The Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, Whose True Character Was Revealed by His Boots!
Oct 30, 2007
Few have not heard of the famous Duke of Wellington, even if only in relation to the high boots named after him. The great British general whose victory over Napoleon at Waterloo immortalised him historically as an implacable stalwart in battle, saw that reputation perverted in his later political career to that of implacable, uncaring bully. Indeed by the time of his death, it was said, he had created more enemies than ever he encountered on the battle field.
Wellington, for his part however, famously never cared a fig for others' opinion. His response to a threat of blackmail one time with the words "publish and be damned!" summed up his autocratic nature and his absolute refusal to give in to threats of public censure. But there was one aspect to his life that Wellington refused ever to discuss, and forbade others to refer to in his presence - his Irish birth.
Early life and career
Born Arthur Wellesley to a family of dwindling wealth in Dublin, the son of the Earl of Mornington showed little signs of the greatness to come. His mother, in desperation at ever finding something her profligate playboy violin-playing son could do to earn an income, arranged for him a minor military commission, and the rest, as they say, was history.
In fact history relates a meteoric rise through the ranks almost unparalleled in military terms. The lessons learnt in a successful stint in India were put to ever greater use as his growing career, and the vagaries of politics, took him through battles, wars and further campaigns throughout Europe. Along the way he combined this career with a political one, both as a member of parliament and in an ever-increasing role as statesman. By the time he faced Napoleon across the battlefield at Waterloo his leadership qualities, both as military general and political leader, were in reputation the equal of his enemy's. Wellington was already, in other words, the archetypal doyen of the burgeoning British Empire, the embodiment, at least in the mind of the public then and now, of Britain's supremacy in its empire's prime.
And that was how Wellington wanted it remembered too. The impoverished Dublin boy was consigned to oblivion, as far as Wellesley was concerned. "Because one is born in a stable does not make one a horse" is about the only public comment he ever made about his Irish past.
A man of honour (and sensible footwear)
But that is a shame, since within this "forgotten" period is embedded an incident which at once explains a lot about the man's sense of honour and indeed the footwear he made famous. As a young aide-de-camp in Dublin Castle a very poor Arthur Wellesley once loaned a small sum from his landlord, a boot maker, to buy a new uniform. After some years during which circumstances conspired to prevent repayment of this small sum, Wellesley eventually sought his old landlord out to discharge his debt during a rare visit to his city of birth. He found the boot maker had hit hard times, and immediately enlisted the man on a retainer to provide him and his associates with footwear. The deal stood until the old cobbler died, and Wellesley, typically, then extended it to the man's son. It was this man's skills, combined with Wellesley's understated sense of honour, that conspired to create what has become almost a trademark of the Duke of Wellington, and which might even outlast memory of his achievements - the Wellington boot.
And if Arthur had had his way, something we'd never have known about!
Sources: "Maxims and opinions of Field-Marshal His Grace the Duke of Wellington, Selected from his writings and speeches during a public life of more than half a century. With a Biographical Memoir by George Henry Francis, Esq." Author: Arthur Wellesley Publisher: Lightning Source Inc ISBN: 9781428038325
"Wellington: The Iron Duke" Author: Richard Holmes Publisher: Harper Collins 2003 ISBN: 0007137508
