Duke of Wellington signed handwritten letterA handwritten & signed letter from the Duke of Wellington, English military leader and British Prime Minister. Sir Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, was one of the leading English military and political figures of the 19th century. Through his insightful leadership of British and allied forces, he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The 'Iron Duke' died a veteran of some 60 battles across the Empire, a leading statesman