Arthur Wellesley Biography

Birth of Arthur Wellesley

Enters Eton

Enters School of Equitation, Angers, Anjou

Appointed Lieutenant

Appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Viceroy

Elected Member of Parliament for Trim, Ireland

Promoted captain in the British Army

Appointed Captain

Appointed Major

Appointed Lieutenant Colonel

Appointed Colonel

Appointed Commander of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, India

Appointed Governor of Mysore

War against Scindia of Gwalior & his allies

Wins his first military victory

The fall of Gawilghur removes a major Maratha stronghold from the campaign.

Surrender of Gawilghur

Given a Knighthood

Resigns military appointments to become an MP

Moves to Harley St, Marylebone, London

Appointed Colonel of the 33rd Regiment

Elected Member of Parliament or Rye

Marries Kitty Pakenham, St George's Church, Dublin, Ireland

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland

Appointed Commander of the expedition to Portugal

Appointed Commander of the expedition to Portugal

Sets sail from Cork in Ireland for Portugal

Wellington reaches Coruna in Portugal

Joins the Danish expedition

Wellingtons brigade is reponsible defending supply lines

Wellingtons brigade captures Lyngby, Denmark

Wellingtons brigade is the 1st to secure a beachhead

Wellingtons brigade drives away a Danish force of 4,000

Wellington informs his superiors he has cleared Zealand of resistance

The Danes capitulate rather then endure further damage to Copenhagen

The Danes capitulate rather then endure further damage to Copenhagen

Appointed Commander of Forces in Portugal

Appointed Commander of Forces in Portugal

Lands in Mondego Bay, Portugal

Lands in Mondego Bay, Portugal

Defeats General Delaborde

The British defeat the French during a Spannish rebellion. British victory leads to the Convention of Cintra

The British defeat the French leading to the Convention of Cintra

Under the terms of the Convention of Cintra the French are forced to retreat. Josephs coronation as King of Spain is resolved by the Cintra Convention

Lands at Lisbon with a new British army

Makes a surprise attack across the River Douro & drives the French from Oporto

Wellington enters Spain

Appointed Marshal General of the Portuguese army

Appointed Marshal General of the Portuguese army

Wellington is victorious, rewarded with the title Duke of Wellington. Defeats King Joseph & Marshal Jourdan

Created Viscount Wellington of Talavera

Created Viscount Wellington of Talavera

Defeats Marshal Massena

Defeats Massena

Defeats Massena

Almeida fortress suerrenders

Wellington defeats the French under Marshal Nicolas Soult. The French are unable to relieve the siege of Badajoz after defeat at Albuhera

Wellington defeats the French under Nicolas Soult

The French are unable to relieve the siege of Badajoz after defeat at Albuhera

After Lord Wellington laid siege to Cuidad Rodrigo in January 1812, he moved Badajoz

Captures Ciudad Rodrigo

Created Duque de Ciudad de Rodrigo

Created Earl of Wellington

Created Duque de Ciudad de Rodrigo

Created Earl of Wellington

Wellington laid siege to the fortress of Badajoz form 17th March to 6th April

Captures the Spanish city of Assaye, 250 miles south west of Madrid

The defenders of Badajoz surrender, Wellington has lost 5,000 during the siege

Captures Badajoz but the British sustain 5,000 casualties

Wellingtons Allied Army enters Salamanca unopposed

Wellington defeats a French force of 40,000 under Marmont, opening the way to Madrid

Wellingtons Army enters Madrid, it is free from French occupation since Dec 1808

Enters Madrid

Created Marquess of Wellington

Created Marquess of Wellington

Wellington lays siege to Burgos

Unsuccessful at the siege of Burgos

Rereats from Burgos

Composition of "Wellingtons Victory" in honour of the Battle of Vitoria

Wellington marches in triumph through Cadiz

Awarded the Order of the Garter

Awarded the Order of the Garter

Forces Napoleon's forces to the Ebro River where they are defeated at Vittorio. Captures Madrid

