Richard Holmes, highly acclaimed military historian and broadcaster, tells the exhilarating story of Britain’s greatest-ever soldier, the man who posed the most serious threat to Napoleon. The Duke of Wellington’s remarkable life and extraordinary campaigns are recreated with Holmes’ superb skill in this compelling book.

In this compelling book – and hugely popular accompanying BBC series – Richard Holmes charts the extraordinary progress of Britain's greatest-ever soldier from the ruins of his family seat in Ireland to the plains of India, where Wellesley first gained his reputation as a brilliant and courageous commander, to the horrors of the Peninsular War and ultimately to Waterloo. Holmes excavates a brilliant figure, idealistic in politics, cynical in love, a wit, a beau, a man of enormous courage and iron duty often sickened by the horrors of war. However, Wellington's journey to greatness and recognition as the man who saved Europe from the tyranny of Napoleon, includes tales of philandering and exposes a man who sometimes despised the men he led, and was not always in control of them.

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON WAS NOT ALWAYS GOOD, BUT HE WAS UNQUESTIONABLY GREAT, AND THIS LIVELY AND INFORMED BOOK IS SOCIAL, MILITARY AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY AT ITS FINEST

"Holmes has written the best life of Wellington that there is…Richard Holmes has returned from his long quest with an historical holy grail; the true character of Britain's grittiest soldier."
ANDREW ROBERTS, 'Sunday Telegraph'

Richard Holmes, highly acclaimed military historian and broadcaster, tells the exhilarating story of Britain’s greatest-ever soldier, the man who posed the most serious threat to Napoleon. The Duke of Wellington’s remarkable life and extraordinary campaigns are recreated with Holmes’ superb skill in this compelling book.

Richard Holmes charts Wellington’s stellar military career from India to Europe, and in the process, rediscovers the reasons Queen Victoria called him the greatest man the nineteenth century had produced. Combining his astute historical analysis with a semi-biographical examination of Wellington, Holmes artfully illustrates the rapid evolution in military and political thinking of the time.

Wellington is a brilliant figure, idealistic in politics, cynical in love, a wit, a beau, a man of enormous courage often sickened by war. As Richard Holmes charts his progress from a shy, indolent boy to commander-in-chief of the allied forces, he also exposes the Iron Duke as a philanderer, and a man who sometimes despised the men that he led, and was not always in control of his soldiers. Particularly infamous is the bestial rampage of his men after the capture of Cuidad Rodgrigo and Badajoz.

THE IRON DUKE is a beautifully produced book, complete with stunning illustrations and colour plates. Richard Holmes’ TV series to accompany THE IRON DUKE will be lavishly constructed in four parts, and filmed on location in Britain, India, Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium.