''Sharpe'' is a series of

historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the Setting (narrative), setting of particular real past events, historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literatur ...

stories by

Bernard Cornwell Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his long-running series of novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also writ ...

centred on the character of English soldier Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series featuring

Sean Bean Sean Bean (born Shaun Mark Bean; 17 April 1959) is an English actor. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made his professional debut in a production of ''Romeo and Juliet'' in 1983 at The Watermill Theatre. Retaining his ...

in the title role. Cornwell's series is composed of many novels and several short stories, and charts Sharpe's progress in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

during the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

, though the novels were published in non-chronological order. He begins in ''

Sharpe's Tiger ''Sharpe's Tiger'' is the fifteenth (though first in chronological order) historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell and was first published in 1997. It acts as a prequel to the "original" Sharpe series, which begins in ...

'' as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

in the

33rd Regiment of Foot The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he ...

who is continually promoted, finally rising to lieutenant colonel in ''

Sharpe's Waterloo ''Sharpe's Waterloo'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. Originally published in 1990 under the title ''Waterloo'', it is the eleventh novel of the Sharpe series and the twentieth novel in chronological or ...

''. His military career ends with the final defeat of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, but he has more adventures as a civilian. Sharpe is born to a prostitute in the

rookeries A rookery is a colony of breeding rooks, and more broadly a colony of several types of breeding animals, generally gregarious birds. Coming from the nesting habits of rooks, the term is used for corvids and the breeding grounds of colony-for ...

of London. Orphaned at an early age, he grows up in poverty. He is eventually taken in by prostitute (and later bar owner) Maggie Joyce and becomes a thief. He has to flee the city after killing a man to protect Maggie. Enlisting in the army, he is promoted to sergeant as a reward for completing a highly dangerous espionage-mission in India. He is made an officer, an

ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

, when he saves the life of his commanding officer, Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington), during the

Battle of Assaye The Battle of Assaye was a battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company. It occurred on 23 September 1803 near Assaye in western India. An outnumbered Indian and British force ...

. It is a mixed blessing, as he constantly has to fight class-prejudice in an army where an officer's rank is often purchased without regard to qualification. Cornwell sees to it that he is improbably present at many important battles of the British Empire at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, including the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

. Sharpe is described as "brilliant but wayward" in ''

Sharpe's Sword ''Sharpe's Sword'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. It is the fourth in the series, being first published in 1983, though the fifteenth chronologically. Set in the summer of 1812 including the Battle of ...

'', and he is portrayed by the author as a "loose cannon". He becomes a highly skilled and experienced leader of light troops. In contrast to the honourable

Horatio Hornblower Horatio Hornblower is a fictional officer in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, the protagonist of a series of novels and stories by C. S. Forester. He later became the subject of films and radio and television programmes, and ...

—the inspiration for the series—Sharpe is a rogue, an unabashed thief and murderer who has no qualms about killing a bitter enemy when the opportunity arises. However, he is protective of women in general and has a number of lovers over the course of his life. He is six-feet tall, with an angular, tanned face, long black hair, and blue eyes. He has a deep scar on his right cheek which pulls at his right eye, giving his face a mocking expression when relaxed; this disappears when he smiles, which is not too frequently. By the end of the series, he has had two wives and three children.

Inspiration

Cornwell had enjoyed

C. S. Forester Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series depicting a Royal ...

novels, which depict a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer's career from midshipman to Admiral of the Fleet and retirement. When he could not find a similar series for the

, he decided to write it himself. As a further inducement, he had fallen in love with an American woman who, for various reasons, could not leave the United States, so he relocated. He could not get a

green card A green card, known officially as a permanent resident card, is an identity document which shows that a person has permanent residency in the United States. ("The term 'lawfully admitted for permanent residence' means the status of having been ...

or work permit, so he wrote the first Sharpe novel to make a living. Struggling to come up with a name as distinctive as Horatio Hornblower, he used a placeholder based on the rugby union player Richard Sharp; eventually, he kept it, just adding an "e". The author had intended to write 11 novels, the same number as in the Hornblower series, ending with ''

'', but later changed his mind and continued writing.

Sean Bean

played Sharpe in the British television series '' Sharpe''. Cornwell was so impressed with Bean's portrayal that he expanded Sharpe's backstory to have him growing up in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...

to account for Bean's accent. The author also avoided further mention of Sharpe's black hair (Bean's hair being blond). Bean took over the part from British actor Paul McGann, who more closely resembled Cornwell's description, when the latter was injured playing football during filming of the first episode.

Fictional biography

Early life

Richard Sharpe is born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

circa 1777 (he believes that he may be 22 during the early months of 1799) to a prostitute residing in "Cat Lane" and possibly a French smuggler. When Sharpe is three, his mother is killed in the

Gordon Riots The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days' rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment. They began with a large and orderly protest against the Papists Act 1778, which was intended to reduce official discrimination against British ...

