Course: Wellington and the Battle of Waterloo

The University of Southampton combines academic excellence with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to research, supporting a culture that engages and challenges students and staff in their pursuit of learning. …

Europe faces a terrifying threat to its established order as revolutionary France seeks to overthrow monarchs and build an empire. Inspired by radical politics, its vast armies — led by …

In this final video (11 minutes) Chris and Karen answer three of the questions you asked – about the distribution of ‘prize money’ to the Allied troops that fought at …

If you would like to take your interest in this week’s topics further, the books listed below are recommended reading. For some of them, you will probably need access to …

Although Wellington’s reputation was forever linked to Waterloo, his victories in the Peninsular War had already made him a household name. From 1810 onwards his likeness began to appear on …

Built in 1825–7, the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, London, was intended as a victory arch to commemorate the British victories in the Napoleonic wars. Both the Wellington Arch …

The Duke of Wellington continued his military and political career after Napoleon’s defeat, and was Prime Minister between 1828 and 1830. Despite events that tarnished his reputation, when he died …

The Battle of Waterloo was to prove a popular subject for pictorial representation. Many paintings which used it as a subject were produced in the two or three decades after …

In the period after Waterloo, there were many proposals for monuments to the Duke of Wellington, most of which did not come to fruition. The nation’s gratitude to Wellington had …

In this video (10 minutes) Chris answers four of the questions you asked – about the aftermath of the battle, Wellington’s role in the peace deliberations, the treatment of soldiers …

The victory at Waterloo was celebrated through the arts — especially painting and sculpture — and these works in turn have shaped our memory of the battle and its heroes.