Free eBook The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: from Marathon to Waterloo is a book written by Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy and published in 1851. This book tells the story of the fifteen military engagements, which, according to the author, had a significant impact on world history. The selection reflects the worldview of a 19th-century European with a classical education: fourteen of the battles took place in the arc of historically interconnected military theatres which stretched from Persia through the Mediterranean Basin to Europe, and one was fought by European powers and former colonies in North America

CHAPTER I.—THE BATTLE OF MARATHON.

CHAPTER II. — DEFEAT OF THE ATHENIANS AT SYRACUSE, B.C.413.

CHAPTER III. — THE BATTLE OF ARBELA, B.C. 331.

CHAPTER IV. — THE BATTLE OF THE METAURUS, B.C. 207.

CHAPTER V. — VICTORY OF ARMINIUS OVER THE ROMAN LEGIONS UNDER VARUS,

CHAPTER VI — THE BATTLE OF CHALONS, A.D. 451.

CHAPTER VII. — THE BATTLE OF TOURS, A.D. 732,

CHAPTER VIII. — THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS, 1066.

CHAPTER IX. — JOAN OF ARC'S VICTORY OVER THE ENGLISH AT ORLEANS, A.D.

CHAPTER X. — THE DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH ARMADA, A.D. 1588.

CHAPTER XI. — THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM, 1704.

CHAPTER XII. — THE BATTLE OF PULTOWA, 1709.

CHAPTER XIII. — VICTORY OF THE AMERICANS OVER BURGOYNE AT SARATOGA,

CHAPTER XIV. — THE BATTLE OF VALMY.

CHAPTER XV. — THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO, 1815.