Edward vii king of england. King of England Edward VII: biography, reign, politics

And Elaine. Aegon's dragon was called Thundercloud.

Aegon was still a child during the internecine war - the Dance of the Dragons, which was waged between his mother Rhaenyra and his uncle King Aegon II. At the end of the war, Aegon II fed Rhaenyra to his dragon, which the future king Aegon III witnessed. Most of the dragons died during the Dance, and the last died in the reign of Aegon III; some contemporaries and descendants believed that it was Aegon III, who was afraid of dragons, who ordered the last of these creatures to be killed.

Appearance and personality

Ægon always dressed in black and wore a chain of golden three-headed dragons around his neck. He was sad, gloomy and unsmiling. Sadness was said to follow Aegon. His crown was a thin golden circlet.

Marriage and children

King Aegon III was married to Aegon II's daughter Jaeheira, his only surviving child of the war, and succeeded his uncle. She died at a young age, leaving no offspring. The second wife of the king was Daineira Velarion, in marriage with whom Aegon had two sons: Daeron the Young Dragon and Baelor the Blessed, as well as daughters, the Three Maidens in the Tower: Daina, Reina and Elaina.

Biography

Dance of the Dragons

Aegon as a child. Illustration by Magali Villeneuve, © FFG

When the civil war began, Aegon was only nine years old. He commanded the young dragon, Thundercloud, even though the prince had yet to mount him.

At the end of 129 after Z.E. the young princes sailed aboard the Merry Carelessness cog for Essos. Corlis Velarion assigned seven of his warships to escort the cog. At sea, the ships of the blacks were attacked by the fleet of the Three Daughters. Aegon managed to escape by flying away on his dragon. The first flight of his life was a great shock to the little boy: Ægon, white with terror, shook like a leaf when he landed on Dragonstone and stank of piss. His dragon was severely wounded by arrows and bolts and died soon after.

Rhaenyra's execution did not end the war, and new Black armies marched on, fighting for her son, even as Aegon II returned to King's Landing.

Regency under Aegon III

© Illustration Enife

In 131 Aegon II died. The river lords marching on the capital and the remnants of the former king's troops recognized the eleven-year-old boy as their king. Then Aegon III, along with many loyal lords, invited Creegan Stark to the capital, who temporarily took power in King's Landing to carry out a fair trial of the greens. Many dark rumors circulated about Lord Creegan - someone believed that he wanted to marry the young king to his daughter (whom he did not have then), someone even thought that he wanted to kill the king and claim the Throne , by marrying Princess Jaeheira. As a result, the intimidated Aegon was forced to proclaim Stark as his Hand, after which Lord Creegan began the trial of the murderers of Aegon II. The only person who escaped punishment was Corlis Velarion, the rest were executed or exiled to the Night's Watch. The following day, Lord Stark resigned as Hand of the Hand.

Soon, to consolidate the peace after the civil war, the king married Jaeheira. The ceremony took place near the Dragonpit, after which Aegon went to the Red Keep, where he was crowned as the new king of the Seven Kingdoms.

The first thing the new king did was to fill the empty seats in the King's Guard. He then appointed Tyland Lannister as his right hand, and also assembled a council of regents who were to assist him in his reign. Despite this, he spent quite a bit of time on the Iron Throne, which caused an uproar among the people.

In 132, the Sea Serpent died, and the regents began to think about an heir for Aegon. The king himself named Gaimon the Blondhair, Aegon II's self-proclaimed bastard, but his decision was ignored by the regents. The Princesses of Bail and the Rhine, regardless of their gender, offered their nominations as heirs.

In 133, during the Winter Fever, the king personally visited the sick and even held some by the hand. Among those with whom he sat next to him was his Hand, Lord Thailand, who soon died.

After Lannister's death, Aegon called Robert Darklyn and Robin Massey into the Kingsguard. He asked the former Grand Maester Orville to write a letter to Thaddeus Rowan offering the post of Hand, Alyn Velaryon offering the post of Master of Ships, and Cousin Baela to come to the King's court. However, the regents reversed his decisions. One of these regents, Unwin Peake, proclaimed himself the Hand.

