be in their interest to cause upset to the French. ’ Last night British politicians said France ’ s reaction to the coin – and Belgium ’ s subsequent cave-in – was ‘ absurd ’ . Peter Bone , Conservative MP for Wellingborough , said : ‘ I know the euro is a useless currency but I didn ’ t know that the French still could not cope with the fact they were defeated . 'It is absurd , I would have thought the French would have been quite keen to have got rid of an emperor . The French should grow up a bit. ’ MP Philip Davies added : ‘ It shows how thin skinned and small minded the French are , how desperate Hollande is politically and how weak the Belgians are . What a shower. ’ A draft design of the coin was submitted to the Council of the European Union by Belgium in February this year . It was expected to go into production next month but France objected to the coin last week , claiming in a letter to the Council of Europe that producing the coin would ‘ risk… engendering unfavourable reactions in France ’ . A two Euro coin marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo , in which the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon Bonaparte ( pictured ) , has been proposed by Belgium , where the battle took place . The Battle of Waterloo on June 18 , 1815 , stopped the advance of Napoleon and sent him into exile for a second and final time . In the one day of fighting there were around 55,000 either killed , wounded , or missing in action . However , the battle ushered in more than 50 years of peace . While the proposed design of the coin has not been revealed , it is understood to have featured a battle scene . The UK has issued a £5 coin to mark the bicentenary . The Battle of Waterloo on June 18 , 1815 stopped the advance of Napoleon across Europe and sent the great French emperor into exile for a second and final time . France 's troops were defeated by a multi-national coalition , led by the British army under the command of the Duke of Wellington . The armies amassed near the town of Waterloo in modern-day Belgium , not far from the border with France , and it was the French who made the first move around 11am . The two sides clashed for 10 hours , with the British fending off repeated attacks from the French , until Marshal Blücher arrived at the head of a Prussian army . This was the decisive intervention which finished Napoleon off , allowing Wellington to counter-attack and forcing the Frenchman to surrender . The battle forced Napoleon from the throne of France , leading to his exile on St Helena - but Wellington later admitted it was 'the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life ' . Despite the popular image of Waterloo as a heroic endeavour , it was also the scene of brutal slaughter as thousands of troops were killed , with the French bearing the brunt of the losses .
Britain , where the historic battle took place , proposed the two Euro coin . But French government argues that British victory is a 'negative symbol ' Letter to EU adds that currency will provoke an 'unfavourable reaction ' Belgium has issued £5 coin to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo .