It is important when considering their careers not to lose sight of the different circumstances in which each man sought advancement. Napoleon was very fortunate to be in Paris at the time of the royalist uprising. That made him a reputation he was quick to exploit. Indeed, he wore good fortune like a second skin in his meteoric rise to the rank of First Consul. For Wellesley, mired in a far less flexible political and military context, the prospects for promotion were much more limited than his great rival’s - at least until he arrived in India where British ambitions to extend the influence of the East India Company at last provided him with the chance to experiment with and perfect his ideas about generalship. His natural flair, and tireless dedication to his calling, were soon appreciated by his superiors who often manipulated the rigid rules of military precedence to secure him a commander’s role in the campaigns in which he fought. Unlike the fiery Napoleon, Wellesley was the embodiment of calm collected command, as his officers and men frequently commented in reports and letters home.

With Napoleon now master of France and a formidable power within Europe, and Wellesley the hero of India, the stage is set for each man to carve out his place in history. While Napoleon seeks to make France the undisputed power in Europe, Arthur is just as strongly resolved to defeat France and save his nation from the chaos and bloodshed of revolutionary ideals.

For those who wish to flesh out their knowledge of the background to The Generals I thoroughly recommend the following titles. David Chandler’s compendious The Campaigns of Napoleon provides detailed accounts of the campaigns and battles and a fascinating analysis of Napoleon and his methods. There are ample maps and diagrams to permit the reader to follow the action and some sound judgements about Napoleon’s motives and ambitions. For Wellesley, I would recommend Jac Weller’s Wellington in India. Again, it is a detailed and racy account of the young British officer’s rise to fame as he develops a successful means of waging war across India that had eluded all his predecessors.Weller is one of those historians who has walked the ground and his book is a useful guide to anyone who wishes to explore the battlefields in person. For a wonderful appreciation of the experiences of the British military in India I heartily recommend the delightful Sahib by Richard Holmes. Finally, an honourable mention must go to Paul Strathern for his excellent upcoming work on Napoleon in Egypt, a proof of which unfortunately arrived just after I had completed this book.