List of titles and honours of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

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Arthur Wellesley, painted by
Sir Thomas Lawrence

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.

Funeral[edit]

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.

Arms[edit]

Wellington's coat of arms

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]

Titles, honours and styles[edit]

Peerage of the United Kingdom[edit]

  • Baron Douro of Wellesley in the County of Somerset – 26 August 1809[4]
  • Viscount Wellington of Talavera, and of Wellington in the County of Somerset – 26 August 1809[4][5]
  • Earl of Wellington – 28 February 1812
  • Marquess of Wellington – 18 August 1812[6]
  • Marquess Douro – 3 May 1814[5]
  • Duke of Wellington – 3 May 1814[5]

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]

British and Irish honours[edit]

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]

International[edit]

The Duke of Wellington wearing several decorations. Neck badges: i) Order of the Sword ii) Order of the Golden Fleece iii) Peninsular Cross with four bars • Stars on the left breast: i) Order of the Garter ii) Order of Saint George iii) Order of Maria Theresa iv) Military Order of Saint Ferdinand v) Order of the Tower and Sword vi) Order of the Sword • Sash over his right shoulder: Order of Maria Theresa

Noble titles[edit]

Honours[edit]

Military rank[edit]

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)

Styles[edit]

In the United Kingdom
  • The Hon Arthur Wellesley (birth–1 May 1769)
  • Ensign The Hon Arthur Wellesley (7 March–25 December 1787)
  • Lt The Hon Arthur Wellesley (25 December 1787 – 30 June 1791)
  • Capt The Hon Arthur Wellesley (30 June 1791 – 30 April 1793)
  • Maj The Hon Arthur Wellesley (30 April–30 September 1793)
  • Lt-Col The Hon Arthur Wellesley (30 September 1793 – 3 May 1796)
  • Col The Hon Arthur Wellesley (3 May 1796 – 19 May 1798)
  • Col The Hon Arthur Wellesley (19 May 1798 – 29 April 1802)
  • Maj-Gen The Hon Arthur Wellesley (29 April 1802 – 1 September 1804)
  • Maj-Gen The Hon Sir Arthur Wellesley KB (1 September 1804 – 8 April 1807)
  • Maj-Gen The Rt Hon Sir Arthur Wellesley KB (8 April 1807 – 25 April 1808)
  • Lt-Gen The Rt Hon Sir Arthur Wellesley KB (25 April 1808 – 4 September 1809)
  • Lt-Gen The Rt Hon The Viscount Wellington KB (4 September 1809–May 1811)
  • Gen The Rt Hon The Viscount Wellington KB (May 1811–28 February 1812)
  • Gen The Rt Hon The Earl of Wellington KB (28 February–3 October 1812)
  • Gen The Most Hon The Marquess of Wellington KB (3 October 1812 – 4 March 1813)
  • Gen The Most Hon The Marquess of Wellington KG KB (4 March–21 June 1813)
  • FM The Most Hon The Marquess of Wellington KG KB (21 June 1813 – 11 May 1814)
  • FM His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG KB (11 May 1814 – 2 January 1815)
  • FM His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG GCB (2 January 1815 – 14 September 1852)
  • FM His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG GCB GCH (1816–14 September 1852)
  • FM His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG GCB GCH FRS (1847–14 September 1852)
In the Netherlands
In Spain
  • Excelentísimo señor Arthur Wesley, duque de Ciudad Rodrigo, Grande de España, Caballero de la Orden del Toisón de Oro (January 1812–14 September 1852).
In Portugal
  • Sua Excelência o Duque da Vitória (18 December 1812 – 14 September 1852)

Military promotions and dates of rank[edit]

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

Monuments[edit]

Main article: List of monuments to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Namesakes[edit]

Places[edit]

Great Britain
The Duke of Wellington pub, Ryarsh
Ireland
  • Wellington Road in the Ballsbridge area of Dublin.
  • Wellington Road on the North side of Cork city.
  • Wellington College Belfast in Northern Ireland, a Co-Educational Grammar School in Belfast, was named after Wellington. Wellington is also a Senior Boys' house at the Duke of York's Royal Military School, where, like Welbeck College, all houses are named after prominent military figures.
  • Wellington Park in central Belfast. Running parallel to this street is Wellesley Avenue.
Australia
New Zealand
Canada
Other countries

Military units[edit]

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.

Ships[edit]

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.

Aircraft[edit]

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.

