During the reign of Queen Victoria, the British economy grew rapidly and became prosperous. When the Queen ascended the throne, there were only a few railways in Britain, but when she died, Britain already had a developed railway network connecting major cities. In order to show Britain's prosperity and strength, the first World Expo opened in London in 185 1 and became a world event at that time. In terms of culture and science, Charles Dickens, a world-famous English writer, and charles robert darwin, a British naturalist, are the most important figures in the Victorian era. Due to the continuous development of economy and industry, Victorian Britons gradually enjoyed the convenience of life brought by scientific and technological progress. The sewage system in London and the incandescent lamps on the streets of London were both realized during the reign of Queen Victoria. 189 1, that is, ten years before the Queen's death, Britain had implemented free education for all children.
In the Victorian era, although Britain was a constitutional monarchy, Queen Victoria still had great influence on ministers. During her reign, the British empire expanded extremely and reached unprecedented prosperity. The Opium War, which deeply influenced China's history, also happened shortly after her accession to the throne. Today, many rivers, lakes, deserts, waterfalls, cities, ports, streets, parks, schools and buildings in the world are named after Victoria, including Victoria in Australia, Victoria City in Canada, Victoria Memorial Hall in Singapore, Victoria Park in Hong Kong, Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, and Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. Queen Victoria's first love was Alexander II, the eldest son of Russian Tsar Nicholas I, 1839, and Alexander II, 2 1 year-old, arrived in England while traveling around Europe. 1839 On May 7th, Alexander II met Queen Victoria for the first time, which was the 20th birthday of the young Queen Victoria. When we first met, the handsome appearance of Alexander II in military uniform deeply attracted Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria wrote in her diary: "At about 6: 40, I met the Crown Prince. He saluted at my window. We eat in St. George's Hall. The crown prince took me into the hall. I really fell in love with the Crown Prince. He is such a kind and friendly young man. We danced together, laughed together and shared happy time. I have never been so happy. I went to bed at 2: 30, but I was always excited until 5 o'clock. "
When the lovers met again the next day, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary: "The Crown Prince said that he would never forget this happy day, and I think I will never forget it. I really love this lovely and caring young man, and his smile is charming. "
Alexander II fell in love with Queen Victoria during his stay in England for more than a month. They watch horse races together, dance together in Buckingham Palace, and have many personal dates. On one occasion, Alexander II entered Queen Victoria's private room alone in the theater and stayed for more than half an hour. Queen Victoria was very excited to tell the consultant's wife that she had fallen in love with this lovely and affectionate Russian crown prince.
However, Queen Victoria's love for Alexander II caused dissatisfaction in the British Parliament. Lord Melbourne made it very clear that she opposed any connection between Britain and Russia, which was expanding wildly, and asked Queen Victoria to draw a clear line with Alexander II immediately. On the other hand, Tsar Nicholas I, who was far away in Russia, also heard about the love between the two lovers. He asked Alexander II to return to Russia. Under the double pressure of national interests and political considerations, the lovers had to give up their love painfully. On the day of parting, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary: "The Crown Prince held my hand tightly. His hands are so warm that he looks pale. He said that he would never forget this day. I kissed his face and he kissed me deeply. I feel very sad to be separated from this affectionate and lovely young man. I really love him. "
The two lovers did not meet again for the next 35 years, until 1874 when Alexander II visited Queen Victoria again.
The love between Queen Victoria and her old love Alexander II ended in failure under the consideration of national political interests. Soon, she announced her marriage to Albert from Saxony-Coburg-Gotha, Germany, which was arranged by her mother and uncle.
Albert, 18 19, was born in Bavaria, Germany on August 26th, 2009. He is the youngest son of the Duke of Gotha in Fort Sacconi, and his brother is Ernest. His parents divorced when he was seven. His mother was sent to live in Switzerland for adultery and was forbidden to see her children. Albert was educated at Bonn University. 1840, he married his cousin Queen Victoria.