Aegon and Unwin Peak

Soon, to the displeasure of the king, Lord Peak demoted Darklyn and Massey and forced them to leave the Kingsguard. After that, the new Hand appointed his friends and relatives to vacant positions - for example, Gareth Long, a sworn knight of Lord Peak, became a master at arms. Sir Long began to train the boy, but he soon stopped listening to instructions, refusing to cooperate or simply walking away. Since Ser Gareth could do no harm to the king, he asked Unwin to make Gaimon a spanking boy. Gaimon's tears and blood motivated Ægon, and he soon became better in battle.

Suddenly the king became a widower - Queen Jaeheira threw herself from a window. Rumors of her murder soon spread throughout the capital. Immediately, Lord Peak offered the king to marry again, to his daughter Miriel. However, many lords did not approve of such a match for Aegon - Lord Stark frankly said that the northerners would look at such a marriage with disrespect, Lord Kermit Tully called this proposal of the Hand impudent, and Maester Mankan turned his back on his friend Unwin. Noble ladies, upon learning of the death of the queen, immediately began writing letters to Aegon, expressing their desire to marry him. Lord Peak, under pressure from the outside, was forced to organize a dance party where the king would choose his mate.

A week before the ball, father and daughter Peaks spent with the king. At the ball itself, all the candidates were shown to Aegon, seated on the Iron Throne. His interest, however, with each new girl only fell - according to Fungus, that was Lord Peak's insidious plan.

At the very end of the ball, Beyla and Reina suddenly appeared, presenting their version for the king - Daineira Velarion, a six-year-old girl. Eventually, after several more candidates, Gaimon the Blond announced on behalf of the king that Aegon would marry Daineira. Despite the protests of Lord Peak, who insisted that the king should choose an older maiden, Aegon and Daineira were married on the last day of 133.

Lissen spring

In 134, when Lord Peak lost his power and office as Hand, Oakfist suddenly returned from his journey. He brought with him the younger brother of the king, Prince Viserys, who had previously been in Lys, and was considered dead in Westeros. King Aegon was incredibly happy about this, after which Viserys became his closest friend, replacing Gaimon and Daineira.

Together with him, Prince Viserys brought his wife Larra Rogare and several of her brothers. In the same year, Larra gave birth to a son, Viserys, after which the inheritance finally ceased to be in jeopardy. Viserys brought his dragon egg with him, but the king, having heard about that ugly worm born to Leina Velarion, ordered all the eggs to be removed from the Red Castle, which caused the wrath of Viserys. The brothers did not speak to each other for a month, and only the death of Gaimon made them reconcile.

End of the regency

Aegon restored Lord Rowan to the title of Hand, but the torture broke him and he ceased to be a good adviser. Soon the king was forced to remove him. The place of the right hand was temporarily taken by Mankan. In 136, the Lords Great and Lesser chose a new council of regents by lot, and Torrhen Manderly was appointed Hand.

On his sixteenth birthday, the king arrived at a meeting of the Small Council, where he dismissed the regents and dismissed Lord Manderly, who had faithfully served him, which led to a conflict between the king and the lord.

The reign of Aegon III is marked by a long winter that began in 130 and lasted 6 years (130-135), and in 132-133 there was an epidemic of Winter Fever.

Independent government .

Aegon III ruled for 26 years (131-157 A.E.). He died at the age of 36 from consumption. The father was succeeded by his eldest fourteen-year-old son