Triumphantly enters Salamanca

Arrives at Miranda do Douro in an effort to outflank the French

Wellingtons 2 main Armies unite at Touro, north of the River Douro

Wellingtons 78,000 army defeat 57,000 French, 5,000 French & 6,0000 Allied casualties. Decisive victory of the Peninsular war, Joseph Bonaparte retreats to France

Forces the French back across the Pyrenees. Defeats King Joseph. Calls off the battle 5 miles up the Pamplona road. Attempts to stop the French retreating to France

Appointed Field Marshal

Makes an assault on San Sebastian

Defeats Soult

San Sebastian falls

Crosses into France

Defeats Soult

Defeats Soult

Begins the siege of Bayonne

Defeats Soult

Captures Bordeaux

Defeats Soult

Created Duke of Wellington

Appointed Ambassador

Appointed Ambassador

Opening day of the Congress of Vienna

Appointed Commander of the British Army of occupation in France

Appointed Commander the British forces of occupation in France

Arrives as the British Plenipotentiary

Congress hears of Napoleon's escape from Elba

Congress outlaws Napoleon

Wellington leaves Vienna

Hears of the French invasion of Belgium

Battle of Quatre Bras

Withdraws to Mont St Jean

Wellington & Blucher join up at La Belle Alliance after defeating Napoleon

The British lose close to 15,000 & the French 25,000 killed & wounded. The Allies have a force of 68,000 British, Belgians, Dutch & Germans under Wellington. Napoleon commands 72,000. Helps end Napoleon's "100 days" rule, Napoleon's final Battle. At 9PM Wellington & Blucher meet between La Belle-Alliance & Rossome

Crosses the Belgian border into France

France accepts Allied terms at St Cloud, clearing the way for occupation and the post-Napoleonic settlement.

France surrenders by the Treaty of St Cloud

France surrenders by the Treaty of St Cloud

Allied occupation of Paris confirms the collapse of Napoleon's final political and military position.

The Allies enter Paris

The Allies enter Paris

Louis XVIII is restored to the French throne

Appointed Commander in Chief of the Allied army

Appointed Commander in Chief of the Allied army

Marshal Ney is shot

Wellington signs the Saint Petersburg Protocol with Russia to intervene in the Greek revolt against Turkey

Wellington signs the Saint Petersburg Protocol with Russia to intervene in the Greek revolt against Turkey

Wellington signs the Saint Petersburg Protocol with Russia to intervene in the Greek revolt against Turkey

Appointed Commander in Chief, British Army

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain by George IV

Only Huskisson, Peel & the "Canningites" serve as Minister's in Wellingtons Cabinet

Fills a vacuum after refusal by Whig & Tory Party leaders to accept the office

The Test & Corporation Acts dating from Charles II are repealed. Acts of indemnity are passed annually

The Test & Corporation Acts dating from Charles II are repealed

Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815

Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815. Corn prices are based on a sliding scale compared with domestic prices

Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815. Corn prices are based on a sliding scale compared with domestic prices

Catholics can vote & sit in Parliament

Pushed through Parliament by Wellington, allows Catholics the vote & sit in Parliament

Requires Catholic MPs to take an oath of loyalty

Requires Catholic MPs to take an oath of loyalty. Pushed through Parliament by Wellington, allows Catholics the vote & sit in Parliament

The Roman Catholic Relief Bill passes through the House of Commons

Duels the Earl of Winchilsea who accuses him of treachery over Catholic Emancipation. Both parties aim wide & honor is saved

A London Conference agrees the boundaries of an independent Greece

A London Conference agrees the boundaries of an independent Greece

A London Conference agrees the boundaries of an independent Greece

The Catholic Emancipation Act, becomes law & the vote is extended to Catholics

Reform for Roman Catholic subjects receives Royal assent

London Protocol recognizes Greece as an independent state

Attends the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

Declares strong opposition to parliamentary reform while speaking in the House of Lords.

Wellington opens the London Conference to discuss Belgian independence

Loses a parliamentary vote that brings his ministry to an end.

Resigns as Prime Minister of Great Britain

Death of Kitty Pakenham, Wellington never remarries

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 2nd term, November-December. Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain

Appointed Commander in Chief

Death of Arthr Wellesley

Buried at St Pauls Cathedral