They were all born in 18 19, only three months apart, and they are cousins of close relatives. Victoria's father, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George III of England, died when she was eight months old. Her three uncles George IV, Duke of York and William IV had no legal heirs, so she succeeded to the throne after William IV's death. Victoria's mother and Leopold planned Albert's marriage with Queen Victoria very early. Albert never thought about his marriage. At first, the young queen resisted and didn't want to give up the right to make her own decisions for life. Their marriage eventually became an unparalleled love legend in the history of the British royal family, but this legend was not as perfect as the fairy tale of the prince and princess.
He and she met at the beginning of 1836. They are both 17 years old, and they are equally different. Victoria is still a princess under the strict control of her mother. She comes from the Hanover family, which is famous for its uneducated and quarrelsome style and inherits the characteristics of her family: stubbornness and intolerance. She is very independent. Albert is a model of virtue, wisdom and self-discipline, which is completely opposite to his father, Duke of Coburg, and his younger brother Ernest. He is very clever and has received excellent education in all aspects such as language, culture, philosophy and music, which an ideal prince should learn. [2]
When it comes to marriage, Victoria is so disgusted and scared that she doesn't even want to hear it. She said to Lord Melburn more than once: "At this time, my mood is very disgusted with marriage." Speaking of Albert, she said in a letter to her uncle, "We are not engaged." Even if she likes Albert, she "can't make a final appointment this year, because this kind of thing will have to wait for two or three years at the earliest." She also said that she "hates" changing her present life; And claimed that if she didn't like him, she was very eager to be understood, and she wouldn't feel guilty for breaking her word, because there was never any agreement between them. This is obviously a delaying tactic. She is already looking for a way out for herself. As for Lord Melburn, she spoke more clearly and openly. She told him that she "didn't want to see Albert very much because the whole incident was annoying".
No matter how Victoria escaped, Albert's visit came as scheduled. On the night of 10 this year, Albert, under the arrangement of his uncle Leopold, came to Windsor with his brother Ernest, the heir of Archduke Saxophone Coburg.
The next day is Thursday. In the morning, Albert and Ernest finally came to visit the Queen. The queen stood silently, and the two princes were still so beautiful, handsome and personable. This reminds her of the happy three weeks a few years ago, boating, riding, painting, playing the piano, solid arms and broad chest. Yes, they really meet again, but they have been apart for too long. This long separation almost made her forget everything. Now, all the memories have been recalled. She carefully looked at the two young people in front of her, especially Albert. She was very surprised. Albert not only retained the elegance of his boyhood, but also added a bit of maturity and stability to him. Zhang Jun's beautiful face is the same, only with a slender moustache on her mouth and loose cheeks on her white face, and she is taller and more symmetrical. Albert is a completely mature man. The queen is a little excited. The fortress made of sand in her girlhood was so fragile that it collapsed in an instant. All disgust and fear sparkled in front of the handsome young man's blue eyes and vanished in that charming smile. They rode horses together, danced together and talked about the sky together. Everything is so perfect. She seems to have been introduced into a brand-new territory, where there is no shadow of Lord Melburn. She can reflect on her past life through comparison: those happiness and attachment were originally based on a superficial pastime, and they were so melodramatic. Two or three days passed quickly. On Sunday morning, when she stood before Lord Melburn again, she seemed to be a different person. The expression of childishness, expectation and worship disappeared completely, and was replaced by more firmness and maturity: "My view on marriage has changed greatly, and I have decided to marry Albert." The next morning, she summoned her cousin alone. This time, the queen completely forgot the dignity and rules of the emperor. She said affectionately, "If you can satisfy my wish (marry me), I will be extremely happy."
