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[[File:Sir Francis Grant's Portrait of Queen Victoria.jpg|thumb|[[Sir Francis Grant]]'s Portrait of Queen Victoria, 1843.]]

[[File:Sir Francis Grant's Portrait of Queen Victoria.jpg|thumb|[[Sir Francis Grant]]'s Portrait of Queen Victoria, 1843.]]

'''Victoria,''' usually called '''Queen Victoria''' (May 24, 1819 - January 22, 1901) was [[monarch]] of the [[United Kingdom]] of Great Britain and Ireland and [[Empress]] of [[India]].   

'''Victoria,''' usually called '''Queen Victoria''' (May 24, 1819 – January 22, 1901) was [[monarch]] of the [[United Kingdom]] of Great Britain and Ireland and [[Empress]] of [[India]].   

She gave her name to an era of British greatness, especially in the far-flung [[British Empire]] with which she identified. She played a small role in politics, but became the iconic symbol of the nation, the empire, and proper, restrained behaviour.  A conservative woman who rejected the wild hijinks of previous monarchs, she set the tone of moral earnestness and strait-laced propriety which characterized the [[Victorian era|Victorian Age]].

She gave her name to an era of British greatness, especially in the far-flung [[British Empire]] with which she identified. She played a small role in politics, but became the iconic symbol of the nation, the empire, and proper, restrained behaviour.  A conservative woman who rejected the wild hijinks of previous monarchs, she set the tone of moral earnestness and strait-laced propriety which characterized the [[Victorian era|Victorian Age]].

To date she is Britain's longest-serving monarch.  On December 22, 2007 she was overtaken by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] as Britain's oldest monarch to date (Victoria came to the throne at 18, Elizabeth II at 25).

To date she is Britain's longest-serving monarch.  On December 22, 2007, she was overtaken by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] as Britain's oldest monarch to date (Victoria came to the throne at 18, Elizabeth II at 25).

 

==Life==

==Life==

She was born Princess Alexandrina Victoria, at [[Kensington Palace]], London, on May 24, 1819, the only child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King [[George III]], and Princess Victoria, the daughter of the duke of the German country of Saxe-Coburg. When she was nine months old her father died, and the princess thereafter led a lonely and secluded childhood; she was only fifth in line to the throne.  Kept away from the court because of a feud between her father and his elder brothers, Victoria became greatly attached to her mother's brother (afterwards [[King Leopold]] of the Belgians), as well as to his secretary Baron Stockmar, and to her Hanoverian governess, Baroness Lehzen. She was home schooled by Baroness Lehzen, who emphasized language skills; Victoria spoke good German and French as well as English.

She was born Princess Alexandrina Victoria, at [[Kensington Palace]], London, on May 24, 1819, the only child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King [[George III]], and Princess Victoria, the daughter of the duke of the German country of Saxe-Coburg. When she was nine months old her father died, and the princess thereafter led a lonely and secluded childhood; she was only fifth in line to the throne.  Kept away from the court because of a feud between her father and his elder brothers, Victoria became greatly attached to her mother's brother (afterwards [[King Leopold]] of the Belgians), as well as to his secretary Baron Stockmar, and to her Hanoverian governess, Baroness Lehzen. She was homeschooled by Baroness Lehzen, who emphasized language skills; Victoria spoke good German and French as well as English.

==Early Years of Her Reign==

==Early Years of Her Reign==

==Empire==

==Empire==

Victoria eagerly promoted the progress of the [[British Empire]]. In 1876 Parliament made her Empress of India, a controversial decision engineered by Disraeli.<ref>L. A. Knights, "The Royal Titles Act and India." ''Historical Journal'' 11 (1968): 488-507 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2638165  in JSTOR]</ref> Already in the 1840s she intervened in the acrimonious debates over the military administration of India; in 1858 she and Prince Albert helped to bolster the position of the native Indian princes as the authority of the British [[East India Company]] was ended. By the late 1860s she thought and spoke of herself as empress of India. India offered her and Albert opportunities to try to protect and perhaps even extend royal prerogative during a period in which royal authority was becoming more circumscribed.<ref>Miles Taylor, "Queen Victoria and India, 1837-61."  ''Victorian Studies'' 2004 46(2): 264-274. Issn: 0042-5222 Fulltext: [[Project Muse]]</ref>