. With no known relatives to raise him, Sharpe is deposited in Jem Hocking's foundling home at Brewhouse Lane,

Wapping Wapping () is an area in the borough of Tower Hamlets in London, England. It is in East London and part of the East End. Wapping is on the north bank of the River Thames between Tower Bridge to the west, and Shadwell to the east. This posit ...

, where he spends his days picking his assigned quota of

oakum Oakum is a preparation of tarred fibers used to seal gaps. Its traditional application was in shipbuilding for caulking or packing the joints of timbers in wooden vessels and the deck planking of iron and steel ships. Oakum was also used in p ...

. He is malnourished and regularly beaten, resulting in his being undersized for his age. Because of this, he is eventually sold to a master

chimney sweep A chimney sweep is a person who inspects then clears soot and creosote from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combust ...

to train as an apprentice at the relatively late age of 12. Fearing the high mortality rate among apprentice sweeps (who are forced to climb inside chimneys and remove soot by hand), Sharpe flees to the

Rookery A rookery is a colony of breeding rooks, and more broadly a colony of several types of breeding animals, generally gregarious birds. Coming from the nesting habits of rooks, the term is used for corvids and the breeding grounds of colony-fo ...

, a slum in

St Giles Saint Giles (, , , , ; 650 - 710), also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 7th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly legendary. A ...

, and is taken in by prostitute (and later bar owner) Maggie Joyce. He stays under Maggie's protection for three years, learning various forms of thieving. Maggie is his first lover. After killing a gang leader during a fight over Maggie, he flees from

at the age of fifteen. He works in a tavern in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

. Within six months, Sharpe kills a second man, the landlord of the tavern where he is working, in a fight over a local girl. To avoid arrest, Sharpe takes the "

King's shilling The King's shilling, sometimes called the Queen's shilling when the sovereign is female, is a historical slang term referring to the earnest payment of one shilling given to recruits to the armed forces of the United Kingdom in the 18th, 19th and ...

", joining the

33rd Foot The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he di ...

, as a result of the blandishments of

recruiting sergeant A recruiting sergeant is a British or American soldier of the rank of sergeant who is tasked to enlist recruits. The term originated in the British army of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The playwright George Farquhar served as an in ...

Obadiah Hakeswill Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

. The regiment is first sent to

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

in 1794, where Sharpe fights in his first battle, at

Boxtel Boxtel () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. The name derives from Buchestelle and is presumably a combination of 'stelle' (Dutch for stable, safe place) and (deer) deer, buck.2019. Etymolog ...

. The next year, he and his regiment are posted to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, under the command of the

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

India

In 1799, Sergeant Hakeswill goads Sharpe into striking him, and Sharpe is sentenced to 2,000 lashes, effectively a death sentence. However, he is released after 200 by executive order (''

'') at Lieutenant

William Lawford Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

's insistence so that he can accompany Lawford on a vital secret mission. They are sent to contact (rescue if possible) Lawford's uncle, Colonel Hector McCandless, the head of

intelligence. They join

Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (, , ''Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu''; 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799) commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore or "Tiger of Mysore", was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery ...

's army, posing as British deserters, but are later betrayed by Hakeswill (who has been captured) and imprisoned. Lawford teaches Sharpe to read and write whilst they languish in a dungeon with McCandless. Sharpe picks the lock of their cell and escapes during the siege of Seringapatam. He prematurely detonates a mine meant to devastate the British army when it breaches the city wall. The British take the city. He then kills the fleeing Tipu unobserved during the fighting and takes a fortune in jewels from the corpse. He is promoted to

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

for his efforts. Sharpe serves four uneventful years as a sergeant. In 1803, he is the sole survivor of a massacre of the garrison of a small fort carried out by a

turncoat A Turncoat, also known as a Turncloak, is a person who shifts allegiance from one loyalty or ideal to another, betraying or deserting an original cause by switching to the opposing side or party. In political and social history, this is distinc ...

East India Company officer, William Dodd ('' Sharpe's Triumph''). Because he can identify Dodd, Sharpe is taken along by McCandless on a mission to capture and punish the renegade, to discourage others from deserting. Their search takes them first to battles at

Ahmednuggur Ahmednagar, officially Ahilyanagar, is a city in, and the headquarters of, the Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. Ahmednagar has several dozen buildings and sites from the Nizam Shahi period. Ahmednagar Fort, once considered almost impre ...

and then Assaye. At Assaye, the greatly outnumbered British force is commanded by Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington). When Wellesley's orderly is killed, by chance Sharpe is the only one available to take his place, and so is at hand when Wellesley is unhorsed alone and amongst the enemy. Sharpe single-handedly saves the general's life, killing about half a dozen soldiers and holding the rest at bay until help arrives. Wellesley rewards him with a battlefield commission as an

, though Wellesley is certain it will not turn out well. Sharpe joins the 74th Regiment. Sharpe receives a cold welcome from many of his fellow officers, who dislike him due to his low birth, and the common soldiers, who resent being commanded by someone from their own ranks, and he has great difficulty adjusting to his new status and role. In the end, the commander of the 74th pressures him to transfer to the newly formed 95th Rifles Regiment. Before leaving India, he takes part in the assault on

Gawilghur Gawilghur (also, Gawilgarh or Gawilgad, Pronunciation: �aːʋilɡəɖ was a well-fortified mountain stronghold of the Maratha Empire north of the Deccan Plateau, in the vicinity of Satpura Ranges, Amravati District, Maharashtra. It was succe ...

