Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Military Commander
1769 – 1852
Who was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington?
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS, was a British soldier and statesman, a native of Ireland from the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. His importance in national history is such that he is often referred to as "the Duke of Wellington" instead of "the 1st Duke of Wellington".
Wellesley was commissioned as an ensign in the British Army in 1787. Serving in Ireland as aide-de-camp to two successive Lords Lieutenant of Ireland he was also elected as a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons. A colonel by 1796, Wellesley saw action in the Netherlands and in India, where he fought in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Battle of Seringapatam. He was appointed governor of Seringapatam and Mysore in 1799 and as a newly appointed major-general won a decisive victory over the Maratha Confederacy at the Battle of Assaye in 1803.
Wellesley rose to prominence as a general during the Peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, and was promoted to the rank of field marshal after leading the allied forces to victory against the French at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813.
We need you!
Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!
- Born
- May 1, 1769
Dublin - Also known as
- Duke of Wellington
- Arthur Wellesley Wellington
- Siblings
- Spouses
- Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
(1806/04/10 - 1831/04/24)
- Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
- Children
- Religion
- Anglicanism
- Church of England
- Ethnicity
- Irish people in Great Britain
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Profession
- Education
- Eton College
- Lived in
- County Dublin
- Died
- Sep 14, 1852
Walmer
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 May 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/arthur_wellesley_1st_duke_of_wellington>.
Discuss this Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington biography with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In