Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington (1 May 1769 - 13 April 1813) was a British soldier most famous for his contributions to the early successes of the Allies in the Peninsular War, in particular for his victory at Salamanca, one of the few major defeats for French forces during the broader Imperial Wars. A keen field commander, Wellesley contributed to the war of attrition in occupied Spain, even capturing Madrid at one point in 1812, but was forced to withdraw to Ciudad Rodrigo that winter, and his 1813 offensive after regrouping led to his death at Toledo in April as the Allies attempted to recapture Madrid, and his death turned the tide of the war in France's favor.