Arthur Wellesley was born in Ireland. He was educared at Eton
from 1781 to 1784 before he moved to Brussels with his mother.
He continued his education at the French Royal Academy of Equitation
in Angers and returned to England in 1786. In 1787 he joined
the army and he became aide-de-camp to Lord Buckingham. He was
elected into the Irish Parliament and served at Dublin Castle.
In
1792 he asked for the hand of Kitty Pakenham, the daughter of
the Earl of Longford. But her brother, who had recently succeeded
his father, refused him because of his poor prospects. In 1794
he went to Flanders to join the Duke of York's invasion of France.
The campaign failed and he returned to England in 1795. In 1796
he became a colonel and was sent to Calcutta.
He arrived
in India in 1797 where he fought the Maratha Empire. More battles
followed until he asked for permission to return to England
in 1804. This was granted and together with his brother, who
had been Governor-General of India, he returned in 1805. Back
in England he conducted a passionate affair with Harriet Wilson
before he finally married Kitty Pakenham in 1806. But she had
changed for the worse and he only married her because he thought
he was obliged to.
He was sent to the Peninsula where
he defeated the French troops for the first time in 1808 in
Portugal. In 1810 Massena invaded Portugal and England was ready
to give it up, but Wellington prevented the French from taking
Lisbon and gradually drove them back. In 1812 he defeated the
enemy near Salamance, thus liberating Madrid from French occupation.
He was given then given the title of Earl of Wellington.
Many
more battles followed and his troops were never defeated, allthough
he was lucky several times. In 1814 Napoleon abdicated and the
war seemed to be over. But Napoleon returned to power in 1815
and the English troops invaded Belgium. Wellington was in command
of the allied troops that defeated the emperor's forces near
Waterloo on 18 Jun 1815. In later years it was a great regret
to him that he had never met Napoleon, who died in 1821.
Wellington
was a national hero now and the nation awarded him the title
of Duke as well as a huge sum of money. He returned to politics
and in 1827 he became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.
In 1828 he became Prime Minister for the Tories. His government
was very conservative, but is was responsible for Catholic Emancipation,
the granting of more civil rights to the Catholics in the country.
Because of this the Earl of Winchilsea accused him of treachery
to the Protestant constitution. Wellington challenged him to
a duel. Wellington missed his opponent widely (he said it was
on purpose) and Winchilsea didn't fire at all. In 1830 Wellington's
government fell and he was succeeded by Earl Grey.
In
1834 the Tories returned to power and Robert Peel included Wellington
in his cabinet as Foreign Secretary (1834-1835). From 1841 to
1846 he was leader of the House of Lords. In 1846 he withdrew
from politics and in 1853 he died at Walmer Castle.
Related persons
• has a connection with George, Marguerite Joséphine
• has a connection with Huskisson, William
• was the lover of Lamb, Caroline
• defeated Masséna, André, duc de Rivoli, prince d'Essling
• defeated Napoleon I Bonaparte
• had a relationship with Webster Wedderburn, Frances
• is uncle/aunt of Wellesley, George Greville
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Sources
• Reeth, Adelaïde van & Guido Peeters, Herinneringen in Steen, De Haan/Unieboek, Houten, 1988
• Channel 4 - History
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