Albert opened the man's powerful arms emotionally and hugged the queen tightly. His hug was so powerful, kind and gentle that Victoria was immersed in an unprecedented feeling of happiness. She closed her eyes and fully realized it. Her little lips murmured, "You are so beautiful that I don't deserve to marry you." "Don't be silly, dear. I'm so happy. I am very happy to grow old with you! " Albert does have a reason to let Victoria fall, or Victoria's choice is extremely correct. Although the queen's choice at this time is more based on intuition, out of admiration for Albert's many superficial qualities: his handsome beauty and charming temperament. But later, Albert's inner qualities will be more and more clearly displayed in front of people, making the queen more and more willing to be his vassal. Of course, this is another story, but Albert's extraordinary talent was possessed before he joined the Queen. Albert was born in August of 18 19, three months later than his cousin Victoria. Francis Charles Auguste Albert Emanuel of Gotha, Saccoburg is his full name. Albert inherited all the advantages of her mother, a lively and beautiful woman, in appearance: blonde, polite and energetic.
Compared with his brother Ernest, Albert was an independent and persistent child since he was a child. In countless games and quarrels between brothers, the younger brother always has the upper hand. To outsiders, it is natural that their identities are reversed. Albert's character won the hearts of the people of Coburg. He is clever, witty and diligent. His principality is constantly in war, weak and weak, while Dagong is not rich. He grew up in a plain environment. Such impartiality made him willing to accept the inspiration of the passionate moral values of that era: honesty, tenacity, kindness and truth-seeking. When he was 1 1 years old, when his father tried to ask him about his future plans, his answer surprised the weather-beaten ruler of the principality: "I want to be a kind and useful person." He said that a simple and concise sentence contains a child's awareness of future life responsibilities and goals, which is the highest style of that era. We can't help thinking that when Victoria first realized that she wanted to be the Queen of England, her answer was almost the same: "I want to be a good person". Is this an accidental coincidence, or can it be explained by simply saying "However, I feel the harmonious heartbeat of the sacred unicorn"? From here, we actually have a vague feeling that it is no accident that after the combination of Albert and Victoria a few years later, their lifestyle and attitude towards life have become the model of the whole national life.
Like Victoria, Albert's performance at the confirmation ceremony was so excellent and unforgettable. By citing ancient examples, the confirmation ceremony was held in the "Grand Hall" of the castle. Because Albert's temperament and demeanor since childhood have penetrated into everyone's heart in Coburg, the confirmation ceremony has affected everyone in the ruling and opposition. A large number of enthusiastic officials, priests, representatives of villages and towns in the Principality, and various spontaneous audiences flocked. The scene is very lively. The Grand Duke and Taitai, Alexander and Ernest of Wü rttemberg, Grand Duke Lainingen, Grand Duchess of Hornroy Langenburg, Grand Duchess of Hornroy and Slim Foster all attended the ceremony. At the back of the hall, a simple but beautifully decorated podium was set up, with Dr. jacoby, the priest in the inner room, sitting in the center. The choir sang hymns loudly. Dr jacoby began to ask questions, and the prince answered them. The doctor's questions are carefully designed and considered. These questions can't be answered by a simple "yes" or "no", and they must have their own views and explanations, so that the audience can understand the little prince's views in more detail. Albert's answer is calm, decisive and accurate, especially in those subtle explanations with flashing personality everywhere, which contains a deep inner strength of modality and self-confidence, and has closely infected everyone present, from dignitaries to ordinary people. When asked whether the hereditary prince intends to be loyal to the evangelical church, the prince's answer is only "yes". But he added in a clear and firm voice: "I am determined to be loyal to the accepted truth forever." Always loyal to the accepted truth is the starting point and cornerstone of all Albert's virtues.
Erudition is another excellent quality of Albert. He always seized every opportunity to enrich and expand his knowledge, from horseback riding, shooting, fencing, hunting and even small pranks, to music and literature, metaphysics, law, political economy and even mathematics and biology. Legend has it that every time he goes hunting, he brings back a large number of animal and plant specimens to enrich his knowledge of nature; He once succeeded in imitating a professor who suddenly fell down while running, but he had no choice but to find glasses, which caused the students to burst into laughter.
