Lord Nelson's legacy must be defended from lies and forgeries | History Defended

Horatio Nelson, perhaps Britain’s greatest naval commander, ensured his country was secure from French invasion, and his death immortalised his name forever in the nation's national identity.
Yet today there are some who claim Nelson was no hero at all.
In fact, they demand his statue is pulled down, his name be removed from street signs and to see him as an imperialist who supported the slave trade.
In the latest series of the video podcast History Defended, Professor Andrew Lambert of King’s College London takes on the attacks on Lord Nelson.
Steven Edginton sits down with Lambert to discuss the life and controversies of the naval hero of the Napoleonic wars.
Watch the full episode above, or listen on your podcast app by searching “History Defended”.
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[@earthredalert]

Nelson is our national hero. We will defend his legacy.

[@TheMap1997]

I can't believe people in Britain especially England wants to cancelled Lord Nelson. As a history student from Indonesia, the man is an absolute treasure. His contribution to British history is not a small feat.

[@nigelsheppard625]

Unfortunately, education in the UK is now largely revisionist based upon a Marxist "reimagining" of history. The presentation of history on the BBC as well as in education is one of underlining shame in heritage and culture.

[@sparkleypegs8350]

Nelson was a true hero. An amazing person both in deed and personality. Loved by all until now. He will ALWAYS be Britain's greatest hero.

[@corboshousepetsittingplus1827]

I wish someone would make a quality TV series of the Life and Times of Horatio Nelson. So many great stories. He was ahead of his time. His men loved him. He improved quality of work and diet for ordinary seamen. Always first to lead in action. True hero for his age and all time.

[@isntimportant]

There's a million documentaries about him. And let's be real - if they made a TV series today about him he'd be a black woman. So let's leave off this one a bit huh?

[@markcorbo6388]

Not really. A film and major tv series is called for. Documentaries are quite different.

[@davidenko2468]

I agree far too many people seem to be okay with the erasing of our history

[@JFDA5458]

Or manipulating it to present historical figures in a completely different, vilified way.

[@saltburner2]

Communism demands it, and communism rules the intelligentsia and their willing gulls.

[@dendradwar9464]

Yep, so very important not to let it happen

[@philipdutton785]

No. Just correcting it or should we just allow a lie to become our history? I'm sure he did some great things but don't just tell those stories tell them all!

[@JFDA5458]

@@philipdutton785 Fine, but removing him a la Edward Colston? Is that acceptable?

[@GMN360]

I love learning from knowledgeable, educated, and intelligent people with balanced views.

[@johnsimspon8893]

People who want to tear him down, do so because of jealousy: They have no one of his calibre in their history.

[@harryflashman4542]

Can the people complaining prove their ancestors were enlightened humanitarians.

[@marmotensen]

🎯👌

[@JustPlayVideos]

finally some good content coming from mainstream media and a lot of it well done

[@elkpaz560]

The initiative of an admirable young journalist with an enquiring mind.

[@christopherduke8935]

Ask yourselves: Who benefits from the erasure and revision of our nation's heritage? Who stands to gain via our division, the pulling up of our roots, and denigration of our national heroes? Who has the power to manufacture, promote, and broadcast this new policy? All good questions in the pursuit of truth.

[@count69]

The WEF

[@stewartellinson8846]

ask yourself: who benefits from narratives that reinforce the role of the elite whilst denigrating that of the less strong and the outsider? the tories.

[@andycoatsworth7473]

A masterful piece.

[@cecilefox9136]

I believe this wonderful naval historian's interpretation regarding the ¨Letter¨

[@nigelsheppard625]

It's not merely an interpretation. The Letter was resoundingly debunked as soon as it was published.

[@cecilefox9136]

@@nigelsheppard625 I see.

[@manofkent4472]

He has the best statue as he was quite simply, the best of the best.

[@roverboat2503]

Nelson was part of the Navy that abolished the slave trade internationally.

[@castelodeossos3947]

Afraid Professor Lambert makes it clear that Nelson was dead before the British parliament declared slavery illegal. Nelson was therefore not part of the Navy that abolished the slave trade except hypothetically. In reality, historically (as the learned gentleman says), Nelson was only part of the Navy that upheld the slave trade.

