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Primary sourceArtifact1856

Victoria Cross

1856

The highest British military decoration for valour, instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856 and first presented by her in person in 1857.

Victoria personally instituted this medal and presented the first awards, showing her direct shaping of military honours.

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Photo of a bronze Victoria Cross medal, a cross pattern with a central roundel showing a lion standing on a crown and the words 'For Valour', hanging from a purple ribbon with a laurel-wreath suspension bar and ring.
Victoria Cross, instituted 1856.

About this source

What it is

The Victoria Cross is Britain's highest military award for bravery in the presence of the enemy. It was created by royal warrant in 1856, during the Crimean War, under the direction of Queen Victoria, who insisted it be open to all ranks regardless of class or birth.

Why it matters

Victoria personally presented the first awards to Crimean War veterans at Hyde Park in 1857, and most Victoria Crosses since have been presented in person by the reigning monarch. It shows the queen's direct involvement in shaping how Britain honoured ordinary soldiers, and her belief that courage mattered more than rank.

Look closer

  • Why might Victoria have insisted the award be open to all ranks?
  • What does the simple design of the medal suggest about its purpose?
  • What does the medal not tell us about the experiences of those who earned it?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Queen Victoria on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Front cover of a dark red cloth-bound book with a blind-stamped royal cypher and crown at the center, a library barcode label reading University of St. Michael's College at top left, and a decorative embossed border.Letter

Primary source

The Letters of Queen Victoria, vol. 2

Victoria · 1908

Document

Primary source

Proclamation to the Princes, Chiefs and People of India

Victoria / British Government · 1 November 1858

Scan of a black Penny Black postage stamp with a profile of Queen Victoria in white, the word POSTAGE across the top, and ONE PENNY at the bottom with corner letters M and H. Decorative white lattice borders frame the design.Artifact

Primary source

Penny Black

Charles Heath and Frederick Heath (engravers), after Henry Corbould · 1840

Large painting of the coronation of Queen Victoria in Westminster Abbey. A young queen in white and ermine robes sits on a gold throne at center right, wearing a crown, surrounded by richly dressed nobles, clergy and attendants in red robes. Gothic gold canopy and dark blue curtains frame the scene; a crowded gallery of spectators is visible at right.Painting

Primary source

The Coronation of Queen Victoria in Westminster Abbey

George Hayter · 1838-1839

Painting of a royal family in a red-draped room with gilt chairs and a seascape behind. A woman in a white gown and tiara sits beside a man in dark formal dress and sash. A girl in red stands at left, a toddler in white is at lower left, and two girls in white dresses and a baby are at lower right on a red cushion.Painting

Primary source

The Royal Family in 1846

Franz Xaver Winterhalter · 1846-1847

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