, leading troops in action for the first time. Sharpe finds a way into the nearly impregnable fortress, ignoring the orders of his cowardly commanding officer. Once inside, he confronts and kills Dodd, at the cost of a scar on his right cheek ('' Sharpe's Fortress''). (Cornwell apologised for sometimes forgetting which side of Sharpe's face is scarred; in ''Sharpe's Revenge'', for example, it is on the left.)

Campaigns in Europe

While sailing in 1805 from India to England to take up his post in the 95th Rifles, he meets and falls in love with fellow passenger Lady Grace Hale, the wife of an ambitious and powerful politician, the much older Lord William Hale (''

Sharpe's Trafalgar ''Sharpe's Trafalgar'' is the fourth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2000. It is the first of the novels in the wars against Napoleon, putting the army ensign at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1 ...

''). They have an affair. Then Sharpe is caught up in the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval engagement that took place on 21 October 1805 between the Royal Navy and a combined fleet of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish navies during the War of the Third Coalition. As part of Na ...

, his first direct encounter with

Napoleonic France The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

as an infantry officer. During the sea battle, Lord Hale confronts his wife, having discovered her infidelity. She kills him in self-defence. Sharpe has the body taken on deck so that it will appear as if Lord Hale died in the fighting. Grace sets up home with Sharpe at Shorncliffe, but dies giving birth to their child, who survives her by only a few hours. Sharpe's fortune (from selling Tipu Sultan's jewels) is seized by lawyers who believe it to be part of Grace's estate. He falls into a deep depression, worsened by his bad relationship with his commanding officer, who relegates him to the role of

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land army, armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises military logistics, logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distri ...

. He is left behind when the regiment is posted to the

Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...

in 1807. Sharpe, unable to sell his commission (due to it not having been purchased), considers deserting. He returns to

and robs and kills Jem Hocking, the abusive master of the foundling home where Sharpe was raised. He fortuitously encounters General David Baird, a former colleague from India. Baird recruits him to protect John Lavisser, a Foreign Office agent being sent to secretly negotiate with the Danish

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

to keep the Danish fleet out of French hands. Lavisser, acting in his own interests, tries but fails to have Sharpe killed. Sharpe goes into hiding in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

. He witnesses the British bombardment of the city and provides valuable assistance in the capture of the Danish fleet ('' Sharpe's Prey''). Sharpe considers settling down there, having fallen in love with Astrid, the daughter of Ole Skovgaard, the chief spy for the British in Denmark. However, Skovgaard turns against the British because of their attack, and Astrid obeys his order to break up with Sharpe. 2 95th riflemen in various fighting stances

2 95th riflemen in various fighting stances

By early 1809, Sharpe is in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

with the 95th Rifles, his men serving as the rearguard of the retreat to Corunna. When Captain Murray is mortally wounded, he leaves his heavy cavalry sword to Sharpe, giving him his signature weapon, used in all the subsequent books. Cut off from the main body of the army, he takes command of a handful of mutinous riflemen (including future best friend

Patrick Harper Patrick Harper (born 28 January 2000) is an Australian tennis player. Harper has a career high ATP singles ranking of 1673 achieved on 30 April 2018. He also has a career high ATP doubles ranking of 152 achieved on 7 April 2025. Harper has won ...

), while protecting a small party of English missionaries. He encounters Spanish Major Blas Vivar and his

partisans Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to: Military * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line ** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII ** Itali ...

and reluctantly helps them temporarily seize control of the city of

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela, simply Santiago, or Compostela, in the province of Province of A Coruña, A Coruña, is the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city ...

so that Vivar can raise a sacred

gonfalon The gonfalon, gonfanon, gonfalone (from the early Italian ''confalone'') is a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar in an identical manner to the ancient Roman v ...

to bolster the Spanish people's flagging morale ('' Sharpe's Rifles''). Sharpe's surviving riflemen who begin the retreat to Corunna are: :'': dead'' * Rfn

Daniel Hagman Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn

Hobbes Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5 April 1588 – 4 December 1679) was an English philosopher, best known for his 1651 book ''Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory. He is considered to be one of the founders ...

(''

Sharpe's Revenge ''Sharpe's Revenge'' is the nineteenth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series written by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1989. The peace of 1814 formally ends the Peninsular War, but it does not end all hostilities among individual ...

'') * Rfn

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...

