Why the Battle of Waterloo is wrongly named

In about a month’s time, on 18 June 2015, we shall be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo when the Duke of of Wellington, leading a mixed force of British, Prussian and other nationalities, defeated the French army of Napoleon.

I am currently reading a biography of Wellington written by Richard Holmes and published in 2002. Holmes points out that battles are named by the victor and Wellington chose to call the site of his victory Waterloo when in fact the conflict took place at Mont Saint Jean further south of Brusssels in Belgium.

Wellington’s thinking was that the British public would find it easier to pronounce Waterloo than Mont Saint Jean.  I guess he was right. Imagine a London railway station and tube stop named Mont Saint Jean.

Wellington and Napoleon were both fascinating characters and sometime ago I read a book which compared and contrasted the two. You can read my review here.


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