Locomotives[edit]

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]

Banknotes[edit]

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]

Food and drink[edit]

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.

Clothing[edit]

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.

Freedom of the City[edit]

British Empire

References[edit]

  1. ^ Gifford, C.A. (1817). The Life of the Most Noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington. London: W.Lewis. p. 375.
  2. ^ a b "No. 21388". The London Gazette. 6 December 1852. pp. 3563–3564.
  3. ^ Brooke-Little, J.P., FSA (1978) [1950]. Boutell's Heraldry (Revised ed.). London: Frederick Warne LTD. p. 127. ISBN 0-7232-2096-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "No. 16291". The London Gazette. 26 August 1809. p. 1342.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Elliott, George (1816). The Life of the Most Noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington. London: J.Cundee. p. xiii–xiv.
  6. ^ a b c d Gifford, C.A. (1817). The Life of the Most Noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington. London: W.Lewis. p. 100.
  7. ^ Nafziger, George F. (2001). Historical Dictionary of the Napoleonic Era. Scarecrow Press. p. 301. ISBN 978-0-8108-6617-1.
  8. ^ Shaw, Wm. A. (1906) The Knights of England, I, London, p. 176
  9. ^ Shaw, p. 180
  10. ^ Watson, Garth (1988). The Civils. Thomas Telford. p. 118. ISBN 0-7277-0392-7.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m James William Edmund Doyle (1886). "Wellington". The Official Baronage of England: Showing the Succession, Dignities, and Offices of Every Peer from 1066 to 1885. Vol. 3. London: Longmans Green and Co. pp. 615–620.
  12. ^ a b Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington (1769–1852) – website historyhome.co.uk
  13. ^ "Posttidningar, 30 April 1814, p.2". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  14. ^ Almanach de la cour: pour l'année ... 1817. l'Académie Imp. des Sciences. 1817. p. 67.
  15. ^ a b List of Knights of the Imperial Russian Orders for the Summer of Christmas 1827 (in Russian). Vol. 3. St. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Sciences. 1828. p. 21.
  16. ^ Liste der Ritter des Königlich Preußischen Hohen Ordens vom Schwarzen Adler (1851), "Von Seiner Majestät dem Könige Friedrich Wilhelm III. ernannte Ritter" p. 17
  17. ^ Jørgen Pedersen (2009). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009 (in Danish). Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 471. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2.
  18. ^ Cibrario, Luigi (1869). Notizia storica del nobilissimo ordine supremo della santissima Annunziata. Sunto degli statuti, catalogo dei cavalieri (in Italian). Eredi Botta. p. 99. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  19. ^ "Militaire Willems-Orde: Wellesly 1st Duke of Wellington KG GCB, Arthur" [Military William Order: Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington KG GCB, Arthur]. Ministerie van Defensie (in Dutch). 8 July 1815. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  20. ^ Ruith, Max (1882). Der K. Bayerische Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden. Ingolstadt: Ganghofer'sche Buchdruckerei. p. 84 – via hathitrust.org.
  21. ^ Hessen-Kassel (1817). Kur-Hessischer Staats- und Adress-Kalender: 1817. Verlag d. Waisenhauses. p. 16.
  22. ^ Württemberg (1831). Königlich-Württembergisches Hof- und Staats-Handbuch: 1831. Guttenberg. p. 35.
  23. ^ Burnham, Robert; McGuigan, Ron (2010). The British Army against Napoleon. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Frontline Books. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-84832-562-3.
  24. ^ "Wellington College History". Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  25. ^ "Top 100 UK Pub Names". pubnames.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2021. Duke of Wellington, 50 pubs
  26. ^ Wakefield, Edward Jerningham (1845). Adventure in New Zealand. Vol. 1. John Murray.
  27. ^ The Wellington Club
  28. ^ "Mount Wellington". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  29. ^ "Wellington Street, Ottawa". National Inventory of Military Memorials. National Defence Canada. 16 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014.
  30. ^ "Mount Wellington". oneonta.edu. oneonta.edu. 2003. Retrieved 2 September 2017. data
  31. ^ "Wellington Guide". Wellington Tourism. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  32. ^ "Broad-gauge 'Iron Duke' 4-2-2". Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  33. ^ "Withdrawn banknotes reference guide". Bank of England. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
  34. ^ In life the "Iron Duke" disclaimed any Irish connection beyond his place of birth, observing that birth in a stable does not make a man a horse.
  35. ^ "Wellington Boot History and Background". Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
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