Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 to 1901, and empress of India from 1877 to 1901. This is the second longest reign of any of British monarch in history.

Victoria was born on May 24, 1819 in London, England. Victoria became the heir apparent after her father died. Her father, Edward, had three older brothers; however, none of them had legitimate heirs to the throne. After the death of King William IV, Victoria became queen at the age of 18.

Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840. They had nine children together. After the death of Prince Albert, Victoria went into a 25-year seclusion.

Queen Victoria is known for her influence on English culture. The era itself was named after Queen Victoria, known as the Victorian Era. This era was filled with conservative philosophies, non-existent entanglements with other European countries, advances in science (Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution), technological advancements (the telegraph and popular press), and tremendous wealth and poverty amongst the opposing classes.

At the age of 81, Victoria died on January 22, 1901. She was then succeeded by her son, King Edward VII.