7. The Peninsular War reached its peak in the early years of the Regency
The British Army in Spain, under Arthur Wellesley, fought a long and difficult campaign against the French troops under several of Napoleon’s Marshals. In 1812 Napoleon embarked on his ill-fated campaign in Russia, and the tide in Spain turned in favor of the British. On July 22, 1812, a combined British-Portuguese Army under Wellesley defeated the French at the Battle of Salamanca. He received the title Earl of Wellington in acknowledgment of the decisive victory. The title later elevated to Marquess of Wellington, and after invading southern France in the spring of 1814 became acclaimed as Britain’s foremost soldier. He was elevated to Duke of Wellington following Napoleon’s first abdication.
Wellington chose that surname for his titles because the Regency already had in place a Marquess of Wellesley. His brother Richard Wellesley served the Regency as Foreign Secretary in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval. Following Perceval’s assassination, he retired, in no small part because he held a perception of a lack of support from the cabinet for his brother’s conduct of the war in Spain. The Duke of Wellington became a major political figure in Britain after his final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. Offered command of British troops in America in 1814 (the expedition which ultimately burned Washington), he declined. He recommended instead peace be negotiated on the policy of status quo antebellum, as it was in late 1814.