Arthur Wellesley - Tumblr Posts

Personal tribute to such an impressive person as Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Gosh, his life is something incredibly inspirational. I guess it could be a perfect lesson to anyone.

“One evening in 1793, the Speaker introduced me to Mr. Wellesley and Mr. Stewart, two young members who having remained in the House, he had insisted on coming with him to dinner… At the period to which I allude I feel confident nobody could have predicted that one of those young gentlemen would become the most celebrated of his era and the other one of the most mischievous statesman and unfortunate ministers that has ever appeared in modern Europe. However it is observable that to the personal intimacy and reciprocal friendship of these two individuals they mutually owed the extent of their respective elevation and celebrity; Sir Arthur Wellesley would never have had the chief command in Spain but for the Ministerial manoeuvring and aid of Lord Castlereagh,and Lord Castlereagh never could have stood his ground as a Minister but for Lord Wellington’s successes.”

— Sir Jonah Barrington recording the earliest known date of the friendship between Lord Castlereagh and the Duke of Wellington.

Haven’t made full-fledged informative posts for a while but definitely want to continue sharing all the curious things I’m able to find through my endless researches on the Napoleonic era.

For example, I’m a big fan of finding out how exactly the handwritings of certain historical characters looked like. Recently I was able to discover a copy of marshal Blücher’s letter to Metternich which was written by him after the battle of Waterloo and now want to make a short compilation due to the occasion. :)

So, let’s start - as usual - with two historical characters I’m currently obsessed with: Schwarzenberg and Metternich! 🇦🇹

Here come the samples:

The first letter written by Schwarzenberg dates back to the summer of 1812. It is conducted in French (first part of it, actually, the second one is in German) and is directly connected with the participation of an Austrian auxiliary corps commanded by prince Karl himself during Napoleon’s campaign in Russia. This letter is one of many - m a n y - letters which Schwarzenberg sent his wife, Marie Anne (“Marianna” for all her loved ones as it was with Metternich’s wife - everybody in Vienna called Eleonora von Kaunitz-Rietberg “Laura” or “Laurel”) von Hohenfeld, practically anytime they were apart. You can actually see his usual tender address to her at the beginning of the ninth line - “ma Nany”. ❤️

As for Metternich’s handwriting, it comes from a single fragment of a letter (or some memoir, perhaps) written in German. It’s a pity that on a site of the auction there was only this small part… However, we can at least admire Metternich’s signature in all it’s flamboyant glory!

Klemens loved to strike directly at people’s hearts and his signature represents it in full measure, for sure. ✨

I’m also such a big fan of the way how the letter “z” looked in a handwritten form of German language, it’s just ah! Magnificent! Besides, it closely resembles the handwritten form of the same letter in Russian - “з” - that I find fascinating. :)

(Moreover, if you are suddenly curious about Schwarzenberg’s signature, I can provide!

You are welcome~)

Now we can talk about the main piece of cake - Blücher‘s letter written in German! No doubt, there was a lot to describe after such a hard-fought battle. 😅

You can examine marshal’s signature as well. I’ll leave all the judgements to you, my dear readers!

And the man who closes the selection for today is the victor at Waterloo himself - here’s a later sample of Arthur Wellesley’s handwriting which will serve us as a cherry on top of the Austro-Prussian cake. 🇬🇧

Thank you for your attention as always! 💗

Blücher: I feel like I can be myself around you.

Wellington: You’re loud and scary around me.

Blücher: Yes.

Wellington, over the phone: So remember how I told you this morning how Blücher and I were going to have a calm night out?

Metternich: You did say that, yes.

Wellington: Well… he and I may have ended up in jail-

Metternich: *hangs up*

Wellington: You’re a nerd, no offense.

Metternich: You know, just because you say “no offense” doesn’t excuse the offensive remark that inevitably follows.

Wellington: Well, in that case, you’re a nerd. Offense intended.  

Metternich, solving a crossword puzzle: Help me out guys, I need a synonym for ‘loser’ with 8 letters.

Wellington: Napoleon.

Napoleon: EXCUSE ME-?!

Metternich: It fits.

Wellington, swinging the door open: Would you take a bullet for me?

Blücher: … Of course?

Metternich: *angrily bursts into the room*

Wellington, already running away: Cool, thanks buddy!

Schwarzenberg: Are you a vegetarian?

Wellington: I’m a Gemini.

Metternich: That’s not what he meant. And you’re wrong, you’re a Taurus.

Blücher: I thought he was Irish?

Metternich: Can I be frank with you guys?

Wellington: Sure, but I don’t see how changing your name is gonna help.

Schwarzenberg: … You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking.

Blücher: Shhh, let Frank speak.

Schwarzenberg: Have any of you ever just stopped and wondered how we‘re still alive?

Blücher: Oh yeah.

Wellington: All the time.

Metternich: By all likelihood we really shouldn‘t be.

“Ars (Britannica) Longa”, cartoon from Punch, 1903

Paris, Hôtel des Invalides,1840. London, St. Paul’s, Nineteen hundred and ?

Wellington’s ghost: “Begad, sir, here’s news! They’re going to finish my memorial at St. Paul’s!” Napoleon’s ghost: “ Déjà?”

Wellington, holding in his laughter: Hey, how do you ask a glass of water what it’s doing?

Metternich: A glass of water is an inanimate object. Therefore, it's incapable of having a thought process or understanding basic human language.

Wellington:

Wellington: Water you doing?

Part 2 of 3

Metternich: Remember when you said you weren’t going to interfere with my love life?

Wellington, after setting up a date for Metternich and Schwarzenberg: Nope, doesn’t sound like me at all.

Okay, I guess, this artwork (drawing practice?) can be present here as well. 😮‍💨

For some reason I haven’t tried to depict Wellington and Castlereagh for 2 years and a half. Last August something made me to do it, however I was able to finish the art only recently.

Still can’t make myself draw someone less popular from the British side of the Napoleonic era. Hopefully, this situation is going to change one day…

At least, the finishing process was very fun! I’m slowly rewatching “Sharpe’s rifles” 5 years after the first viewing and can’t get enough of what I’m seeing, friendly speaking. X)

Like, I feel quite positive about the books and the show itself, even though I may get critique for that. Probably, rightfully. 😗

A little comic about Ney and Wellington

Byron called the confrontation between Wellington and Ney in Spain "a fox hunt". Of course, with a reproach towards Wellington.

However, this did not stop Ney and Wellington from going hunting together after Napoleon's abdication in 1814

I really ship it

I am very inspired by their hatred and respect for each other 🙏🏻

(wowie double post)

Ik I'm late to the Duke of Wellington as a women(if yk what I meant)

But I just wanna make some fanart of

Duchess of Wellington 💥

Just a doodle

I'd let her step on me

NOT BESSIE TAKING MRS.WELLINGTON'S PLACE💀💀