Nelson

"I will be a hero, and confiding in Providence, I will brave every danger!" Nelson was 18 in 1776 when he made this declaration. By the time of his death in 1805 he had established himself as a brilliant fighting commander and naval tactician. His reputation as one of the greatest heroes of British history has lasted nearly two centuries. This book, illustrated with images from the vast photographic archive of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, describes Nelson's career, personality and relationships - including his notorious affair with Lady Emma Hamilton - and places his life in the social, political and naval context of the times. Artefacts from the museum's major new Nelson gallery bring history to life in this biography, from portraits and battle scenes to everyday items such as the combined knife and fork used by Nelson after the loss of his arm; and the uniform coat and pigtail taken to Emma Hamilton by Hardy after Nelson's death.