/kloc-at the age of 0/7, he began to devote himself to studying German literature and profound German philosophy. He once wrote a paper "On the Germanic Way of Thinking and a Brief History of Germanic Civilization", in which he tried to "reflect on the shortcomings of our time and call on all people to start from themselves and correct these shortcomings, so as to set a good example for others." His keen interest in his own national way of thinking played an extremely important role as an assistant to the Queen in the future. During his 1838 trip to Italy, Florence's art galleries and scenery delighted him. In a meeting with Pope Gregory XVI, he conquered the arrogant Pope with his profound knowledge. The Pope tried to show his erudition to young Albert. He talked about art, especially ancient Greek art, which he said was handed down from Etruscans in northwest Italy. "no!" Albert's decisive and concise voice suppressed the Pope's endless tirade: "Their art was introduced from Egypt because", and then there were endless allusions. The arrogant pope looked at the simple young man in front of him and had to nod politely and acquiesce.
Not only art, but also Albert's interest in natural science is extremely strong. 1852, he successfully conceived and held a large-scale international exposition that concentrated all kinds of advanced samples produced by almost all countries in the world at that time, such as raw material production, machine manufacturing, machine design, factory production and application, plastic arts, etc., which was the best footnote. In Brussels, he met Adolf Godley, a famous professor of mathematics. His research and application of the law of probability deeply attracted Albert, and he soon became lifelong friends with the professor of mathematics. There is an anecdote about Albert's eagerness to learn. At a ball in Florence, people found that he did not pay attention to the noble and elegant ladies, but was immersed in a conversation with the famous historian Mr. Gabriel. Such an untimely situation was temporarily translated into a beautiful talk. At that time, Stoegan, who stood beside him and witnessed this strange sight, said, What a boastful prince! In front of him, a beautiful partner can't compare with erudition even on stage. Such an excellent young man didn't show much enthusiasm for Victoria. Although his grandmother, Grand Duke and Coburg's wife, Duke, Duchess of Kent and King Leopold put him and Victoria together, they talked about the world from the beginning. When he was 3 years old, even his nanny often told him that "the little English Mayflower" (Victoria was born in May) would become his wife, but somehow, he had an instinctive aversion to the opposite sex since he was a child. At the age of five, a little girl was brought to him as a partner at a children's dance. He was annoyed and angry and shouted. Although he later learned to hide his feelings in this respect, his feelings remained unchanged.
Perhaps this should be attributed to his beloved beautiful mother? In his impression, his mother was beautiful, gentle and caring, but at the age of five, he and his mother were separated forever. Legend has it that the Grand Duke is a romantic, and the Duchess knows from her husband's appearance. She mixed with a court minister, then separated and divorced, and finally lived in seclusion in Paris until 183 1 died. Albert, who is honest and kind, can't accept this emotional blow. He was swallowed up by endless ambivalence-on the one hand, he missed his mother endlessly, on the other hand, he was ashamed of his mother's scandal. So he ran away from all the women.
Another reason why Albert doesn't care much about Victoria is that Albert is not interested in politics. He never reads newspapers. What he longs for is a leisurely artistic life. Unlike Leopold, he doesn't have the persistent ambition of his uncle and lacks the pursuit of great self. He is kind, pure, intelligent and educated, but all these will make him a lofty and insignificant person as usual. An art lover who is passionate about culture but not dedicated to it, and a court vassal who has no influence and authority, obviously, as a queen's husband, this position that others think can best realize their political ambitions is not too tempting for Albert.
What's more, he already knew that Victoria was looking up to her Lord Melburn at this time, so when 1839+00 was arranged to go to London in June, he had made up his mind to quit the matter completely. He told a friend that nothing could tempt him to wait for that kind of ambiguity again, and he would end it immediately.
Almost the same as Victoria's situation, when he collided with his beautiful and petite cousin's eyes, the whole situation changed completely. Facing the woman in front of him, he didn't feel the slightest disgust. Even the strange and warm feeling that had never surged in his heart rushed out and flooded his whole body and mind. In Victoria's arms, he found that his irresistible fate had been decided without any room. "I will marry you, dear." There is infinite happiness in his voice.
