History lovers throughout the world to learn more about Waterloo and the Duke of Wellington from University of Southampton academics
Many thousands of people from around the world will discover more about one of Britain’s most famous military leaders and politicians from leading historians at the University of Southampton this summer. Academics are preparing a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on the Duke of Wellington’s victory at the Battle of Waterloo 200 years ago.
Over three weeks, the innovative free study programme on the FutureLearn platform will cover events from the French Revolution to the decisive battle that finally defeated Napoleon, why the conflict was significant and how it changed Europe forever. Programme leader Professor Chris Woolgar and Senior Archivist Karen Robson are using important primary sources from the Wellington Archive held at the University to give students authentic insights into life in the early 19th century.
“Everyone has heard of Waterloo but few know the importance of the battle as a turning point in European history,” explains Chris. “It brought an end to two decades of war across the world, from the turmoil of the French Revolution to the empire of Napoleon, and saw Louis XVIII restored to the French throne. International powers at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 set new boundaries for states which kept the peace for half a century.”
The Wellington Archive contains around 100,000 items covering all aspects of the Duke’s career, including his years as Prime Minister. As well as important documents, the collection includes engravings and prints of Waterloo ‒ and even a nautilus shell from Australia engraved with images of the general and St George.
Professor Anne Curry, Dean of Humanities at Southampton, and a historian herself, is delighted to launch the Wellington and the Battle of Waterloo MOOC. “Our University was ranked in the top three of UK history departments in the latest national assessment of research quality (REF2014). We always enjoy communicating the fruits of our research to anyone interested in lifelong learning and we are thrilled that thousands of people have already signed up for the course.”
The Wellington and the Battle of Waterloo MOOC will take around four hours a week study and certificates of completion will be available. Professor Chris Woolgar and his colleague Senior Archivist Karen Robson will lead discussions online during the programme.
More than a million people have already signed up with FutureLearn to make exciting discoveries in the arts and sciences. The University of Southampton is a key partner in the worldwide initiative and is currently offering several free courses ranging from Roman and maritime archaeology to concepts in language learning and effective contract management.
Sign up now for our FREE Wellington and Waterloo course:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/wellington-and-waterloo