[@roverboat2503]

@@castelodeossos3947 And as the learned gentleman said, he was obeying the current law. If he had lived beyond Trafalgar, he would have continued obeying his commands from Government.

[@garyrumsby3330]

If he knew that people would want to topple his statue He might not have tried as hard

[@davebloke829]

These worms couldn't even imagine what he went through, a true hero....the weak can piss off

[@MrStringybark]

If Nelson spent his life fighting for the right to enslave people then yes he should be regarded as an evil man. But, if he is just like most of us, a creation of his time, then we shouldn't judge him by standards even a saint would find difficult to live up to.

[@kevinluby4783]

History is rarely black and white, but most would say it is morally, in regard to slavery, even people who lived back in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The abolitionists were also of their time, so Nelson did make a choice.

[@chrissorensen96]

Yes, he made a choice to obey and uphold Crown Law until it passed Abolition, and by then he was no longer alive to command the West African Squadron to destroy the Slave Trade - because he died two years too soon.

[@randomobserver8168]

@@kevinluby4783 That is true enough, though from what I can see his writing a letter that indicates sympathy with a group of people who by ethnicity and class were similar to him, even engaged in such a way of life, rather than those who were not as similar to him, is pretty standard human conduct. Hardly warrants comment. Far more people in all times and places think like that, and likely so even today. It does not make him a hero in the anti-slavery cause, to be sure, but it does not detract at all from his heroism in the cause for which he served, his country. I do not think the latter less important. I might even think it more so, in a time and place when it was actually involved in challenging circumstances. If he had spent time as a slave trader, perhaps that could be taken more seriously.

[@ThePierre58]

I wonder how history will judge our generation?

[@tonyburzio4107]

Ask the Chinese, they will be the ones who write it.

[@stewartellinson8846]

in various ways. it will depend on the historian

[@cornishjollyboy4524]

I couldn't agree more

[@mrperfectedkelly]

Andrew is my favourite expert on Nelson

[@ItsTonyN5]

….. people “Demand”? Is that like ….people “Demanded the Rochdale review be released?

[@jdmesa0925]

thanks

[@PaulRoundhill]

Thankyou for such a great account - it is deeply impressive. It is interesting how Nelson used the media - I want to hear more about those young men wearing outrageous clothes!

[@Teelan.5268]

26:30 Admiral Sir George Cockburn, my ancestor!!! super proud

[@thecommonword6996]

Important series

[@henriquesoeiromendes]

Here we go with judging people from a different time by todays standarts.

[@angusmcangus7914]

"Britain has larger navy now than it's had for a long time". I don't think so. Not with only 19 surface units and 10 submarines.

[@chrissorensen96]

Nelson was a man of all his mixed race crews, and the public embraced that fact.

[@robertcgage]

I agree without the past we lose where we've been and where we are heading, For without witch direction can be changed easily without knowing.

[@glennmitchell9107]

And what was the Duke of Wellington, chopped liver? Over the hills and far away.

[@fraserct533]

perhaps he's the subject of a future episode 🤞

[@williamiannucci2740]

Now we need Mr Trump to do the same as Mr Nelson. 👍 🇺🇸

[@fraserct533]

how are the two connected or similar?

[@Clipgatherer]

The good professor wasn’t asked about Nelson’s part in putting down the Jacobin mutiny in Naples and the execution of some of the captured rebels - at Nelson’s order. That was hardly a glorious episode in the Great Hero’s career.

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Check out Patrick O’Brian books Master and Commander

[@leswilson9062]

Rule britania

[@garyrumsby3330]

He had a pork sandwich at Scarborough that’s good enough to vilify any national hero

[@RNS681]

UTTER JOKE!!!

[@peterlubbers5947]

Om my lord the Woke revolutionaries want to kill Lord Nelson again!🤨

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Napoleon was more famous than Nelson

[@davidtuer5825]

Is there any point to this post?

[@castelodeossos3947]

@@davidtuer5825 The good professor twice declares that Nelson was 'the most famous man on the planet' (5:17) + (12:55)

[@chrissorensen96]

Incorrect. They were both equally famous. One was simply a megalomaniac while the other was Nelson.

[@artoriusdane5849]

Napoleon was great in land battle,but navel battle Nelson is in another level!

[@archereegmb8032]

Nelson was Famous. Napoleon was Infamous