Warleggan

Warleggan is a Cornish surname and the name of a fictional family and estate featured prominently in the Poldark novels by Winston Graham and their subsequent television adaptations.

In the Poldark series, the Warleggans are a nouveau riche family who rise to prominence through banking and mercantile activities. They are depicted as ambitious, ruthless, and often in direct conflict with the Poldarks, representing the changing social and economic landscape of 18th and 19th century Cornwall.

George Warleggan, the primary antagonist, is a key figure in the series. He is portrayed as intelligent and driven but also cold, manipulative, and obsessed with social climbing and acquiring power. His relentless pursuit of wealth and status often leads him to undermine the Poldarks and other members of the Cornish gentry.

The Warleggan estate represents their wealth and influence, a stark contrast to the more modest circumstances of the Poldarks and many other Cornish families. The conflict between the Warleggans and the Poldarks highlights themes of class, social mobility, and the impact of industrialization on traditional ways of life. The name "Warleggan" itself has become associated with ambition, ruthlessness, and social climbing in the context of the Poldark series.