I’ve long been fascinated with the life of Sir Arthur Wellesley, perhaps better known to the world at large as The Duke of Wellington. With the 200th anniversary of Waterloo having just arrived, the Iron Duke is regaining his position of rightful prominence in the public consciousness.
All things considered, Wellesley was one of the finest generals ever to take to the field. Unfairly miscast as a primarily defensive general, he was also a tactical genius when it came to the attack. Prior to Waterloo, his Peninsula campaign was nothing short of brilliant; Wellington beat the best generals that France had to offer, and – as we all know – finally beat the great Napoleon Boneparte himself. Wellington was simply that good – though perhaps the less said about his political career, the better…
On visits to London, my wife usually indulges me in a visit to Apsley House, home of the great man for many years. I urge you to visit if you haven’t already. Simply walking in the footsteps of the Duke is a humbling experience, and the walls practically exude history. If only they could talk…the great banqueting table, with the grand painting of Wellington and his officers acting as a backdrop, is truly a sight to behold. One can also view the Duke’s death mask, and many of the personal effects that he took with him on field service.
Wellington is buried in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral, just a few yards away from that other great British icon, Horatio Nelson. I found it to be a strange and almost disconcerting experience to find that the cafeteria at St. Paul’s is right next to the crypt, somewhat spoiling what ought to be a respectfully hushed atmosphere.
Considering my lifelong interest in the Duke’s career and personal life, it should come as no great surprise that he should be the subject of my first novel. Wellington is no stranger to the world of fiction – he appears regularly in Bernard Cornwell’s peerless “Sharpe” novels, and Simon Scarrow has written a quartet of excellent books that feature both Wellington and Napoleon as the protagonists.
My take is somewhat different.
The books that I have written so far all cover the subject of the paranormal, and it’s a small leap from there to the fantastic fictional realm of the vampire, werewolf, zombie, and other terrors which are the stuff of nightmares. I wanted to meld the two, and so we have the arrival of an ongoing series , “Wellington Undead,” in which the Duke – along with many of his contemporaries – happens to be a vampire.
The first novel of the series, “The Beast of Mysore,” opens with a young (and now immortal) Colonel Arthur Wellesley, engaged in the British Army’s assault upon the Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Tipu had a fanatical devotion to tigers, and the reason for that is a plot point about which the novel turns.
What happens when the vampire and the tiger clash? I hope that you pick up a copy of “The Beast of Mysore” and find out for yourself! The book will be available in August.