('' Sharpe's Prey'' - ''

Sharpe's Christmas "Sharpe's Christmas" is a short story by historical fiction author Bernard Cornwell. It features Cornwell's fictional hero Richard Sharpe. It was originally written for the British newspaper ''The Daily Mail'', which serialised it during the 19 ...

'') * Rfn Ben Perkins ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn

Francis Cooper Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie29 ...

('' Sharpe's Prey'' - ''

'') * Rfn Parry Jenkins ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...

(''

Sharpe's Battle ''Sharpe's Battle'' is the twelfth historical novel in the Sharpe (novel series), Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1995. The story is set during the Peninsular War in Spain in 1811. Plot summary While lost near th ...

'' - '' Sharpe's Company'') * Rfn McDonald (''

'' - '' Sharpe's Company'') * Rfn

Smith Smith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England ** List of people ...

(''

'' - '' Sharpe's Company'') * Rfn Christopher Cresacre (''

Sharpe's Havoc ''Sharpe's Havoc: Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Oporto'' is the seventh historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2003. The story is set largely in Portugal during General Arthur Wellesley's Opo ...

'' - '' Sharpe's Company'') * Rfn Jebediah Horrell (''

Sharpe's Eagle ''Sharpe's Eagle'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1981. The story is set in July 1809, in the midst of the Talavera Campaign during the Peninsular War. It was the first Sharpe novel ...

'' - ''

'') * Rfn Nicholas Hine (''

'') - (''

'') * Rfn Thompson (''

'') * Rfn Finn (''

'') * Rfn

Cameron Cameron may refer to: People * Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan * Cameron (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Cameron (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) ;Mononym * Cam'ron (born 19 ...

('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn

Sims Sims, sims or SIMS may refer to: Games * ''The Sims'', a life simulation video game series ** ''The Sims'' (video game), the first installment, released in 2000 ** ''The Sims 2'', the second installment, released in 2004 ** ''The Sims 3'', the ...

('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn Tobias Moore ('' Sharpe's Honour'' - ''

'') * Rfn Bradshaw (''

Sharpe's Gold ''Sharpe's Gold'' is the second (though ninth in chronological order) historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell first published in 1981. The story is set in August 1810 and features the destruction of Almeida during th ...

'' - ''

'') * Rfn Millerson (''

'') * Rfn

Fergus Slattery John Fergus Slattery (born 12 February 1949 in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland) is a former rugby union player who represented Ireland. An open-side flanker, he played schools rugby for Blackrock College and then moved on to play senior rugby for UCD, ...

(''

'' - ''

Sharpe's Fury ''Sharpe's Fury'' is the eleventh historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2006. The story is set in 1811 during Wellington's campaign in the Iberian peninsula. Plot summary In the spring of 1811, the P ...

'') * Rfn

McNeill McNeill may refer to: * McNeill (surname) * McNeill, Mississippi, United States; an unincorporated community * McNeill, West Virginia, United States; an unincorporated community * Port McNeill, British Columbia, Canada; a town * McNeill Bay (Briti ...

(''

'' - '' Sharpe's Escape'') * Rfn

Carter Carter(s), or Carter's, Tha Carter, or The Carter(s), may refer to: Geography United States * Carter, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Carter, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Carter, Montana, a census-designated place * Carter ...

(''

'') - ('' Sharpe's Escape'') * Rfn Harvey ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - '' Sharpe's Escape'') * Rfn Skillicorn (''

'') * Rfn Isaiah Tongue ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn Pendleton (''

'' - ''

'') * Rfn Gataker ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Rfn John Williamson ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') (traitor) * Rfn Ned Tarrant ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') (missing in action) * Rfn Sean Donnelly ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - ''

'') * Cpl Matthew Dodd ('' Sharpe's Rifles'' - '' Sharpe's Escape'') (missing in action) * Sgt

Latimer Latimer may refer to: Places England * Latimer, Buckinghamshire, a village ** Latimer and Ley Hill, a civil parish that until 2013 was just called "Latimer" * Latimer, Leicester, an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leices ...

(''

'' - '' Sharpe's Company'') * Sgt Williams ('' Sharpe's Rifles'') * RSM

('' Sharpe's Prey'' - '' Sharpe's Devil'') After making their way to Portugal, and taking part in the

Battle of the Douro The Second Battle of Porto, also known as the Battle of the Douro or the Crossing of the Douro, took place on 12 May 1809. General Arthur Wellesley's Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated Marshal Soult's French troops and took back the city of Por ...

, Sharpe and his surviving 30 riflemen are attached to the Light Company of the South Essex Regiment (a fictional regiment) as part of Wellesley's Peninsula Army. Some of the men in the South Essex are: * Pte Peters * Pte

Kirby Kirby may refer to: Buildings * Kirby Building, a skyscraper in Dallas, Texas, United States * Kirby Lofts, a building in Houston, Texas, United States * Kirby Hall, an Elizabethan country house near Corby, Northamptonshire, England * Kirby Ho ...

