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Dukes of Wellington

Dukedom of Wellington
Arms of Dukes of Wellington
Quarterly 1st & 4th: Gules, a cross argent in each quarter five plates in saltire (Wellesley); 2nd & 3rd: Or, a lion rampant gules ducally collared gold (Cowley) over-all in the centre chief point an escutcheon of augmentation charged with the Union badge.
Creation date 11 May 1814
Monarch The Prince Regent (on behalf of his father George III)
Peerage Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington
Present holder Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke
Heir apparent Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Douro
Remainder to the 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles Marquess of Wellington
Marquess of Douro
Earl of Mornington
Earl of Wellington
Viscount Wellesley
Viscount Wellington
Baron Mornington
Baron Douro
Seat(s) Stratfield Saye House
Apsley House

Duke of Wellington is a hereditary title of the senior rank in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It derived from Wellington in Somerset, and was created for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington (born The Hon. Arthur Wesley) (1769–1852), the Anglo-Irish Army leader who is distinguished for leading the decisive victory with Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher over Napoleon Bonaparte's forces at Waterloo in Brabant (now Walloon Brabant, Belgium); Wellesley later served twice as British Prime Minister. General references to "the Duke of Wellington" usually refer to Arthur Wellesley as the 1st Duke of Wellington, unless the context suggests a later date.

The first duke's father was created the 1st Earl of Mornington and their male-line ancestors were wealthy agricultural and urban landowners in both countries, among the Anglo-Irish Protestant Ascendancy.

The dukedom has descended to heirs male of the body with 11 other titles in various jurisdictions.

The titles of Duke of Wellington and Marquess of Douro were bestowed upon Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington, on 11 May 1814 after he returned home a hero following Napoleon's abdication. He fought some 60 battles in his military career, and never lost a single one. He was considered 'the conqueror of Napoleon'. He stands as one of the finest soldiers Great Britain and Ireland has ever produced, others being the Duke of Marlborough & John, 2nd Duke of Argyll.


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