March 22
General Arthur Wellesley, future Duke of Wellington, arrives in Lisbon to take command of the Portuguese and British troops
During the Peninsular War, Lieutenant General Sir Wellesley was responsible for commanding the allied forces against the French invasion. He was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal following his triumph over the French army at the battle of Vitória in 1813 when he led an army made up of British, Portuguese and Spanish troops and making a crucial contribution to ending the Peninsular War.