The Duke of Wellington
The Duke of Wellington
Since the battle of Waterloo, Arthur Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington, has passed in to history as one of Britain's most celebrated generals. Having said that, he enjoyed considerable success before that point. He gained a reputation as a very capable commander in India between 1799 and 1805, most notably at Assaye in 1803. He commanded a force in Portugal in 1808, beating the French at Rolica and Vimiero. He returned to Portugal in 1809 as undisputed commander of the British forces there. During the Peninsular War, he defeated several of Napoleon's generals, including Soult, Massena, Marmont and Jourdan, and drove the French out of, first Portugal, and then Spain. By the time Napoleon abdicated in 1814, Wellington had driven into the south of France, occupying Toulouse. However, without the victory at Waterloo, Wellington would probably have been remembered, perhaps unfairly, as no more than a competent general who was never really tested to the limit of his ability. Waterloo demonstrated that he was more than that.