New Work & Research

"Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on"- The Bank of England in the Peninsular War, 1807-1814

Rossiter, Max

This thesis examines the role of the Bank of England during the Peninsular War. Between 1807 and 1814, Britain was involved in a war in the Iberian Peninsula against Napoleonic France. Due to changes in the British monetary system in the late eighteenth century, the Bank of England became increasingly attached to the British state and its ability to wage war. This, however, often led to arguments between the Bank and the government. Despite this, this thesis will demonstrate that the Bank of England saw itself as self-consciously part of the British state and was a vital part of the victory in the Peninsular War.

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"Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on"- The Bank of England in the Peninsular War, 1807-1814