Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS ( c. 1 May 1769–14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. His military career culminated at the Battle of Waterloo, where, along with Blücher, he defeated the forces of Napoleon. He was also twice Tory Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. During his life, Wellington received numerous honours, titles and awards throughout his career as a statesman and soldier. [1] These include awards, statues and monuments, as well as buildings and places named after him.
At his funeral Wellesley's style was proclaimed (laid out in the following order and format in the London Gazette): [2]
- Arthur, Duke and Marquess of Wellington,
- Marquess Douro, Earl of Wellington,
- Viscount Wellington and Baron Douro,
- Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter,
- Knight Grand Cross of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath,
- One of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and
- Field Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces.
- Field Marshal of the Austrian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Hanoverian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Army of the Netherlands,
- Marshal-General of the Portuguese Army,
- Field Marshal of the Prussian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Russian Army,
- and
- Captain-General of the Spanish Army.
- Prince of Waterloo, of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo
- and Grandee of Spain of the First Class.
- Duke of Victoria, Marquess of Torres Vedras, and Count of Vimiera in Portugal.
- Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Golden Fleece, and of the Military Orders
- of St. Ferdinand and of St. Hermenigilde of Spain.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Orders of the Black Eagle and of the Red Eagle of Prussia.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Imperial Military Order of Maria Teresa of Austria.
- Knight of the Imperial Orders of St. Andrew, St. Alexander Newski, and St. George of Russia.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Portuguese Military Order of the Tower and Sword.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of the Sword of Sweden.
- Knight of the Order of St. Esprit of France.
- Knight of the Order of the Elephant of Denmark.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
- Knight of the Order of St. Januarius and of the Military Order of St. Ferdinand and
- of Merit of the Two Sicilies.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Supreme Order of the Annunciation of Savoy.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Military Order of Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria.
- Knight of the Royal Order of the Rue Crown of Saxony,
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit of Wurtemberg.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of William of the Netherlands.
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Lion of Hesse Cassel,
- and
- Knight Grand Cross of the Orders of Fidelity and of the Lion of Baden.
Wellington's arms were given an augmentation of honour of the union badge of the United Kingdom to commemorate his services. He bore, Quarterly, I and IV gules, a cross argent, in each quarter five plates of the same; II and III, Or, a lion rampant gules, armed and langued azure. For augmentation, an inescutcheon charged with the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick combined, being the union badge of the United Kingdom. [3]
His brother William selected the name Wellington for its similarity to the family surname of Wellesley, which derives from the village of Wellesley in Somerset, not far from that of Wellington.
Since he did not return to England until the Peninsular War was over, he was awarded all his patents of nobility and was introduced to the House of Lords as a Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquess and Duke in a single day. [7]
Honours held for life unless stated.
The Duke of Wellington stood as godfather to Queen Victoria's seventh child, Prince Arthur, in 1850. Prince Arthur was also born on the first of May; and as a toddler, young Arthur was encouraged to remind people that the Duke of Wellington was his godfather.[ citation needed]
The nations of Austria, Hanover, the Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia, Russia and Spain gave him their highest military rank: [2] [11]
Each nation presented him with a baton as a symbol of his rank (see Batons of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington)
Ranks up to Lieutenant Colonel were obtained by purchasing commissions, subject to minimum service periods. The army did not allow ranks from Colonel and above to be purchased, so they were obtained through promotion only.
Rank | Position/regiment | Date | How obtained | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ensign | 73rd Regiment of Foot | 7 March 1787 | Appointed | [23] |
Lieutenant | 76th Regiment of Foot | 25 December 1787 | Promoted | |
Lieutenant | 41st Regiment of Foot | 23 January 1788 | Exchange | |
Lieutenant | 12th Light Dragoons | 25 June 1789 | Appointed | |
Captain | 58th Regiment of Foot | 30 June 1791 | Promoted | |
Captain | 18th Light Dragoons | 31 October 1792 | Appointed | |
Major | 33rd Regiment of Foot | 30 April 1793 | Purchased | |
Lieutenant-Colonel | 33rd Regiment of Foot | 30 September 1793 | Purchased | |
Brevet Colonel | Army | 3 May 1796 | Promoted | |
Brigadier-General | Egypt | 17 July 1801 | Local rank | |
Major-General | Army | 29 April 1802 | Promoted | |
Lieutenant-General | Army | 25 April 1808 | Promoted | |
General | Spain & Portugal | 31 July 1811 | Local rank | |
Field Marshal | Army | 21 June 1813 | Promoted |
Wellington died in 1852 and in the following year Queen Victoria, in recognition of the 33rd foot regiment's long ties to him, ordered that the 33rd foot regiment's title be changed to The Duke of Wellington's Regiment.