mechanical magic

In honor of the distinguished guests, seven underground lords set a magnificent feast. Ballet was shown at the feast: the boys and girls from the Lan Pirot dance academy showed miracles of art and earned universal approval. By the way, the young artists were sent home the very next day, their stay in the Cave could undermine their fragile health. The Munchkins, who brought gifts to the underground inhabitants, also left with them. The little men spent only one day in the Cave, but for the rest of their lives the fear of its gloomy and majestic wonders remained in their souls.
Both the hosts and the guests slept for a very long time after the feast, of course, with the exception of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow: they never slept.
Only Lestar got up early and set to work. Even the day before, he met the Keeper of Time Rugero and talked with him for a long time.
Lestar and Rougereau liked each other, and affection immediately arose between them. The next morning after the feast, Lestar sought out Rougereau and asked to be escorted to the Sacred Cave. Two new friends walked and talked, and behind them blockheads, under the supervision of masters, dragged pipes, levers and blocks.
From the conversation, Lestar realized that the Keeper of Time did not really believe that Soporific Water could be returned by witchcraft. The master saw how Rugero slyly glanced at all the complex mechanics that the wooden people were carrying, and, grinning, said:
- Yes, of course, with such devices things will go better, and the underground spirit will probably retreat. And then poor Ellie had only spells. What are spells? Words.
“Venerable Rougereau, I see you are a shrewd man,” said Lestar. “But I don’t think you should instill such thoughts in the seven kings.
“I think so myself, venerable Lestar,” agreed the Keeper of Time. - After all, not everything that is said between friends is suitable for the ears of their majesties.
The old people, pleased with each other, continued on their way.
In the Sacred Cave, Lestar engaged in serious research. Having ordered the blockheads to keep quiet, he put his ear to the ground in different places, trying to hear the noise of underground waters. He held a mirror above the cracks in the rock to catch traces of vapors on it.
His work continued for a long time, and at this time Rougero sat on a stone and rested from a long journey. Then Lestar came up to him.
How are you, dear friend? Rougero asked.
“There is hope, but the sorcery will be long and difficult,” the master answered cautiously.
To begin with, the blockheads, under the direction of Lestar and the other Winkies, leveled the area near the pool and set up a foundation for the drilling machine. In their strong hands, the work was in full swing, they turned huge stones without any effort.
“A good legacy was left to you after Oorfene Deuce,” said Rugero, laughing.
"Yes, no need to complain," Lestar agreed. “But note that they became obedient workers only after they had their new faces cut out. And this was done according to the plan of the Scarecrow.
The company returned to the city only in the evening. And there a new feast was already started. It was the Scarecrow, according to the rules of diplomatic etiquette, who prepared a reciprocal treat for the kings from the products that his people brought with them.
Several days have passed. A constant communication was established between the City of the Seven Lords and the Sacred Cave. Blockheads, Winkies and underground metalworkers were constantly scurrying back and forth, carrying parts of machines and necessary materials. But kings, courtiers and spies were forbidden to enter the Sacred Cave. At the insistence of Lestar, Ellie told the seven kings that a terrible spirit lives there, called the Great Mechanic, and this spirit can only be defeated by mechanical magic. And with mechanical magic, it is extremely dangerous for outsiders to be present, it can affect the mind.
But Ellie's presence during the preparation of mechanical magic was declared mandatory, and she spent whole days there. The sacred cave could not be defiled by the normal necessities of life - food and sleep, and therefore a camp for workers was set up in one of the neighboring caves. Beds were brought there and a hearth was set up for cooking.
But for Ellie, as a fairy, an exception was made. The blockheads built for her a light cozy house in the Sacred Cave, where there was everything she needed: a bed, a dining table, a locker for dresses (the Scarecrow brought her a whole dozen!) And everything else. There Ellie, tired of the noise of work, spent hours of rest with Totoshka.
And the work was in full swing. Drills buzzed, biting into the dense rock. Miguna's craftsmen screwed the pipes for the pumps and adjusted the valves. Curious Fred was everywhere: either he passed on some order from Lestar, then he dragged the necessary part to the locksmith, then he looked closely at the work of the drillers. The boy was at the height of bliss: could he have thought before that he would experience such extraordinary adventures? ..
But the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion did not appear in the labyrinth: the damp climate of the Cave turned out to be harmful to them.

