Queen Victoria: life and historical significance

Queen Victoria's legacy was to retain the strength of the British monarchy in spite of social and political reform, to rule with conservative values in spite of a growing trend of liberalism in her country, and to expand the political and territorial claims of the British Empire in a world that was becoming increasingly suspicious of colonialism. Queen Victoria emerges as a complex character, based on her numerous biographies and her own personal letters. Because of her position in recent history, much is known about Victoria, her life, and her times.

Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837 and married Prince Albert a few years after. Although Victoria began her political career as a liberal, she grew increasingly more conservative in her views due mainly to the influence of her husband. However, Albert died in 1861, leaving the Queen in a state of emotional chaos. She secluded herself and remained in isolation from most of the public for a number of years. She did not appear before parliament for five years after Albert's death. Because of her neglect of state affairs, the Queen became unpopular, and also because of her stubbornly conservative stance on matters of state and international affairs, many in Parliament and in the public feared the legacy of her influence. Among the great political issues facing England at the time include the quest for Irish independence, which the Queen sharply opposed; the rise of trade unions, and the repeal of the Corn Laws, both of which the Queen also opposed due to her conservative political stance. The Queen rubbed shoulders with fellow Conservatives, or Tories like Sir Robert Peel but most importantly found a strong political ally in Benjamin Disraeli. With Disraeli's help, Queen Victoria ended her isolation and reemerged at the forefront of English politics and foreign affairs. Most notably, the Queen declared herself Empress of India.

The Queen's control over India demonstrates her remarkable political ambitions. Her letters show that in spite of social unrest in the subcontinent and growing resentment of the Raj, Queen Elizabeth held on tightly, gripping the Indian territory close to the British Empire. Apologists and sympathizers like Lord Northbrook commend the Queen's great sense of sympathy and compassion for the Indian people, who are referred to in no uncertain terms as "subjects." Many of the letters demonstrate a preoccupation with the relatively trivial issue of the Queen's title: whether she should be "Empress" or "Empress-Queen," and what her title means.