Napoleon abdicated on April 12, and a few days later the war was brought to a close by the signing of conventions with Soult and Berthier. In May the triumphant general was created Marquis of Douro and Duke of Wellington, with an annuity of $50,000, commuted after ward for $2,000,000. He received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. In July he went as ambassador to France, and succeeded Lord Castlereagh as British representative in the Con gress of Vienna. In April he took com mand of the army assembled in the Netherlands to oppose Napoleon (see FRANCE : NAPOLEON I.: WATERLOO, BATTLE OF) . On his return to England after the restoration of peace he re ceived a vote of $1,000,000 for the pur chase of the estate of Strathfieldsaye, to be held on presenting a colored flag at Windsor on the 18th of June each year.
With the return of peace he resumed the career of politics. He accepted the post of master-general of the ordnance with a seat in the cabinet of Lord Liver pool in January, 1819. In 1822 he repre sented Great Britain in the Congress of Vienna. In 1826 he was appointed high
constable of the Tower. On Jan. 22, 1827, he succeeded the Duke of York as Commander-in-Chief of the forces. On Jan. 8, 1828, he accepted the premier ship, resigning the command of the forces to Lord Hill. In January, 1829, he was appointed governor of Dover Castle, and lord warden of the Cinque Ports. In 1830 repeated motions for parliamentary reform were defeated, but the growing discontent throughout the country on this subject and a defeat in Parliament caused the resignation of the government in November. His opposi tion to reform made the duke so un popular that he was assaulted by the mob June 18, 1832, and his life endan gered. He accepted office under Sir Rob ert Peel in 1834-1841, and again in 1846, when he helped to carry the repeal of the corn laws, which till then he had opposed. In 1842 he resumed the com mand of the forces on the death of Lord Hill. He died in Wabner Castle, Sept. 14, 1852.