What kind of power made the young man and woman suddenly change their minds as soon as they met and decided to go hand in hand forever? If the Duke of Kent were still alive, he might go to the Gypsy Prophet again. Perhaps, he is right, fate is always so mysterious and irresistible. Queen Victoria had a good relationship with her husband Prince Albert, but in 186 1, Prince Albert died in the middle age of the queen. At this time, Queen Victoria was widely respected by the British, and ministers began to take the initiative to ask her opinion. However, her husband's death made the queen very unhappy. She left London to live in seclusion for a long time. Even when she appears in public, she doesn't wear a crown and always dresses up as a widow. Because Victoria lived in seclusion for a long time, the Prime Minister could not ask the Queen for instructions on everything, so the power of the Prime Minister gradually increased, which made the British constitutional monarchy more perfect.
After a long period of seclusion, Queen Victoria became active again in the late1870s. 1897 The grand celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne greatly enhanced the prestige of the Queen and the royal family.
1840, when Queen Victoria got married, she wore a white dress made of beautiful China brocade, 18 foot tail and a white veil. The pure white from head to toe surprised the audience. Before Queen Victoria's wedding, the wedding dresses of members of the British royal family were all traditional dresses, wearing jewelry crowns, evening dresses inlaid with jewelry and silver ornaments, and fur coats. Her amazing move, in addition to being amazing, quickly became a fashion and spread widely. It has gradually become a traditional custom for brides to wear white wedding dresses at western weddings. The white wedding dress represents inner purity and innocence, and later it gradually evolved into a symbol of virginity.
In the1920s after World War I, the change of women's social status also greatly changed the style of wedding dresses, and short skirt wedding dresses gradually appeared. In the 1940s, because of World War II, the bride's wedding dress became simple and simple, and many mothers also passed their wedding dresses on to their daughters as family heirlooms. John brown is a good friend of the Queen and her husband. After the death of Prince Albert, more than three years have passed, and the Queen still can't get over her grief. So her children introduced john brown to the palace. Previously, john brown had a pleasant time with the Queen and Prince Albert in the Scottish Highlands. When the queen saw her old friend again, the past time was vivid. Like this good friend, she poured out her thoughts about her late husband.
The Queen found that john brown was the one who could best understand her feelings for her husband, so her friendship with john brown grew day by day. John brown is very concerned about the Queen and always considers her safety. However, john brown is rude and arrogant. When he was loved by the Queen, he showed great disrespect for the Queen's children, especially the Prince of Wales. John brown's younger brother, because of john brown's favor, became the servant of the Queen's youngest son, Prince Leopold. However, this servant often abused Prince Leopold who suffered from hemophilia. He even hit Prince Leopold on the nose with a spoon, and it was no use insulting him. Hemophilia patients will bleed a lot once they are injured, and Prince Leopold can't be hurt. The servant's abuse of Prince Leopold was painful. The Queen's children hate john brown and his brother very much. They have reported the evil deeds of john brown and his brother to the Queen many times, but the Queen only regards these things as lies fabricated by her children out of jealousy. The contradiction between the queen and the children is getting deeper and deeper.
After the Prince of Wales was seriously ill with typhoid fever, the Queen decided not to live in seclusion and face the public. She went to church with the prince of Wales, who had just recovered from a serious illness, to pray for him. During the carriage driving, the Queen waved to the crowd frequently, and the people warmly welcomed the Queen back. At this time, an assassin has a bad heart and wants to be the second queen. John brown found and caught the murderer in time and avoided a disaster. Only then did the Queen's children accept john brown and thank him for his bravery.
When john brown died, the Queen wrote in her diary: "His departure made me very sad." However, the discovery of the Queen's personal letters revealed her deeper friendship with john brown for the first time. Queen Victoria wrote in her letter: "Brown was her best and most loyal servant and her most trusted friend, and her death made her very sad.
1884, Queen Victoria published a book "Taking Pictures in a Diary-Our Highland Life", in which the Queen described Brown in particular and spoke highly of him. At the same time, Queen Victoria also built a statue for Brown.