The Fifteen Decisive Battles of The World: From Marathon to Waterloo

The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo (1851) is the most celebrated work of English historian Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy. In it, Creasy selects fifteen military engagements—from the ancient Battle of Marathon to the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo—that he believed decisively shaped the course of world civilization. Written in an accessible yet scholarly style, the book captured Victorian interest in history, empire, and progress, and became one of the most widely read historical works of the 19th century. Its influence endured well into the 20th century, though later historians have debated both its Western-centric focus and its emphasis on military history as the driver of global change.