I don't understand why the hell Diana was even on the list at all. Even No 100 would be ludicrous. The readers of a certain newspaper must have packed hell of a punch in the voting. It's a totally messed up and oddly balanced list though. Oliver Cromwell, a greatest Briton? A religious nutcase who butchered his way around Ireland? Any list that puts John Lennon a druggie song writer and Diana who's main claim to fame was bagging a Prince, and then cheating on him, including bearing another mans child, clearly has issues lol I like Lennon, I like a lot of his music, though prefer Solo to the beatles crap. (not a fan) but top 10?
Duke of Wellington should be top 10. He faced off and defeated a threat to the British Isles almost as severe as the one Churchill faced in 1939. Imagine Wellyboots failed in 1812/13, the British Army of the Peninsular has been comprehensively smashed, Wellyboots is either dead or a prisoner, as are the subordinate Generals that he trusted, the likes of Picton his military allies in equal disaray.
This means that the British Army has effectively ceased to exist in a Europe/Britain context, apart from troops deployed into Ireland, and new recruits undergoing training in barracks, the mainland United Kingdom is mostly defended by local Militia. It could take months to get troops back from Colonial interests and wars abroad, India, North America, Australasia. It has lost its best Generals, in a European context again at least. Remember before Sir Arthur was sent to Portugal, the AOP and the War against Boney was near enough a total disaster. What Britain faces after such a defeat cannot have much potential for good.
Aye, Boney has recently been spanked in Russia, but he has now destroyed the greatest threat to his ambitions. The Emperor will shortly once more control all of Spain and Portugal, he has iirc part of Italy, and most of the provinces of Belgium and the Netherlands, and big swathes of Germany are under his control, or soon will be once more.
As soon as he can get his hands on enough ships he could mount an invasion of the UK, though thankfully the Royal Navy is very much a force to be reckoned with still. The Parallels with WW2 just seem really close - again in 1940/1 the only thing that prevented an attempted invasion of the UK by Germany was the might of the Royal Navy vs a Kriegsmarine with much less bite. It is why Horatio N deserves to be top 10 since Trafalgar created the position where the French Navy was no threat.
Owain Glyndwr is on the list, which makes some people raise eyebrows, but why not. Of course, as a Welshman, who's hometown flies his familial royal standard, the Banner of Aberffraw as frequently as the Red Dragon (despite not being in Gwynedd) I am happy for him to be on the list, but we Brits also love the underdog!
And come on what an underdog!! He turns an argument with a neighbour into a full scale rebellion, liberates huge chunks of Wales and destroys iirc 3 entire English Armies, relying heavily on peasants with War Bows. If I remember my history, had the last battle failed for England, and especially if the Hotspur's had revolted from the North in time, the King would have been completely bankrupt. Not bad going for an underdog!
It is one of those things that bring out my awe at how history balances on the strangest moments. Knowing he had a War in France to fight, the King, once hostilities in Wales were over, straight away began pardoning any Welshman skilled with a War Bow who would sign up to fight in France for him, and of course, not long after, English and Welsh Peasants near exterminated and universally embarressed the Nobility of France at a small place called Azincourt.
Equally Dafydd Gam (Davey Gam) refused to join Owain in his revolt, as he had taken an Oath to the King, and was a man of his word - at Azincourt he took a mortal wound saving the King's life, had he joined Owain, Azincourt could well have turned out different had the King died....