HMS Duke of Wellington, a 131 gun first-rate ship of the line was named after the first Duke of Wellington. HMS Iron Duke, named after Wellington, was the flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe at the Battle of Jutland in World War I, one of three so named in the Royal Navy.
TSS Duke of York (1935), a steamer temporarily renamed Duke of Wellington.
Wellington is the only person to have the honour of having not one but two Royal Air Force bombers named for him - the Vickers Wellesley and the Vickers Wellington, and at a time when the convention was for British bombers to be named after landlocked cities.
Great Western Railways " Iron Duke" Class locomotives were named after Wellington, including one of the 1847 originals which was named "Iron Duke" and lent its name to the class. It was withdrawn in 1871, and a replica built in 1985 for the National Railway Museum to exhibit. [32]
The Duke of Wellington's picture featured on the reverse of Series D (Pictorial Series) £5 banknotes issued by the Bank of England (11 November 1971 – 29 November 1991), along with a scene from the Battle of Waterloo. [33] Wellington was the first non-Englishman to appear on an English banknote. [34]
Beef Wellington gets its name from the general and prime minister. Ironically, his favourite meat was mutton.[ citation needed]
Wellington's likeness appears on the beer labels of the beer brewed by Wellington Brewery in Guelph, Ontario, and the beer "Iron Duke Strong Ale" was named in his honour.
His name was given to Wellington boots, a type of high, originally leather, boots, after the custom-made boots he wore instead of traditional Hessian boots. [35]
The Wellington hat was a style of beaver-fur hat.
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Duke of Wellington, 50 pubs
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Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS ( c. 1 May 1769–14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. His military career culminated at the Battle of Waterloo, where, along with Blücher, he defeated the forces of Napoleon. He was also twice Tory Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. During his life, Wellington received numerous honours, titles and awards throughout his career as a statesman and soldier. [1] These include awards, statues and monuments, as well as buildings and places named after him.
At his funeral Wellesley's style was proclaimed (laid out in the following order and format in the London Gazette): [2]
- Arthur, Duke and Marquess of Wellington,
- Marquess Douro, Earl of Wellington,
- Viscount Wellington and Baron Douro,
- Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter,
- Knight Grand Cross of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath,
- One of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and
- Field Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces.
- Field Marshal of the Austrian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Hanoverian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Army of the Netherlands,
- Marshal-General of the Portuguese Army,
- Field Marshal of the Prussian Army,
- Field Marshal of the Russian Army,
- and
- Captain-General of the Spanish Army.
- Prince of Waterloo, of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo
- and Grandee of Spain of the First Class.
- Duke of Victoria, Marquess of Torres Vedras, and Count of Vimiera in Portugal.
- Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Golden Fleece, and of the Military Orders
- of St. Ferdinand and of St. Hermenigilde of Spain.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Orders of the Black Eagle and of the Red Eagle of Prussia.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Imperial Military Order of Maria Teresa of Austria.
- Knight of the Imperial Orders of St. Andrew, St. Alexander Newski, and St. George of Russia.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Portuguese Military Order of the Tower and Sword.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of the Sword of Sweden.
- Knight of the Order of St. Esprit of France.
- Knight of the Order of the Elephant of Denmark.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
- Knight of the Order of St. Januarius and of the Military Order of St. Ferdinand and
- of Merit of the Two Sicilies.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Supreme Order of the Annunciation of Savoy.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Military Order of Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria.
- Knight of the Royal Order of the Rue Crown of Saxony,
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit of Wurtemberg.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of William of the Netherlands.
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Lion of Hesse Cassel,
- and
- Knight Grand Cross of the Orders of Fidelity and of the Lion of Baden.
