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Tertiary sourceBook1901

Victoria (Dictionary of National Biography, 1901)

1901

A biographical dictionary entry on Queen Victoria published in 1901, the year of her death.

A reference entry published in the year of Victoria's death, giving a concise account of her descent and the succession crisis that shaped her early life.

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About this source

What it is

This is an entry on Queen Victoria in the Dictionary of National Biography supplement, published in London in 1901, the year she died. It describes her as granddaughter of George III and only child of the duke of Kent, and it explains the succession crisis after the death of Princess Charlotte in 1817.

Why it matters

The Dictionary of National Biography was a major British reference work, and its entries were written to give an authoritative account of notable lives. This entry places Victoria among the sons of George III, including the duke of Kent, the duke of Clarence and the duke of Cambridge, who married in 1818 so that the royal line would continue.

Look closer

  • Why did the entry focus on the marriages of George III's sons when describing Victoria's early life?

  • Who would have read a reference work like this in 1901, and what might they have expected from it?

  • What does the entry leave out about the people who were not members of the royal family?

This book 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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