Andrew Lambert is the author of “NO MORE NAPOLEONS: HOW BRITAIN MANAGED EUROPE FROM WATERLOO TO WORLD WAR ONE”
He met with The Chelsea Society and explained how, for just under a century, Britain ensured it would not face another Napoleon – manipulating European powers while building a global maritime empire. This is the remarkable story of how Britain kept a whole continent in check – until the final collapse of this delicately-balanced order in 1914.
At the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, a fragile peace emerged in Europe. The continent’s borders were redrawn, and the French Empire, once a significant threat to British security, was for now cut down to size. But after decades of ceaseless conflict, Britain’s own economy was beset by a crippling debt. How could a small, insular seapower state secure order across the Channel?
Andrew Lambert argues for a dynamic new understanding of the nineteenth century, showing how British policymakers shaped a stable European system that it could balance from offshore. Through judicious deployment of naval power against continental forces, and the defence strategy of statesmen such as the Duke of Wellington, Britain ensured no single European state could rise to pose a threat, rebuilt its economy, and established naval and trade dominance across the globe.
Andrew Lambert is Laughton Professor of Naval History at King’s College London, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of many books including Nelson, Seapower States and The British Way of War.