Wellington's arms were given an augmentation of honour of the union badge of the United Kingdom to commemorate his services. He bore, Quarterly, I and IV gules, a cross argent, in each quarter five plates of the same; II and III, Or, a lion rampant gules, armed and langued azure. For augmentation, an inescutcheon charged with the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick combined, being the union badge of the United Kingdom. [3]
His brother William selected the name Wellington for its similarity to the family surname of Wellesley, which derives from the village of Wellesley in Somerset, not far from that of Wellington.
Since he did not return to England until the Peninsular War was over, he was awarded all his patents of nobility and was introduced to the House of Lords as a Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquess and Duke in a single day. [7]
Honours held for life unless stated.
The Duke of Wellington stood as godfather to Queen Victoria's seventh child, Prince Arthur, in 1850. Prince Arthur was also born on the first of May; and as a toddler, young Arthur was encouraged to remind people that the Duke of Wellington was his godfather.[ citation needed]
The nations of Austria, Hanover, the Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia, Russia and Spain gave him their highest military rank: [2] [11]
Each nation presented him with a baton as a symbol of his rank (see Batons of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington)
Ranks up to Lieutenant Colonel were obtained by purchasing commissions, subject to minimum service periods. The army did not allow ranks from Colonel and above to be purchased, so they were obtained through promotion only.
Rank | Position/regiment | Date | How obtained | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ensign | 73rd Regiment of Foot | 7 March 1787 | Appointed | [23] |
Lieutenant | 76th Regiment of Foot | 25 December 1787 | Promoted | |
Lieutenant | 41st Regiment of Foot | 23 January 1788 | Exchange | |
Lieutenant | 12th Light Dragoons | 25 June 1789 | Appointed | |
Captain | 58th Regiment of Foot | 30 June 1791 | Promoted | |
Captain | 18th Light Dragoons | 31 October 1792 | Appointed | |
Major | 33rd Regiment of Foot | 30 April 1793 | Purchased | |
Lieutenant-Colonel | 33rd Regiment of Foot | 30 September 1793 | Purchased | |
Brevet Colonel | Army | 3 May 1796 | Promoted | |
Brigadier-General | Egypt | 17 July 1801 | Local rank | |
Major-General | Army | 29 April 1802 | Promoted | |
Lieutenant-General | Army | 25 April 1808 | Promoted | |
General | Spain & Portugal | 31 July 1811 | Local rank | |
Field Marshal | Army | 21 June 1813 | Promoted |
Wellington died in 1852 and in the following year Queen Victoria, in recognition of the 33rd foot regiment's long ties to him, ordered that the 33rd foot regiment's title be changed to The Duke of Wellington's Regiment.
HMS Duke of Wellington, a 131 gun first-rate ship of the line was named after the first Duke of Wellington. HMS Iron Duke, named after Wellington, was the flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe at the Battle of Jutland in World War I, one of three so named in the Royal Navy.
TSS Duke of York (1935), a steamer temporarily renamed Duke of Wellington.
Wellington is the only person to have the honour of having not one but two Royal Air Force bombers named for him - the Vickers Wellesley and the Vickers Wellington, and at a time when the convention was for British bombers to be named after landlocked cities.
Great Western Railways " Iron Duke" Class locomotives were named after Wellington, including one of the 1847 originals which was named "Iron Duke" and lent its name to the class. It was withdrawn in 1871, and a replica built in 1985 for the National Railway Museum to exhibit. [32]
The Duke of Wellington's picture featured on the reverse of Series D (Pictorial Series) £5 banknotes issued by the Bank of England (11 November 1971 – 29 November 1991), along with a scene from the Battle of Waterloo. [33] Wellington was the first non-Englishman to appear on an English banknote. [34]
Beef Wellington gets its name from the general and prime minister. Ironically, his favourite meat was mutton.[ citation needed]
Wellington's likeness appears on the beer labels of the beer brewed by Wellington Brewery in Guelph, Ontario, and the beer "Iron Duke Strong Ale" was named in his honour.
His name was given to Wellington boots, a type of high, originally leather, boots, after the custom-made boots he wore instead of traditional Hessian boots. [35]
The Wellington hat was a style of beaver-fur hat.
![]() |
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
Duke of Wellington, 50 pubs
data