Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a military commander, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the founder of King’s College London.

Born in 1769 to an aristocratic Anglo-Irish family, the Duke earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most successful military figures.

A quiet child with a love of music, the Duke originally had no desire to pursue a military career. However, when his father passed away, he joined the Highland Regiment to provide for himself and his mother.

The Duke proved to be a gifted military leader, quickly rising through the ranks to become a commander. He fought in several major battles, including the Flanders campaign, the Anglo-Mysore Wars in India and the Battle of Waterloo.

In 1806, the Duke was elected a Member of Parliament. He continued his military career while in office, fighting in Portugal and France, and commanding the British Army in the Peninsula War. In 1828, he became Prime Minister, serving until 1830.

The Duke’s stern and often authoritative leadership style earned him the nickname, ‘The Iron Duke’. As Prime Minister, he developed a reputation for pushing back against reform and social justice causes. He opposed the Jewish Civil Disabilities Repeal Bill, which allowed Jewish people to enter Parliament in the UK (stating he believed that a Christian country should have Christian legislature).

Despite his intolerance towards non-Christians, the Duke supported the civil rights of Catholics. One of his greatest achievements was overseeing Catholic emancipation in 1829.

That same year, the Duke chaired a public meeting to found a ‘university college.’ It was from this discussion that King’s College London, in its initial form, was born. The founding college was created in response to ‘London University’, which would become University College London (UCL).

The Duke’s open support for Catholic rights made him a powerful enemy in the Earl of Winchelsea. Tensions reached boiling point when the Earl challenged the Duke to a duel, which took place on 21 March 1829. Fortunately, neither man was harmed in the end. This fateful date would come to be known as ‘Duel Day’, marking the official anniversary of the founding of King College London.

Winchelsea later apologised to the Duke and a royal charter was granted. In October 1831, King’s opened its doors to students for the first time.

The Duke of Wellington passed away in 1852 at the age of 83. Find out more about Duel Day and explore the Duke’s legacy here.