Book excerpt: Tour hundreds of historic battlefields across the world with this captivating guide to exploring the sites where empires rose and fell. Stretching across the millennia from prehistoric times to the 20th century and covering every continent except Antarctica, Historic Battlefields in 500 Walks is a guide to exploring hundreds of trails, paths, and landscapes on foot, with insightful commentary on the significance of each battle in world history. Whether you’re looking to travel to far-off lands from the comfort of your armchair or planning a trip that includes tours of these historic sites, you’ll find plenty of captivating facts about the places where the fates of nations and empires were decided, including the Battle of Hastings, the Fall of Constantinople, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of the Somme, the Liberation of Europe, and more. Full-color photos and maps are included, making this a handy guidebook for anyone who is planning their next expedition.