Despatches and Correspondence of the Marquess Wellesley, K. G.

Richard, Marquess Wellesley (1760–1842) became one of the most controversial politicians of his generation during his time as Governor-General of Bengal (1798–1805). Although this period saw him achieve territorial gains in India, the financial cost was considered too high and many in London disagreed with the changes he made in Bengal. In 1809, after his return to Britain, he was appointed ambassador to Spain during the height of the Peninsular War (1808–1814) between France and an alliance of Britain, Spain and Portugal. His younger brother Arthur, the Duke of Wellington, was one of the key generals during this campaign. This collection of papers, published in 1838, covers this brief but dramatic period of Wellesley's career, after which he was appointed foreign secretary. Its editor, the political activist and historian Robert Montgomery Martin (1800–1868), also edited five volumes of Wellesley's Indian correspondence (also available in this series).