Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Admiral Horatio Nelson

On October 21, 1805, the British fleet, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets off the coast of Spain during the Battle of Trafalgar. This victory established the British Navy as the dominant maritime power until the 20th century.

Admiral Nelson was killed during the engagement while standing on the bridge of his flagship, the Victoria. Before his death, he issued his famous signal: ‘England expects every man to do his duty.’ Following his death, Nelson's body was preserved in a barrel filled with brandy, camphor, and myrrh to facilitate transport. He was returned to London three months later to be buried by his beloved Emma.

Born in Norfolk in 1758, Nelson came from a family with notable connections, including his grandfather, Sir Robert Walpole, the first British Prime Minister. Despite suffering from seasickness, Nelson rose through the ranks during the French Revolutionary Wars, commanding vessels such as the Agamemnon.