To the Past
Welcome to Nineteenth Century England!
The beginning of the century was a dramatic, eventful period in world history. The aftermath from both French and American Revolutions was still predominant, and Napoleon Bonaparte had shaken the world with his conquests. All sorts of technological and scientific advances marked the nineteenth century, rapidly modernizing the world.
However, let me focus upon Great Britain itself, where my story is planned to unfold.
Leading up to the monarch who would rule England during some of its most progressive years, the royal family was almost a mockery of morality. Victoria's grandfather, King George III, went mad ten years before his death in 1820. Due to the mad king, the eldest son (later King George IV) took the position as Prince Regent. During his regency and afterward his reign, George IV was decadent dandy. While his father remained faithful in his marriage despite his mental illness, George IV kept a mistress and publicly destroyed his marriage.
George IV produced only one legitimate child, and it was a daughter.
Following the death of his brother, William IV succeeded to the throne. His character was decidedly different from his brother. He spent his early life as a navy man, working among the people he would later rule. In his youth he did live, unmarried, with more than one woman. However, he did marry and remain faithful and happy with his wife. William's short reign of seven years did not allow for him to become as known and loved as his successor would be.
William IV died on June 20, 1837, having produced no heir.
The only living heir among three brothers was eighteen-year-old Victoria.
Not only was the new monarch a woman, she was also exceedingly young. She had only just come of age to avoid another regency. The beginning of Victoria's reign was rough, and the subjects distrusted such a young ruler. (An excellent source for information on Victoria's early reign has been the 2009 film The Young Victoria.)
The Queen's actual coronation took place on June 28, 1838, just over a year after her uncle's death.
Concluding:
A marked change in the people's admiration for Queen Victoria took place after her wise marriage to Albert. Together the royal couple would stand as a shining image for the people of their country. My next post will continue on this actual history strand, highlighting especially the marriage of Victoria and Albert and what it meant for England both politically and morally.
This has been a very brief, very condensed overview of the years between 1800 and 1838. I hope it will provide enough of a foundation for my continued study in this blog.
Until next visit!
M. R.
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