WELLINGTON, Duke of (1769-1852). Third son of Viscount Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, served in 1797 in the Indian army, returned to England in 1805. Commanded the British army in the Peninsula and conquered Napoleon at Waterloo. He was a member of several Ministries.
WERTHER, Wilhelm, Baron von (1772-1859). A Prussian diplomatist. Was Minister at Paris (1824-1837) and Minister for Foreign Affairs at Berlin (1837-1841). He married Sophia, Countess Sandizell, a Bavarian lady who died in 1853.
WESSENBERG, Ampringen, Baron (1773-1858). An Austrian diplomatist, was a member of the Conferences at London in 1830, and in 1848 was for a short time Minister for Foreign Affairs.
WEYER, Sylvan van de (1803-1874). A Belgian statesman and man of letters. He was charged with an important mission to London, and succeeded in obtaining the acceptance of the proposition to summon a Conference in London to settle the new Belgian constitution, and the recognition of Prince Leopold of Coburg as King of the Belgians. In 1845 he was recalled to preside over the Cabinet, and in 1846 again became Ambassador in London till 1867, when he retired from public life.
WILLIAM II., King of the Netherlands (1792-1849). Married in 1818 Anna Paulowna, daughter of the Czar Paul of Russia, and had a peaceful and prosperous reign.
WILLIAM IV., King of England (1765-1837). He ascended the throne at the age of sixty-five, succeeding his brother, George IV. He reigned from 1830 to 1837. He married in 1818 Adelaide, daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, or the Bastard, Duke of Normandy and King of England (1027-1087). He conquered England in 1066, and strongly organised his kingdom by creating a feudal nobility.
WILLIAM TELL. Died 1354. One of the leaders of the revolt which freed Switzerland in 1307.
WILLOUGHBY COTTON, Sir Henry (1796-1865). A Member of the House of Commons.
WINCHELSEA, Lord (1791-1858). George William Hatton. His first wife was a daughter of the Duke of Montrose. In 1829 he had a famous duel with the Duke of Wellington. The Duke missed his adversary, and Lord Winchelsea fired in the air.