Wellington: A New Biography

by Countess of Longford, Elizabeth Harman Pakenham

Wellington (1769-1852), the 'Iron Duke' is probably one of the best known military commanders of British history, but this short biography also reveals the complex workings of this frequently most misunderstood of British heroes. The sensitive, withdrawn child of Irish aristocrats, Wellington was pushed into the army as 'food for powder', stumbling his way through Flanders fields, an abortive love affair and the banqueting halls of Dublin Castle to reach India at the age of twenty-seven. It was there he made his name and he returned to England, and marriage to Kitty Pakenham, as Sir Arthur Wellesley. He then took command of the Allied Armies in Portugal and Spain against Napoleon, a prolonged campaign which ended in victory. In the gaiety of Paris, Mme de Stael, Harriet Arbuthnot and others vied to entertain the victorious general. After Napoleon's escape from Elba, Wellington became commander-in-chief of the British forces, and in 1815 confronted the French at Waterloo. After that decisive but bloody battle, Wellington never fired another shot. He returned to political life, becoming Prime Minister in 1828, and saw through the Catholic emancipation of Ireland, which however split the Tory party.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, British Literature, Biography Memoir

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Trina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This abridgment does scant justice to the man Arthur Wellesley and even less to his military genius. It sucks all the life out of the story, leaving just names and places of famous campaigns and victories. Wellington's second career as a political leader is beyond boring. Maybe her 2-vol. biography is better. But if you want to know what it was like to be a soldier in Wellington's army, you're better off reading the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, which follows all the battles - from the Tippoo of India to Napoleon at Waterloo - under command of The Peer, as Wellesley was called by his men, whom he tended to look down on as "the scum of the earth", none more so than the rifleman Richard Sharpe, who rises through the ranks to become an officer in the British army despite his low-born beginnings. If you want to see what became of Wellington, as he came to be known, watch for him in the Masterpiece Theatre series "Victoria". There his iron will comes up against a much stronger will in Her Majesty the Queen.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came to this book after watching the 1990s UK TV series 'Sharpe' that tracks as corporal Sharpe rises through the ranks in Wellington's army during the Peninsula Wars. I expected deeper details about Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Welington) but the book did not serve it. It is quick glance at the life of Wellington without any particular in depth details. I suppose that's what a pocket biography ought to do.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combined edition of Elizabeth Longford's two-part biography of the Duke of Wellington. Very readable. Interesting insight into one of Britain's greatest generals.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow - really not for the average history reader. Way too much detail, I didn't really care about. Didn't even finish the book.

[Susie Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb first volume of Longford's relative the Duke of Wellington