* Pte Gutteridge * Pte

Roach Roach or The Roach may refer to: Animals * Cockroach, various insect species of the order Blattodea * Common roach (''Rutilus rutilus''), a fresh and brackish water fish of the family Cyprinidae ** ''Rutilus'' or roaches, a genus of fishes * Cal ...

* Pte

Batten A batten is most commonly a strip of solid material, historically wood but can also be of plastic, metal, or fiberglass. Battens are variously used in construction, sailing, and other fields. In the lighting industry, battens refer to linea ...

* Pte Clayton (killed at Waterloo) * Pte Dobbs * Pte Mellors * Pte Farrell * Pte Paddock * Pte

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

* Cpl Jackson * Sgt

Read Read or READ may refer to: Computing * Read (computer), to retrieve data from a storage device * Read (system call), a low-level IO function on a file descriptor in a computer * Read (Unix), a command in Unix operating systems Places * Read, L ...

* Sgt McGivern * Sgt Huckfield (lost a finger at Waterloo) * Sgt Charlie Weller * Sgt

(executed for his many war crimes) * RSM Maclaird * Ens Denny * Ens Mattews (murdered by Hakeswill) * Ens Collip * Ens Jack Bullen * Ens Iliffe * Ens McDonald * Lt Michael Trumper-Jones * Cpt Robert Knowles (murdered by Obadiah Hakeswill) * Cpt

Carline Carline is both a surname and a given name. It is a Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Carla, Carolina (name), Carolina and Caroline (name), Caroline. It is an English language, English ...

(killed at Waterloo) * Cpt

(killed at Waterloo) * Maj

Harry Price Harry Price (17 January 1881 – 29 March 1948) was a British Parapsychologist, psychic researcher and author, who gained public prominence for his investigations into psychical phenomena and exposing fraudulent Spiritualism (movement), spiritu ...

* Maj Peter D'Alembord (loses a leg at Waterloo) Sharpe takes part in a number of notable actions, either with the South Essex or on detached duty for Wellesley's

spymaster A spymaster is a leader of a group of spies or an intelligence agency An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, Intelligence analysis, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforce ...

, Captain Michael Hogan of the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

. These include capturing a

French Imperial Eagle The French Imperial Eagle (, ) was a figure carried into battle as a standard by the ''Grande Armée'' of Napoleon I during the Napoleonic Wars. Although they were presented with regimental colours, Napoleon's regiments tended to carry at their ...

at the

Battle of Talavera The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, Spain some southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War. At Talavera, a British army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish ...

in 1809 (fulfilling a promise to a dying captain he respects), and the storming of the breach at

Badajoz Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portugal, Portuguese Portugal–Spain border, border, on the left bank of the river ...

. He also takes an active role in the first siege of Almeida, the battles of Bussaco, Barossa,

Ciudad Rodrigo Ciudad Rodrigo () is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca (province), Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population in 2016 of 12,896. It is also the seat of a judicial district. The site of Ciudad Rodrigo, perched atop a rocky r ...

, Fuentes de Onoro,

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

Vitoria Vitoria or Vitória may refer to: People * Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546), a Spanish Renaissance theologian * Alberto Vitoria (1956–2010), Spanish footballer * Rui Vitória (born 1970), Portuguese retired footballer * Sofia Vitória ( ...

, and

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

. Over this period, he rises in rank from

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

, eventually taking unofficial command of the entire regiment. Sharpe's Irish friend Harper rises from rifleman to

regimental sergeant major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by a warrant officer (WO) in the British Army, the Royal Marines, and the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations. It is also an actual rank in the Iri ...

. His intelligence work for Wellesley brings him the long-lasting enmity of the fictional French spymaster Pierre Ducos, who conspires several times to destroy Sharpe's career, reputation or life. Prior to the

, Sharpe is appointed aide to the

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by the stadtholders of, and then the heirs apparent of ...

, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Disgusted by the Prince's dangerous incompetence during the course of the battle, Sharpe deserts his post (making an attempt on the prince's life afterwards), but comes to the aid of his old regiment, steadying the line and preventing a French breakthrough. Wellesley then gives him command of the unit for the remainder of the battle (''

''). Following Napoleon's defeat, Sharpe ends up in Paris with the occupying allied armies. There he uncovers and defeats a secret Bonapartist group (''

Sharpe's Assassin ''Sharpe's Assassin'' is the twenty-first historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2021. The story is set in June 1815, immediately after the Battle of Waterloo, and during the occupation of Paris. Plot s ...

''). Afterwards, he retires from the army.

Retirement

In 1820, Sharpe, living as a farmer in

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

, is commissioned by the Countess of Mouromorto to find her husband, Don Blas Vivar, who has disappeared in the Spanish colony of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

; both she and her husband had become acquainted with Sharpe in 1809, during the events leading up to the assault on Santiago de Compostella. En route to South America, Sharpe and Patrick Harper meet

, in exile on

Saint Helena Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...

