Horatio Nelson Biography

Birth of Horatio Nelson, son of Reverend Edmund Nelson and Catherine Suckling.

Transfers to HMS Triumph after HMS Raisonnable is paid off.

Appointed midshipman on HMS Raisonnable.

Reports aboard HMS Raisonnable under his uncle Maurice Suckling.

Joins the Arctic expedition aboard HMS Carcass.

Sails to the East Indies aboard HMS Seahorse.

According to later tradition, tries to confront a polar bear during the expedition.

Falls seriously ill during service in the East Indies.

Returns to Britain after illness ends his East Indies service.

Serves as lieutenant aboard HMS Lowestoffe in the Caribbean.

Passes his examination for lieutenant in the Royal Navy.

Serves under Sir Peter Parker at Jamaica during the American war.

Commands HMS Hinchinbrook on the Jamaica station.

Is promoted post captain at a young age.

Falls dangerously ill after the San Juan expedition.

Leads naval support for the difficult San Juan expedition.

Commands HMS Albemarle on convoy and patrol duties.

Escorts convoy operations connected with Quebec and North America.

Faces peacetime uncertainty after the American War ends.

Commands HMS Boreas on the Leeward Islands station.

Enforces Navigation Acts against illegal American trade in the West Indies.

Meets Frances Nisbet while stationed in the Caribbean.

Clashes with colonial merchants over enforcement of imperial trade law.

Marries Frances Nisbet on Nevis.

Returns to Britain after service on the Leeward Islands station.

Marries Frances Nisbet on Nevis.

Takes command of HMS Agamemnon during war with Revolutionary France.

Joins Lord Hood's Mediterranean fleet after war resumes.

Serves during British operations connected with Toulon.

Takes part in the siege of Calvi after the Bastia operation.

Nelson prepares for an assault on Calvi with Lieutenant General Charles Stuart.

Supports British operations leading to the capture of Bastia.

Nelson and Charles Stuart land and move guns ashore to occupy heights near Calvi.

Suffers the eye injury that later costs sight in his right eye.

The siege of Calvi costs Nelson the sight of his right eye.

A shot strikes a sandbag near Nelson and throws stones and sand into his face.

Some debris strikes Nelson's right eye and forces him to retire from the position.

The siege of Calvi costs Nelson the sight of his right eye.

Stuart, supported by Nelson, storms and captures the main defensive position.

Nelson's right eye is left permanently damaged after the Calvi siege.

Nelson's eyesight is permanently damaged and the right eye later loses its sight.

The British bring Calvi under constant bombardment and the town surrenders.

Nelson supports British operations while Corsican nationalists harass French positions.

The French surrender Corsica to the British after bombardment and nationalist pressure.

Damaged French ships are forced to surrender after the Battle of Genoa.

Nelson takes possession of Censeur as the French abandon their Corsica invasion plan.

Fights in the naval action known as the Battle of Genoa.

Nelson's capture of Censeur helps frustrate the French Corsican operation.

The French fleet abandons its plan to invade Corsica and returns to port.

Takes part in the Battle of the Hyeres Islands.

Nelson exercises independent command over ships blockading the French coast.

Nelson receives independent command over ships blockading the French coast.

Sir John Jervis appoints Nelson commodore in the Mediterranean fleet.

Jervis appoints Nelson commodore and gives him independent command.

Nelson commands ships blockading the French coast.

Nelson directs ships assigned to contain French coastal traffic and naval movement.

Receives wider independent responsibility in the Mediterranean.

Commands the occupation of Elba.

Commands the occupation of Elba.

Returns to Britain to recover after the loss of his arm.

Boards enemy ships during the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Is promoted rear admiral after Cape St Vincent.

Is invested as a Knight of the Order of the Bath.

Leads boat attacks during operations against Cadiz.

Leads an unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Loses his right arm after being wounded at Tenerife.

Searches for Napoleon's expedition across the Mediterranean.

Receives celebration at Naples after the Battle of the Nile.

Loses contact with the French fleet and convoy from Toulon.

Finds the French fleet at anchor in Aboukir Bay.

Wins a decisive victory over the French fleet at the Nile.

Commands from HMS Vanguard during the Battle of the Nile.

Is created Baron Nelson after the Nile victory.

Begins an affair with Emma, Lady Hamilton.

Supports the Bourbon restoration after the collapse of the Parthenopean Republic.

Operates from Palermo during the crisis in the Kingdom of Naples.

Created Duke of Bronte by the King of Naples.

