As part of the National Army Museum’s Waterloo Week marking the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, the museum will host a talk by Professor Andrew Lambert who will discuss the impact Napoleon left on Anglo-European politics and how Britain worked to secure order in Europe.
Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Europe entered a period of tenuous peace. The borders of the continent were redefined, and the French Empire, which had previously posed a significant danger to British security, was temporarily diminished. However, after years of relentless warfare, Britain found itself burdened by substantial debt. How could this relatively small, insular maritime nation maintain order across the English Channel?
Andrew Lambert presents a compelling new perspective on the nineteenth century, illustrating how British leaders crafted a stable European framework that they could manage from a distance. By strategically utilizing naval power against continental adversaries and implementing defense strategies championed by figures like the Duke of Wellington, Britain ensured that no single European nation could ascend to a threatening position, revitalized its economy, and established its dominance in naval and trade matters worldwide.
This narrative highlights Britain’s extraordinary ability to maintain control over an entire continent until the fragile equilibrium collapsed at the onset of the First World War.
Andrew Lambert is Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. His books include, ‘The Crimean War, 1853-1856’ and ‘The British Way of War’.
For more information and how to book: https://www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/no-more-napoleons-how-britain-managed-europe-waterloo-world-war-one
