Search the Collection

Britain was at war with France for most of the Regency, from 1793 when France declared hostilities until 1815 when Napoleon was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. Mass-mobilisation for these wars created a new sense of nationhood while evangelical propaganda encouraged the British to see themselves as the 'Saviours of Europe'. This popular enthusiasm was also applied to individuals. The two great heroes of the age, Nelson and Wellington, were transformed into enduring icons of Britain. While Wellington was an aristocrat and did not worry about his popular reputation, Nelson was keen to control his creation as a hero from the beginning.