Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

Adolescence 

Alexandrina Victoria was born in Kensington Palace in London on May 24th, 1819. She was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, a German princess. Victoria's father died when she was eight months old, upon which her mother enacted a strict regimen that shunned the courts of Victoria's uncles, George IV and William IV.

Queen Victoria lived an isolated life as a child, not being allowed to see anybody besides her mother, half-sister, brother, and the controller of the household and reputed lover of the Duchess of Kent, Sir John Conroy.

A Queen's Life 

Queen Victoria was announced as queen in 1837 at the age of 18 after the king, better known as her uncle, William IV, suffered from a severe asthma attack and died. Her first ten years as queen were ordinary and uneventful. On February 10, 1840 Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha. Prince Albert was a patron of the arts, sciences, and burgeoning industries, and he helped organize the famous Great Exhibition of 1851 at the "Crystal Palace". She had married him as a virgin queen, but during the next seventeen years, Victoria gave birth to four girls and five boys. Among them was the future King Edward VII.

Victoria doted on her husband, who influenced her greatly and became her most trusted adviser during her time as queen. Queen Victoria's other major influence was her first Prime Minister, William Lamb. 

When Prince Albert died in 1861, the queen was devastated. She rarely appeared in public until the end of the 1860's. During that time, Great Britain had a major movement in favor of a republican government and the abolition of monarchic powers. However with the help of the Conservative party's Benjamin Disraeli, the queen eventually resumed a more public and influential role in the government.

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The Tough Times

During the Victorian era, Queen Victoria had many struggles. In 1848, a group of people referred to as the Chartists led a rebellion against the English government. The Chartists wanted to create a democracy where election reforms were presented to give common people the vote. The rebellion was overruled by the English government.

In 1852, she encountered troubles in Burma with the native people who did not want to be included in the empire. The English government brought the natives civilization, modern medicine, Christianity and trade, yet the natives still refused to participate in the empires society.

In 1854, in the Ukrainian city of Crimea, Russian leaders were trying to expand  their empire at the expense  of the Turks. The English and the French interfered and helped the inexperienced Turks against the Russians. This was later known as the Crimean War. 

Created Laws

During her time as queen, she added The Mines Act of 1842 which forbade the employment of women and children in coal mines. The English government shortened the workday to ten hours, for six days a week and established a Public Health Act in 1875 to improve sewers, water, and housing for the poor. In addition, they provided increased public education through the Education Act of 1870. All of this was done to improve the position of the average Englishman.

 Queen Victoria's Reign and Family 

In order of birth, Victoria's first child was Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise. She was born in 1840 and died in 1901. Her second child was Edward Albert and he was born in 1841 and died in 1910. Victoria’s third child was Alice Maud Mary and she was born in 1843 and died in 1878. Her fourth child was Alfred Ernest Albert. He was born in 1844 and died in 1900. Her fifth child was Helen Augusta Victoria. Helen was born in 1846 and died in 1923. Victoria’s sixth child was Louise Caroline Alberta. He was born in 1846 and died in 1939. Her seventh child was Arthur William Patrick Albert. Arthur was born in 1850 and died in 1884. Her eighth child was Leopold George Duncan. He was born in 1853 and died in 1884. Her last child was Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore and she was born in 1856 and died in 1944.

During Queen Victoria's reign, she was know as the grandmother of Europe because her children married princes and princess of other countries in Europe. The eldest child, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, married Frederick of Prussia. Edward Albert married Princess Alexandra of Denmark while Alice Maud Mary married Prince Louis of Hess-Denmark. Victoria’s fourth child Alfred Ernest Albert married Princess Marie of Russia and Helena Augusta Victoria married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Victoria’s sixth child Louise Caroline Alberta married Marquess of Lorne. Arthur William Patrick Albert married Princess Louise of Prussia. Victoria's youngest son, Leopold George Duncan Albert, married Princess Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont. The youngest child, Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore, married Prince Henry of Battenberg.

Later Life

Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901 at the age of 81 in Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. She had been the Queen of Great Britain for 63 years. At Victoria's death there was a final outpouring of mourning. All adults wore black, and black and purple banners were hung from shop windows. Even iron fences were given a fresh coat of black paint. However, her son King Edward VII was a rational man. He signalled the beginning of a new era by limiting the period of mourning for his mother to three months.