, who makes Sharpe an unwitting accomplice to his escape plot. Sharpe becomes entangled in Lord Cochrane's risky schemes on behalf of the rebels in the

Chilean War of Independence The Chilean War of Independence (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Guerra de la Independencia de Chile'', 'War of Independence of Chile') was a military and political event that allowed the emancipation of Chile from the Spanish Empire, Spanish Mona ...

. In the end, he finds Blas Vivar alive, and Napoleon dies before he can escape.

Equipment

During the earliest (chronological) books Sharpe is a private and later sergeant, and so his uniform and weapons largely are in line with Army regulations. His first sword was a 1796 light cavalry sabre which with officer's sash are taken from the dead in the wake of the Battle of Assaye. By the time of '' Sharpe's Prey'' as a junior rifle officer, although still carrying a regulation

Pattern 1796 light cavalry sabre The Pattern 1796 light cavalry sabre is a sword that was used primarily by British Light Dragoons, light dragoons and hussars, and King's German Legion light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars. It was adopted by the Prussians (as the 1811 pattern ...

, Sharpe has begun carrying a

Baker rifle The Pattern 1800 Infantry Rifle, better known as the Baker rifle, was a flintlock rifle designed by English gunsmith Ezekiel Baker and used by the British Armed Forces from 1801 to 1837. First seeing action during the French Revolutionary and Na ...

as well, and is noted to prefer a heavier sword like the cutlass used by the Navy, as the point of the curved sabre was never where he expected it to be and also lacked the weight to block attacks from a musket and bayonet in close-quarter battles. In '' Sharpe's Rifles'', Sharpe acquires his other signature weapon. Captain Murray, mortally wounded in the Corunna retreat, leaves his Pattern 1796 heavy cavalry sword to him, a replacement for the sword that broke in the battle. From a French chasseur Harper kills, Sharpe takes his overalls and boots. Sharpe continues to wear his green jacket even whilst serving in a regular infantry battalion out of pride, as do Harper and all of the other elite riflemen. As Sharpe, like the majority of his men, also acquires a French ox-hide pack in place of the inferior British one he is originally issued, more of his equipment is French than British. In ''

'', immediately after the

, Sharpe buries his rifle with rifleman Daniel Hagman and takes Hagman's (a better weapon) as his own. He is later bestowed the

Order of Saint Vladimir The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir () was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine the Great, Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev, Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of ...

(2nd class), which was given to Wellington by Emperor

Alexander I of Russia Alexander I (, ; – ), nicknamed "the Blessed", was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first king of Congress Poland from 1815, and the grand duke of Finland from 1809 to his death in 1825. He ruled Russian Empire, Russia during the chaotic perio ...

. It was first offered to a cavalry colonel who turned it down, so Wellington gives it to Sharpe.

Relationships and family

Sharpe, the son of a prostitute, has almost no memory of his mother, and no knowledge of his father. The author, Bernard Cornwell, in answer to a query on his website, wrote a riddle which he claims contains the father's identity: "Take you out, put me in and a horse appears in this happy person!". Bernard later announced on his website that Sharpe's father was a French smuggler, and that is all he "knows". Sharpe is both a romantic and a womanizer. In ''Sharpe's Rifles'', Harper notes that "He'll fall in love with anything in a petticoat. I've seen his type before. Got the sense of a half-witted sheep when it comes to women." In India, Sharpe asks for permission to marry Mary Bickerstaff, who later leaves him (''Sharpe's Tiger''); he also has a brief affair with Frenchwoman Simone Joubert, who bolts for a new life in America with gems he left with her for safekeeping (''Sharpe's Triumph'', ''Sharpe's Fortress''). His relationship with Lady Grace Hale in 1805 has a more lasting impact; the death of his first child, who succumbs only a few hours after Grace dies in childbirth, leaves Sharpe deeply depressed. In Copenhagen, Sharpe falls in love with Astrid Skovgaard, the daughter of an important Danish spy for the British. However, after the British naval attack on Copenhagen, her father refuses to let her marry him. After Sharpe leaves, she and her father are murdered by British spymaster Lord Pumphrey (''Sharpe's Trafalgar'', ''Sharpe's Prey''), as they know too much and their loyalty has become suspect. During the early years of the Peninsula Campaign, Sharpe's affections are torn between a Portuguese courtesan,

Josefina LaCosta Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

, and the Spanish partisan leader

Teresa Moreno Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

(''Sharpe's Eagle'', ''Sharpe's Gold''). Teresa bears Sharpe a daughter, Antonia (''Sharpe's Company''), in 1811, and marries Sharpe in 1812, but is murdered a year later by Sharpe's longtime enemy, deserter Obadiah Hakeswill (''Sharpe's Enemy''). Sharpe leaves his daughter to be raised by Teresa's family, and, as far as is known, never sees her again. Over the same period, Sharpe also has affairs with an English

governess A governess is a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching; depending on terms of their employment, they may or ma ...

