The Duke of Wellington (The British Library Historic Lives)

Praised by Queen Victoria as the "greatest man this country has ever produced," the Duke of Wellington possessed an unmatched career in Britain as a soldier, politician, and statesman. A frail child, overshadowed by his siblings, he became a man of exacting preparation, determination, and tactical brilliance who paved the way for the creation of the British Empire.

The Duke of Wellington founded his career on three great military triumphs and helped to extend British rule in India, defeat the French in Portugal and Spain, and end Napoleon's ambitions. He twice served as Prime Minister and acted as British envoy and confidante to royalty during a crucial period of British history. Despite his authoritarian Tory instincts, he recognised the need for limited reform at home, and ushered in the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts and the Catholic Emancipation bill, thereby transforming the British political landscape.

Lavishly illustrated throughout by unique items from the British Library's unparalleled collections, this engaging biography of Britain's greatest general charts the life of a man whose reputation as the aloof "Iron Duke" masked strong passions and a keen awareness of his public persona.

Matthew Shaw is the curator of United States Collections at the British Library and former curator of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century manuscripts.