Ligny facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ligny Lignè  (Walloon)
Village
Ligny Station
Ligny Location in Belgium
Country	Belgium
Region	Wallonia
Province	Namur
Municipality	Sombreffe
Area
• Total	5.89 km2 (2.27 sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)

Ligny (pronounced 'Leen-yee') is a small village in Wallonia, which is a region in Belgium. It's part of a larger area called Sombreffe. Ligny is located in the province of Namur.

Before 1977, Ligny was its own town. But then, it joined with Sombreffe to become one bigger municipality.

A Look Back: Ligny's History

Ligny is famous for a very important battle that happened there. This battle took place in 1815. It was called the Battle of Ligny.

The Battle of Ligny: Napoleon's Last Win

The Battle of Ligny was a big fight during the Napoleonic Wars. It happened on June 16, 1815. This battle was special because it was the last time Napoleon, a famous French leader, won a major fight.

Who Fought at Ligny?

In this battle, Napoleon's French army fought against the Prussian army. The Prussian army was led by a general named Blücher. Blücher was a very experienced commander.

What Happened During the Battle?

Napoleon wanted to stop the Prussian and British armies from joining forces. He attacked Blücher's Prussians at Ligny. The fighting was very fierce. In the end, Napoleon's army won. Blücher's forces had to retreat.

Ligny and Waterloo: A Close Connection

The Battle of Ligny happened just two days before the even more famous Battle of Waterloo. While Napoleon was fighting Blücher at Ligny, other parts of the French army were fighting the British. The British forces were led by Wellington. This other battle was called the Battle of Quatre Bras.

After Ligny, Napoleon hoped to defeat Wellington's army next. However, Blücher's army, even though they lost at Ligny, managed to regroup. They later joined Wellington's forces at Waterloo. This combined strength helped defeat Napoleon for good. So, Ligny was a key step in the events leading up to Napoleon's final defeat.