Queen Victoria ruled in Britain from 1837 to 1901, longer than any of the foggy Albion monarchs. She became the Empress of India, and her name served as the name for an era that was distinguished by innovation, enterprise, and the strengthening of morality.
The Victorian era is controversial. During the reign of the legendary queen, gigantic shifts occurred in political, social and economic life. The surge of scientific and technological progress and the turn towards Puritanism were due to the views and character of the mistress of most of the lands on the planet, who ruled almost without leaving her living room.
Way to the throne
Victoria was born May 24, 1819 in the family of Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George III. The mother of the future queen was German Victoria Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the Duchess of Kent. Father died when the girl was several months old. The girl was brought up in the tradition of strict German customs.
Victoria ascended the throne at the age of eighteen after the death of her uncle, King William IV, as applicants to the first-line throne died without leaving any legal heirs. The young queen always needed paternal care, so she surrounded herself with aged men as advisers. Prior to her marriage, her main adviser was William Lam, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who was twice elected Prime Minister of Great Britain from the Whig Party. The second time under the patronage of the queen herself.
Young Victoria had a strong character, a fluent political mind, which allowed her to be the Queen of Great Britain from the first steps in fact, and not nominally. She did not give the ministers a single chance to govern her against her will.
Victoria and Albert
In February 1840, Victoria married her cousin Albert, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. This marriage was preceded by a romantic love story, Victoria was in love with her chosen one with all her heart. Since in England no one dares to make an offer to the Queen, the girl herself made an offer to her lover.
Albert became for her a confidant and adviser and, of course, also influenced the course of history. Albert oversaw education and culture. One of his major projects was The Great Exhibition of Industrial Works of All Nations, which was located in London Hyde Park from May 1 to October 15, 1851. So many inventions, craft products and works of art have never been exhibited in one place. This exhibition was the starting point for the creation of the world-famous museum of decorative art in Victoria and Albert. The Prince Consort believed that industrialization in society would eliminate poverty and lead the state to general welfare.
In this happiest marriage, nine children were born, four boys and five girls. The first daughter became the wife of the Chancellor of Germany, Frederick III. The second son married a Danish princess. The son of Victoria and Albert Alfred married the great Russian princess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Emperor Alexander II.
This happy couple had 42 grandchildren: twenty boys and twenty two girls. Victoria was related to many royal families in Europe and Russia. The queen’s granddaughter from her daughter Alice, Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, was the wife of the last emperor of Russia, Nicholas II. As a result, Victoria was nicknamed "the grandmother of Europe."
The Queen’s husband died at the age of forty-two from typhoid fever. Mount Victoria was lingering and heavy. The Queen wore mourning until the end of her days. In her life, a period began and dragged on for thirteen years, when she practically retired, ceased to appear in society and meet with ministers. Naturally, this caused a murmur among her subjects. The idea arose and spread that England did not need a monarch at all.
The most magnificent period of rule
The Queen was persuaded by Benjamin Disraeli, 40th British Prime Minister, to return to public life. During his leadership of the country, Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in April 1876. India revived Victoria, gave strength to pursue an active foreign policy and become an ideal for its people. The Empress never once visited her colony, but she admired the culture of this country and began to learn the Urdu language. Advisers of Indian descent appeared at Victoria’s court.
Victoria symbolized the unity and tranquility of a great empire. She transferred family values to all her subjects, obliging herself to take care of their prosperity. Victoria deserved her whole life, the love and respect that the people of Great Britain still have for her queen.
