A continuation of our series on prominent British historical figures – in this case the Duke Of Wellington.
One of the leading military and political figures in the 19th century, the Duke of Wellington is renowned for his legacy in Britain. The Iron Duke is best associated with his victory against Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 but achieved so much more in his lifetime.
England is peppered with memorials to him including a Somerset town, statues, and hundreds of pubs. But who was he and what did he do?
EARLY LIFE

Arthur Wellesley was born in Dublin in 1769. At the age of 12, he was sent to Eton, and tragically his father died the same year.
His mother thought him to be slow and foolish and felt a military life was the only option for her son. He left Eton and was initially privately educated before joining a military school.
He was commissioned as an ensign in 1787.Wellington pursued a military career, although it was not his first choice. He preferred music and studied horsemanship.
Wellington was elected a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons and by 1796 was a colonel at only age 27.
His experience in the Irish House of Commons would lead to one of his most significant reforms in later life.
A MILITARY LEADER
India
Wellington’s military career changed when he was sent to India in 1796, where his brother was the Governor General.
In his first ten years in India, he built his reputation in the military as a commander and governor.
He fought at the Battle of Seringapatam in 1796 and was appointed governor of that state and Mysore.
In 1803, he was victorious at the Battle of Assaye, his first major victory and the one which he later proclaimed to be his finest.
The Iberian Peninsular
During the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, he was promoted to General.
Following the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, he rose to the rank of Field Marshall. There appeared to be no stopping this intelligent military man.
Wellesley’s military style developed into an adaptive, defensive way of fighting. As a result, he won several victories while minimising losses among his own troops. His battle plans continue to be studied today across the world.
In 1814, he received his title as the Duke of Wellington.
Waterloo
He commanded his most renowned campaigns during the Napoleonic wars, where he had his ultimate victory in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo.
It was one of the most definitive battles fought by the British. Wellington commanded a joint British, Dutch, and Prussian army and it was his first encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte. The defeated French leader was later exiled to Elba.
THE HERO RETURNS
Wellington was treated as a hero on his return to Britain, where he was honoured and received a large fortune. Since he was a wealthy man now, he improved his status further and married Kitty Pakenham, who he had wanted to marry before in 1793.
Her parents rejected him then because he was young and in debt. They had two sons but their marriage was not a happy one.
After his victory in Waterloo, he became the commander-in-chief of the army. He returned to parliament in England, where he joined the government as master general of the artillery. He visited regions overseas as a diplomat.

WELLINGTON THE PRIME MINISTER
The Duke of Wellington returned to politics after his prolific military career. He was Prime Minister twice, from 1828 to 1830, and for a month in 1834. He sat as a member of the Tory party.
One of his major achievements was the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829.
At the time, elected Catholic politicians were not allowed to take their parliamentary seats, even though it was called the Parliament of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
There was significant opposition to the bill, however, both Wellington and Lord Robert Peel steered the bill through parliament with the Prime Minister threatening to resign if the bill did not get royal assent.
Wellington opposed the 1832 Reform Act which gave the vote to small landowners and tenant farmers and divided up the electoral areas in a more fair manner.
THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE
Wellington had an unhappy marriage and looked to other women for conversation and entertainment. He is said to have had several mistresses as a result.
Sadly, in 1831, his wife died. Despite their unhappy marriage in the past, when Kitty was ill, Wellington rediscovered his affection for her.

He stayed by her bedside until she died in April as a comfortable woman.
Finally, her husband wanted to form some common ground with her before she died. Wellington continued to fight for reform while in opposition.
There was civil unrest at the time and Wellington installed iron shutters at his home at Apsley House in London. These earned him the name of the Iron Duke.
RETIREMENT & DEATH
Wellington remained active in the government as a minister without a portfolio. A time came when he refused two invitations to form a government and preferred to stay as the Leader of the House of Lords. Wellington retired from politics but remained as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
He thus could not step away from the public altogether. He remained as a servant of the country and the crown. In 1848, he organized a military force to protect London against any possible Chartist Violence at a meeting at Kennington Common.
In September 1852, Wellington succumbed to a stroke while at his home. After he died, people remembered the grand hero of Waterloo. He was one of just three people to be given a state funeral in Britain (the other two are Lord Nelson and Sir Winston Churchill). They buried him in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and crowds lined the streets to pay their respects.
HIS LEGACY LIVES ON
The Duke of Wellington was a leading leader in both politics and the military in the 19th century.
He is best remembered for his defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815.
He had significant military strategy skills, and the military still studies many of his battle plans.

However there are lots of other ways in which this giant of 19th century life is remembered.
His ornate memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral took 56 years to build. It lists the many battles he fought during his lifetime.
He obelisk monument, erected on Wellington Hill to mark his victory at Waterloo, has recently been restored and is open to the public. It is the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world.
Countless Duke of Wellington pubs exist across Britain today. Wellington in Somerset is named after him, as is the capital of New Zealand.
Lord Tennyson wrote a poem in his honour. The “Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington” states that he was the “great World victor’s victor.”
The Duke of Wellington is also famous for saying the words: “Publish and be damned,” after being faced with threats to print material relating to his mistresses.

Wellington boots were militarystyle boots, made popular by the Duke of Wellington when he wanted something more suitable than a Hessian boot.
They were originally made from leather and designed by Wellington’s bootmaker to have a close fit.
In Wellington’s day, they became a fashion statement among young men in particular.
Over the years they developed into rubber boots, now commonly used for outdoor and agricultural wear.
Beef Wellington is a steak meal in pastry and named after the Duke.
CONCLUSION
Beef Wellington is a steak meal in pastry and named after the Duke. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was one of the most famous characters in nineteenth-century Britain.
A brilliant military strategist, his political career was less impressive. However, the name of Wellington and Waterloo live on today. Whether you are taking a train from Waterloo Station or wearing a pair of Wellington boots, there are lots of reminders of this famous man in England.