After several days in the dungeon, the Scarecrow felt very ill. He moved with difficulty, because the straw was heavy from dampness, and there was nowhere to dry. In the Cave they cooked on small stoves, from where the fire could not get out and disturb the weak eyes of the underground inhabitants. The stoves did not warm the surrounding air at all.
Even worse was the case with the amazing brains of the Scarecrow. The bran with which his head was stuffed was also damp, and the needles and pins mixed with it were rusty. From this, the Scarecrow was tormented by headaches, and he began to forget the simplest words.
And even the features of the Scarecrow's face began to change, because the watercolors with which it was painted were dissolving and leaking.
Worried Faramant summoned a doctor to the ruler. Boril came, a descendant of the same Boril, under whom the first euthanasia took place. Round and self-satisfied, like his great-great-grandfather, the doctor examined the noble patient.
“Um, um, bad,” he muttered. “Your Excellency is beginning to develop a very dangerous illness – dropsy. The best treatment is solar heat and light.
“I can’t slander—that is, leave Ellie here,” said the Scarecrow in a hollow voice.
“Then…” the doctor thought. “Then the foundry could serve as a hospital for Your Excellency. I believe that in its warm, dry air you will get better.
The Scarecrow was taken to the workshop and set up in a secluded corner where he did not interfere with anyone and where he was not disturbed by the workers. Faramant, who was with the ruler as a nurse, made sure that not a single spark from the furnace could fall on the Scarecrow. If this happened, the patient would find death instead of cure.
In the dry and hot factory air from the Scarecrow for the first days, thick steam fell, and then his health began to recover surprisingly quickly. His arms and legs filled with strength, and clarity appeared in his brain.
It was bad with the Woodcutter. Dampness penetrated his iron joints, and they began to rust. And this rust of the Cave was somehow especially corrosive, even enhanced lubrication did not save it from it. Soon the Woodcutter's golden butter dish was empty, and all his limbs creaked as he moved. The jaws did not move, the poor fellow tried in vain to open his mouth: he was dumb. The woodcutter has become disabled.
Din Gior invited Dr. Robil to see him. The doctor said:
- So that his excellency (or perhaps it is worth saying: his former excellency?) does not fall apart in the very next few days, he must be placed in a barrel of oil. This is his only salvation.
Fortunately, there was enough vegetable oil in the last transport of provisions, and the Tin Woodman was loaded into it so that only the funnel that replaced his hat was visible above the surface.
And so that the Woodcutter would not be bored, the Long-bearded Soldier sat on a chair next to him and told him various entertaining stories from his past when he was still serving as a doorkeeper to Goodwin.
For a walk, the Woodcutter sometimes got out of the barrel for an hour or two and went to visit the Scarecrow or the Lion. The mighty Lion, the free son of the forests, also had a bad time in the Cave: the king of animals fell ill with bronchitis. Boril prescribed powders for him, and soon the entire pharmacy was empty: it is easy to imagine what doses of medicine Lev needs! And when Leo had eaten all the powders, he set about the papers in which they were wrapped.
So, all was not well with Ellie's friends, and this forced Lestar to rush with all his might to prepare mechanical magic.

What can diamonds be used for?

