Horatio Nelson
(1758 - 1805)

The most famous of Britain's navel heroes at the time of the Napoleonic wars. Horatio Nelson was born in a little village in Norfolk, England. He entered the navy at the age of 12 and became a captain by the time he was 20. He served in the West Indies, the Baltic and Canada.

In 1793, Britain entered the French Revolutionary Wars and Nelson commanded the British ship Agamemnon. He served brilliantly throughout the following 5 years, culminating in the stranding of Napoleon 1 and the entire French army in Egypt.

Upon the renewal of the Napoleonic Wars (1803), Nelson commanded the British fleet from the deck of the famous flagship H.M.S. Victory.

For 22 months Nelson pursued the French fleet back and forth across the Atlantic until the combined forces entered into the final battle leading to the defeat of the French off of Cape Trafalgar. Nelson won this most spectacular victory but died in action.

Horatio Nelson was a remarkable man, a great naval tactician and most victorious in battle, yet with a warm human passion that lead to his famous and earthy love affair with Lady Emma Hamilton.

Their first meeting in 1793 proved unforgettable and 5 years later Nelson returned to Naples. Lady Hamilton met his ship and fell sobbing into his arm, as he had lost the other in battle. From then on they were inseparable. As they both were already married, Neopolitan society was amused with the gossip about the brave admiral and his mistress.