Receives the Sicilian title Duke of Bronte.

Returns to England to public acclaim but domestic controversy.

Sails with Parker's fleet to challenge the Armed Neutrality.

Lives at Merton Place with Emma Hamilton and Sir William Hamilton.

Returns to a brief peacetime role after the Copenhagen campaign.

Is promoted vice admiral before the Baltic campaign.

British forces destroy or capture many Danish ships during the battle.

Nelson attacks Danish ships to keep Baltic ports open to Britain.

Parker orders retreat, but Nelson famously puts the telescope to his blind eye.

The Battle of Copenhagen helps end the League of Armed Neutrality.

Ignores Parker's signal by putting the telescope to his blind eye.

The battle weakens the League of Armed Neutrality of Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Prussia.

Is created Viscount Nelson after the Copenhagen victory.

Lives apart from Frances Nisbet as his relationship with Emma Hamilton continues.

Appointed commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean.

Appointed commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean.

Begins the long blockade of the French fleet at Toulon.

Hoists his flag in HMS Victory for Mediterranean command.

Maintains pressure on the French fleet across the Mediterranean.

The government prepares a state funeral after Nelson's death.

Nelson's death turns Trafalgar victory into national mourning and commemoration.

Chases Villeneuve to the West Indies and back without forcing battle.

Villeneuve decides to dash toward Gibraltar after the long Toulon blockade.

Villeneuve decides to dash toward Gibraltar after the long Toulon blockade.

Villeneuve decides to leave Toulon and move toward Gibraltar after prolonged British naval pressure.

Nelson receives a signal at Agincourt Sound that the French are at sea.

News that the French fleet has sailed from Toulon triggers Nelson's renewed Mediterranean pursuit.

The French fleet escapes from Toulon and the British fleet loses contact.

The French fleet escapes Toulon and British forces temporarily lose contact during the subsequent pursuit.

Heads east through the Straits of Messina in pursuit of the French fleet.

Nelson passes through the Straits of Messina while searching for Villeneuve after the Toulon blockade is disrupted.

Sails from Alexandria to Malta and learns Villeneuve has returned to Toulon.

Nelson learns at Malta that Villeneuve has returned to Toulon, altering the course of the British pursuit.

Learns Villeneuve has escaped Toulon and begins the pursuit.

Pursues Villeneuve after the French fleet escapes Toulon.

Arrives in the Caribbean during the pursuit of Villeneuve.

Returns briefly to England after the long Atlantic pursuit.

Sails from Portsmouth to take command off Cadiz.

Leaves Portsmouth to take command before Trafalgar.

Joins the fleet and assumes command before Trafalgar.

Joins the fleet off Cadiz before the Trafalgar campaign.

Sets out his battle plan in the Trafalgar Memorandum.

Issues tactical instructions for breaking the enemy line.

Many French and Spanish ships surrender without any British ship being lost.

Nelson is killed but the British fleet wins a decisive victory.

The victory helps protect Britain from French invasion plans.

Traps Villeneuve outside Cadiz and forces battle off Cape Trafalgar.

Villeneuve leaves Cadiz and Nelson brings the combined fleet to battle.

Nelson's body is preserved for the voyage home after Trafalgar.

Dies aboard HMS Victory after learning the battle is won.

Dies after learning that victory is secured.

Orders the famous signal before battle begins.

Signals that England expects every man will do his duty.

Is fatally wounded by a marksman during the battle.

Commands the British fleet from HMS Victory at Trafalgar.

Nelson is killed but the battle helps end immediate invasion fears.

Villeneuve leaves Cadiz but is defeated by Nelson off Trafalgar.

Britain mourns Nelson while celebrating Trafalgar.

Nelson's body reaches Greenwich before the London funeral ceremonies.

Nelson's body is brought to Greenwich before his state funeral.

Nelson lies in state before his funeral.

Is buried in St Paul's Cathedral after the national funeral.

Nelson is buried at St Paul's Cathedral.

Receives a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.

Construction begins on the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.

Nelson's victory is commemorated by a monument on Calton Hill.

Work begins on plans for Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.

Nelson's Column is completed as a major London memorial.

Nelson's Column is completed in Trafalgar Square.

Nelson's Column is constructed as a national memorial.

Planning continues for further Trafalgar Square memorial elements.

Trafalgar centenary events commemorate Nelson and the victory.

Crowds gather in Trafalgar Square at the end of war in Europe.

Bicentenary events commemorate the battle and Nelson.