Victoria eagerly promoted the progress of the [[British Empire]]. In 1876 Parliament made her Empress of India, a controversial decision engineered by Disraeli.<ref>L. A. Knights, "The Royal Titles Act and India." ''Historical Journal'' 11 (1968): 488-507 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2638165  in JSTOR]</ref> Already in the 1840s she intervened in the acrimonious debates over the military administration of India; in 1858 she and Prince Albert helped to bolster the position of the native Indian princes as the authority of the British [[East India Company]] was ended. By the late 1860s she thought and spoke of herself as Empress of India. India offered her and Albert opportunities to try to protect and perhaps even extend royal prerogative during a period in which royal authority was becoming more circumscribed.<ref>Miles Taylor, "Queen Victoria and India, 1837-61."  ''Victorian Studies'' 2004 46(2): 264-274. Issn: 0042-5222 Fulltext: [[Project Muse]]</ref>

Victoria endorsed Disraeli's move into Egypt through the government's purchase of part ownership in the [[Suez Canal]]. She was annoyed by Gladstone's failure to relieve Gen. [[Charles Gordon]] at [[Khartoum]], in the Sudan, south of Egypt. Gordon had gone there to evacuate Egyptian garrisons when the Sudanese revolted.  When Khartoum fell to the rebels and Gordon was killed (1885), the Queen publicly rebuked Gladstone.<ref>Hibbert, ''Queen Victoria'' (2001) p 372</ref>

Victoria endorsed Disraeli's move into Egypt through the government's purchase of part ownership in the [[Suez Canal]]. She was annoyed by Gladstone's failure to relieve Gen. [[Charles Gordon]] at [[Khartoum]], in the Sudan, south of Egypt. Gordon had gone there to evacuate Egyptian garrisons when the Sudanese revolted.  When Khartoum fell to the rebels and Gordon was killed (1885), the Queen publicly rebuked Gladstone.<ref>Hibbert, ''Queen Victoria'' (2001) p 372</ref>

===Jubilees===

===Jubilees===

Toward the end of her reign, the Queen had become popular as the symbol of Britain's greatness. The nation and empire celebrated her golden and diamond anniversaries in 1887 and 1897. Millions cheered for her and for the empire.

Toward the end of her reign, the Queen had become popular as the symbol of Britain's greatness. The nation and empire celebrated her golden and diamond anniversaries in 1887 and 1897. Millions cheered for her and for the empire.{{citation needed}}

==Character==

==Character==

Victoria was brought up by strict, old-fashioned German Lutherans, and remained a devout Protestant. Although head of the Church of England, she disliked both the high church and the evangelical wings.  She believed in the occult, in second sight, psychic phenomena, the power of magnetism, and even conducted séances.<ref>Hibbert, ''Queen Victoria'' p. 294-95</ref>

Victoria was brought up by strict, old-fashioned German Lutherans, and remained a devout Protestant. Although head of the Church of England, she disliked both the high church and the evangelical wings.  She believed in the occult, in second sight, psychic phenomena, the power of magnetism, and even conducted séances.<ref>Hibbert, ''Queen Victoria'' p. 294-95</ref>

After widowhood she came seldom to London.  

After widowhood she came seldom to London.

 

==Evaluation==

==Evaluation==

Victoria's strength was based on her good common sense and directness of character; she expressed the bold, forthright energy of the British nation which made it pre-eminent in the world.

Victoria's strength was based on her good common sense and directness of character; she expressed the bold, forthright energy of the British nation which made it pre-eminent in the world.

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[[Category:United Kingdom Monarchs]]

[[Category:United Kingdom Monarchs]]

[[Category:British History]]

[[Category:British History]]

[[Category:British Empire]]

[[Category:British Empire]]

[[Category:Anglicans]]

[[Category:Anglicans]]