Britain’s second longest reigning monarch, Queen Victoria, was on the throne for over 63 years, until her death on 22nd January 1901. She was the first British monarch to take up residence in Buckingham Palace, following the strict childhood that she had experienced growing up in Kensington Palace.
In the second blog of our “Greatest Achievements” series, we take a look at some of the achievements that she is most known for.
Era
Great achievements come in many shapes and sizes, however, not many people can say that they have had a period of time named after them.
During her reign, Queen Victoria expanded the British Empire, so much so that by the end of the century it would cover a fifth of the worlds surface.
The century also saw huge advancements across the fields of medicine, transportation, communication and industry. It saw inventions such as the telegraph, the bicycle, the internal combustion engine and the developments of antiseptic and anesthetics. All of which happened during what we now refer to as the “Victorian Era”.
Survivor
Queen Victoria survived numerous assassination attempts during her reign. The first was in 1840, when Edward Oxford fired two pistols at Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert.
After an attempt in 1842 by John Francis, where he tried to kill the Queen on two consecutive days, a parasol was designed for the Queen to use, made of green silk and chain mail armour.
There were a couple of further attempts at shooting the Queen, however the person who came the closest, was an ex-army officer called Robert Pate, who struck the Queen across the head with a cane in 1850. She was bruised but saved by the sturdy bonnet she was wearing.
The final attempt was by Roderick Maclean, who attempted to shoot the Queen as she boarded a train in 1882. However, his attempt was foiled as he was stopped by two Eton schoolboys and a railway conductor brandishing normal umbrellas.
Empress
In 1857, following unhappiness under the East India Company’s rule, and unrest over increasing westernisation, a mass uprising occurred in India. British forces acted quickly to suppress the uprising, although the loss of life was considerable.
Although Queen Victoria believed in the ideals of an empire, she was also concerned about the rights of the Indian people. In 1858 she issued a proclamation that became known as the “Magnacarta of the People of India”.
It declared that Britain would not look to expand on their existing territories in India, the rights of native Indian princes would be recognised, and Britain would no longer look to exert its religious beliefs upon the Indian people.
In 1877, British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli declared that the Queen was now Empress of India, sealing the relationship between Britain and India, and marking the beginning of the Queen’s love affair with the country. You can read our blog on how Queen Victoria became Empress of India HERE.
These are just a few of Queen Victoria’s greatest achievements, during an incredible reign. But do you think there were others that should be mentioned? Why not share them with us on Facebook?
The Queen Victoria Veiled Portrait Silver and Bronze Set is a matching year-date set of the final coinage of Queen Victoria’s reign, and you can purchase them HERE.