, Sarah Fry (''Sharpe's Escape''); Caterina Veronica Blazquez, a prostitute who has beguiled Henry Wellesley, Sir Arthur's brother (''Sharpe's Fury''); and the French spy Hélène Leroux (''Sharpe's Sword'', ''Sharpe's Honour''). For some years, Sharpe carries a small portrait of

Jane Gibbons Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

, taken after he murders her treacherous brother (''Sharpe's Eagle''). In 1813, he returns to England to fetch replacements, and meets, elopes with, and marries Jane (''Sharpe's Regiment''). Sharpe remains faithful to his second wife, but after he is falsely accused of theft and murder, she embarks on an

adulterous Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept e ...

affair with his former friend

Lord John Rossendale Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

and steals the fortune Sharpe had entrusted to her. It is while searching for evidence to clear his name that Sharpe meets and falls in love with

Lucille Castineau (nee Lassan) Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic ...

, the widow of a French officer killed in Russia (''Sharpe's Revenge'', ''Sharpe's Waterloo''). Although unable to marry Lucille while Jane lives, Sharpe settles down with her on her family estate in Normandy. They have two children, Patrick-Henri, who becomes a French cavalry officer (and a character in Bernand Cornwell's ''

The Starbuck Chronicles The Starbuck Chronicles are a series of historical fiction novels by British author Bernard Cornwell set during the American Civil War. They follow the exploits of Boston-born Confederate officer Nathaniel Starbuck. Four novels have been written ...

''), and Dominique, who ultimately marries an English

aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...

. By 1861, Patrick-Henri, then a colonel in the Imperial Guard Cavalry observing the Union and

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

armies during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, mentions that his mother is "very lonely", so it may be assumed that Sharpe has died sometime before that date. (The ''Sharpe Companion'' gives Sharpe's year of death as 1860, though this is never stated in any of the books.) This is contradicted in the television adaptation ''

Sharpe's Challenge ''Sharpe's Challenge'' is a British TV film from 2006, usually shown in two parts, which is part of an ITV series based on Bernard Cornwell's historical fiction novels about the British soldier Richard Sharpe during the Napoleonic Wars. Contr ...

'', set in 1817, in which Sharpe states that Lucille has already died.

Promotions

Historical achievements

Sharpe is often portrayed as the driving force in a number of pivotal historical events. Cornwell admits to taking license with history, placing Sharpe in the place of another man whose identity is lost to history or sometimes "stealing another man's thunder." Such accomplishments include: * Disabling a booby trap laid for the British soldiers assaulting

Seringapatam Srirangapatna or Srirangapattana is a town and headquarters of one of the seven Taluks of Mandya district, in the Indian State of Karnataka. It gets its name from the Ranganthaswamy temple consecrated around 984 CE. Later, under the British ...

(Cornwell points out in the novel's historical note that there never actually was such a booby trap, and the event was based on a British shell that struck a magazine in the city days earlier); * Killing

and looting his corpse (the identity of the man who killed the sultan is unknown; like Sharpe, the soldier probably wished to remain anonymous because of the riches he acquired); * Saving Arthur Wellesley's life at the

(Wellesley was unhorsed and forced to defend himself from

Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...

artillerymen for a few crucial moments; Cornwell notes that if any soldier or officer had saved his life during this fight, he would almost certainly have rewarded him with a promotion); * Storming the walls of the inner fortress at

and opening the gates to the besieging forces (in reality, this was achieved by Captain Campbell leading the light company of the 94th Scotch Brigade; in the novel, Campbell and his troops are the first to join Sharpe once they realise what he's planning); * Preventing the Danish fleet from being set on fire during the

Second battle of Copenhagen The Second Battle of Copenhagen (or the Bombardment of Copenhagen) (16 August – 7 September 1807) was a British bombardment of the Danish capital, Copenhagen, in order to capture or destroy the Dano-Norwegian fleet during the Napoleonic Wars ...

(while the order to set the fleet on fire was given, it is unknown why it was never carried out); * Finding the boats that allowed Wellesley's forces to ambush Marshal

Nicolas Soult Marshal General Jean-de-Dieu Soult, 1st Duke of Dalmatia (; 29 March 1769 – 26 November 1851) was a French general and statesman. He was a Marshal of the Empire during the Napoleonic Wars, and served three times as President of the Council of ...

's forces at the

Second Battle of Porto The Second Battle of Porto, also known as the Battle of the Douro or the Crossing of the Douro, took place on 12 May 1809. General Arthur Wellesley's Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated Marshal Soult's French troops and took back the city of Po ...

(Cornwell notes that in reality a Portuguese barber approached the British forces of his own volition rather than being sent across by Sharpe); * Being the first British soldier to capture an

Imperial Eagle The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Heraldic eagles can be found throughout world history like in the Achaemenid Empire or in the present Republic of Indonesia. The European post-classical symbolism of ...

