Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Best known as: British general who defeated Napoleon
Occupation: Military leader, politician
Also known as: The Duke of Wellington
Nicknames: The Iron Duke
Nationality: Irish
Political party: Tory
Born: c. May 1, 1769 in Dublin, Ireland
Died: September 14, 1852 in Kent, England
Education: attended Eton College (1781-1784) and French Royal Academy of Equitation (1784-1786)
Military service:
- Lt. Colonel during the Flanders Campaign against France (1793-1794)
- Colonel during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798-1799) and Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805)
- Lt. General and General during the Peninsular War against France (1808-1814)
- Field Marshal at Battle of Waterloo (1815)
Offices held:
- Member of Parliament (1806-1808)
- Prime Minister of the UK (1828-1830 and 1834)
- Foreign Secretary of the UK (1834-1835)
Short biography:
Arthur Wellesley was born to a prominent Irish family and joined the British Army in 1787 at the age of 18. He fought in the Netherlands and India, and later in Spain against Napoleon. He became a colonel in 1796, a general in 1811, and a field marshal in 1813 after defeating the French at the Battle of Vitoria. In 1815 he led an army of British, German, Dutch, and Belgian troops, alongside General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher of Prussia, to victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, and the French emperor was exiled to St. Helena. Wellesley was given the title of Duke of Wellington in 1814. After Napoleon's defeat, he went into politics. He became increasingly influential within the Tory party and served as Prime Minister from 1828 to 1830 and briefly in 1834. He also served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army from 1827 until his death in 1852.
Wife: Kitty Pakenham
Parents: Garret and Anne Wesley
Children: Arthur and Charles
Friends: General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Enemies: Napoleon
Fun facts:
- His picture was featured on 5-pound bills from 1971 to 1990.
- He was known for being strict and showing little emotion in public.
