DUKE OF WELLINGTON: BRITISH LIBRARY OF HISTORIC LIVES

"Praised by Queen Victoria as the 'greatest man this country has ever produced', the Duke of Wellington had an unmatched career as soldier, politician and statesman. A frail child, overshadowed by his siblings, he would come to be lauded as the man who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. A man of exacting preparation, determination and tactical brilliance, he founded his career on three great military triumphs.

He helped to extend British rule in India, defeated the French in Portugal and Spain, and ended Napoleon's ambitions thereby paving the way for the creation of the British Empire. He twice served as Prime Minister and acted as British envoy and confidante to royalty during a crucial period of British history.

He recognised the need for limited reform at home, despite his authoritarian Tory instincts, ushering in the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts and the Catholic Emancipation bill, which transformed the British political landscape.".

"Illustrated throughout with unique items from the British Library's unparalleled collections, this biography of Britain's greatest general charts the life of a man whose reputation as the aloof 'Iron Duke' masked a complex man of strong passions and with a keen awareness of his public persona."--BOOK JACKET.