Wellington: The Iron Duke - Richard Holmes

Sir Arthur Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington was arguably Britain's greatest ever soldier. Colonel of a regiment serving in India at the age of 27, he rose through the ranks to become commander of the British forces in the Peninsular War 1809-1814, taking the British to victory and returning a year later to vanquish Napoleon's forces at the Battle of Waterloo. After his victory at Waterloo, Wellington's career went from strength to strength; he became Commander in Chief of the British Army and, in 1827 became Prime Minister of Great Britain. At his state funeral Queen Victoria wept and called him the greatest man the nineteenth century had ...  Read the complete review