, at the

(in reality, the first French Eagle captured by the British was by Ensign Edward Keogh and Sergeant Patrick Masterson at the Battle of Barrossa in 1811); * Successfully assaulting the central breach at

(according to Cornwell's historical note, the central breach remained largely unused during the assault); * Destroying the Army of Deserters and taking their leader "Marshal Pot-au-Feu" Deron captive (Cornwell notes that the historic Deserters' Army was finally destroyed by the French, though they did hand British deserters over, as shown in the novel); * Deliberately triggering the massive explosion that destroyed the fortress of Almeida (usually attributed to accident, combined with careless British handling of their munitions store); * Retrieving and restoring the Imperial Family's treasure (in his note, Cornwell notes that several chests of personal belongings and riches did get lost in the chaos of the French defeat of 1814, but how this happened and their final fate are unknown) * Carrying the news of Napoleon's invasion of

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

to Wellington at the

Duchess of Richmond's ball The Duchess of Richmond's ball was a ball hosted by Charlotte Lennox, Duchess of Richmond, in Brussels on 15 June 1815, the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras. Charlotte's husband Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, was in command of a r ...

, during the

Waterloo campaign The Waterloo campaign, also known as the Belgian campaign (15 June – 8 July 1815) was fought between the French Army of the North (France), Army of the North and two War of the Seventh Coalition, Seventh Coalition armies, an Anglo-allied arm ...

(historically the bearer of the message was one of the Prince of Orange's ADCs: Lieutenant Henry Webster, 9th Light Dragoons); * Firing the shot that wounded the

during the

, forcing him to retire from the field (in reality, this shot was most likely fired by a French skirmisher); * Taking command of a regiment in driving off the advance of the

French Imperial Guard The Imperial Guard ( French: ''Garde Impériale'') was the imperial guard formation of the French Imperial Army. Under the direct command of Napoleon, the formation expanded considerably over time and acted as his personal bodyguard and tactic ...

at the Battle of Waterloo (the regiments who actually held off the Imperial Guard are in the novel as well); * Saving the Duke of Wellington from two assassination attempts in Paris (Cornwell explains that the first attempt happened, though the shooter simply missed, while the second is fictional and based on a likely deliberate fire that broke out in a house Wellington had been in days earlier).

Novels, short stories, and non-fiction

Bernard Cornwell has written 24 novels and three short stories starring Richard Sharpe. The first book ''Sharpe's Eagle'' was written in 1981, with Sharpe in Spain at the Talavera Campaign in 1809. The next seven books were written in order, up to ''Sharpe's Siege'' in 1814. The novel ''Sharpe's Rifles'' was written next, set earlier in 1809 at the time of the retreat from Corunna, Spain. The next four books follow on from ''Sharpe's Siege'' up to ''Sharpe's Devil'' (1992), set in 1820–21. This twelfth book completes Sharpe's timeline. Following the success of the TV series starting in 1993, Cornwell returned to Sharpe to write ''Sharpe's Battle'' (1995), which is set between ''Sharpe's Gold'' and ''Sharpe's Company'', which takes place in 1811. Cornwell then moved to the beginning of Sharpe's army career in British India, 1799, with ''Sharpe's Tiger'' (1997). This began a series of five prequel books, closing with ''Sharpe's Prey'' (2003) which depicts the Siege of Copenhagen in 1807. Between 2003 and 2007, Cornwell wrote three novels set between ''Sharpe's Rifles'' and ''Sharpe's Battle''. He returned to the series in 2021 and has written three additional novels, set between ''Sharpe's Company'' and ''Sharpe's Devil''. Cornwell published the non-fiction book '' Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles'' in September 2014, timely for the 200th anniversary of the

. Sharpe possibly appears in

Simon Scarrow Simon Scarrow (born 3 October 1962) is a British writer. Scarrow completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia after working at the Inland Revenue, and then went into teaching as a lecturer, firstly at East Norfolk Sixth Form ...

's '' The Fields of Death'', although his surname is not confirmed. A major in the 95th Rifles called Richard and who, "unusually for an officer ... carries a rifle like his men", delivers captured French orders to the Duke of Wellington indicating the enemy's intention to fall back to Vitoria.

References

Citations

General and cited references

* * *

External links

*
The Sharpe page at Bernard Cornwell's official site

Yesterday's Sharpe section
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharpe, Richard Book series introduced in 1981 Cultural depictions of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Historical novels by series Novels about orphans Fictional soldiers Fictional thieves Fictional farmers Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) Sharpe characters Fictional Napoleonic Era people

Inspiration

Sean Bean

Fictional biography

Early life

India

Campaigns in Europe

Retirement

Equipment

Relationships and family

Promotions

Historical achievements

Novels, short stories, and non-fiction

See also

References

Citations

General and cited references

External links