The British Empire

The British Empire had been a dominant player on the world stage for centuries, and in the 1800s it reached its zenith. During the reign of Queen Victoria, it was often said that the "sun never set on the British Empire." It was true, as British holdings and influence stretched from Canada to Australia to India to Africa. The Union Jack fluttered across the world.

Ireland in the 1800s (4)

Images of British India
Images gallery of vintage images of British India in the 19th century.

Biography of Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman, Prime Mini…
Benjamin Disraeli was a perennial outsider who became a great British statesman, serving as prime minister while also enjoying a reputation as a novelist and wit.

Irish Rebellions of the 1800s
Ireland in the 1800s was marked by an intense resistance against British rule which culminated in series of revolutionary movements and occasional outright rebellions.

A Timeline of India in the 1800s
The British East India Company arrived in India in the early 1600s, struggling and nearly begging for the right to trade and do business. By the late 1700s the thriving firm of British merchants, backed by its own army, was essentially ruling India. In the 1800s English power expanded in India, as it would until the mutinies of 1857-58. After...

Learning Curve: The British Empire
This site created by the British National Archives provides source material on the Empire and seeks to promote discussion for educational purposes.

The British Empire
A site devoted to the glories of the British Empire, with biographies, timelines, maps, and collections of photographs.

The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 Shook British Rule in India
The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Revolt of 1857, shook British rule in India.

Images of Queen Victoria's Jubilee Celebrations
Images of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 and Diamond Jubilee in 1897, events that were among the most spectacular and lavish celebrations ever held.

Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1887 were momentous celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of her reign.

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Celebrated Her Reign of 60 Years
Lavish celebrations and pageantry marked Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Victorian Britain
Highlights of Victorian Britain include the writing of Dickens, the engineering of Brunel, and of course the reign of Queen Victoria.

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