Not only the rulers of the Magic Land and the king of beasts had a bad time in the Cave. Those who came with them also experienced difficult days. The eternal darkness of the dungeon, the autumn colors of nature, the humid atmosphere, and people acted depressingly. They were seized by longing for their homeland, for the blue sky and the sparkling sun, for the cheerful song of birds on the branches of trees, for the rustle of the wind in the groves.
And even the blockheads, those strong and hardy wooden creatures, felt that their hands and feet, swollen with dampness, no longer obeyed them as well as before.
Lestar sped up the work. In the short hours of rest of the chief master, his assistants replaced him, and as before, drills screeched and blocks creaked, hammers banged. Miraculous water, apparently, went much deeper than the chief master thought, but finally its presence was felt in the bowels of the earth. Blunt drills that needed to be replaced with new ones emerged from the depths wet. Lestar strictly ordered people not to touch this water, but one day, when they returned to the Sacred Cave, after a lunch break, they saw about a dozen or two mice near the recently taken out drill. The mice lay with their paws up and slept in a magical dream! They licked the droplets of Soporific Water from the drill.
The mice slept for several hours, and the precautions at work doubled.
And then the happy moment came when the miraculous water gushed in a powerful jet into the pre-prepared pool. Lestar and his assistants, Ellie, Fred Canning, gathered around and with respectful curiosity watched for a long time how, bubbling and sparkling with a bluish light and releasing hissing bubbles, the Soporific Water was pouring.
Then everyone went about their business. Ellie sat near the house and played with one of the diamonds. These iridescent pebbles, which she and Fred got in one of the grottoes, terribly liked the girl. She admired the brilliance of the diamond, then brought it closer to her eyes, then moved it away, tossed it in her palms ... Carried away by this simple task, Ellie did not notice what was happening in the cave, when suddenly Totoshka, lying on her lap, stretched, yawned widely and ... fell asleep.
Surprised, Ellie looked around. What she saw amazed her. Fred Canning slept in the most uncomfortable position among the stones. Lestar and his assistants, overwhelmed by an irresistible drowsiness, sank to the floor of the cave, who was standing where.
In the blink of an eye, Ellie realized: “Danger! Wonderful water lulls you with its fumes!”
She ran up to the stupidly grinning blockheads, silently staring at what was happening, and ordered:
– Hurry! Hurry! Take people and get them out of here!
All sleeping people were immediately transferred to the rest room and laid on the bed. Ellie, in mortal anxiety, sat down beside Fred and sat until she herself was overtaken by a dream, fortunately an ordinary one.
The sleepers slept for a whole day and woke up as innocent babies. Ellie was confused.
– What to do with them?
Then the girl sent wooden foreman Arum to the Cave after Din Gior and Faramant, ordering him to call them in confidence and not tell anyone.
And she herself took care of Fred: she fed him porridge from a spoon and began to teach him to talk. The vapors of the magical water must not have had much effect on Fred's brain, because an hour later he smiled and said "mother", and then pulled the diamond from the nightstand and put it in his mouth.
“But-but, still choke!” Ellie shouted and took away the dangerous toy.
A few hours later Faramant and Dean Gior came, alarmed by the unexpected call. After hearing the girl's story about what happened, her friends could not understand why everyone fell asleep, but Ellie did not. Faramant began to question Ellie meticulously about what she was doing while the others were working. And when it finally turned out that the girl was playing with the diamond, the Gatekeeper sighed with relief and said:
- Well, the diamond turned out to be the talisman that saved you.
- What is a talisman? Ellie asked.
“It is a thing that protects a person from trouble,” Faramant explained.
And all three were glad that the girl at that time decided to take up the diamond. What if she fell asleep with the others? All of them could lie in an enchanted dream for a very long time before the stupid blockheads would have guessed to do something.
Faramant and Dean Gior took care of raising Lestar and the other Winkers, while Ellie spent time around Fred and Toto.
The incident was hidden from the seven kings. When Lestar came to his senses, he sent blockheads to release the miraculous water from the pool through a special faucet. And then he went with a report to the Scarecrow.
In the dry air, the foundry ruler of the Emerald City felt great, and ingenious thoughts swirled in his head. He did not even tell anyone about others, because only one could understand them. During Lestar's report to the Scarecrow, such an idea came into his wise head that he jumped with delight and ordered the master to immediately call the Keeper of Time Rougero to him.
Greeting Rougero, the Scarecrow asked him:
- Tell me, friend, do you really need the seven kings and all this rabble that has gathered around them and which you have to feed?
Rougero, thinking, answered:
“To tell the truth, there is no particular need for them. But the people got used to it... And then, every king and all his retinue slept for six months out of seven.
- And in the seventh they feasted at the expense of ordinary people!
"That's true," Rougero agreed, embarrassed.
“So why don’t you euthanize this entire company?” asked the Scarecrow.
“All seven kings?! Rugero exclaimed. - That's a great idea! But ... but here's the trouble: after all, they will guess that malicious intent is hidden here, and they will not agree.
“And if you put them to sleep so that they don’t suspect it?”
“It's difficult,” Rougero said. – Mentaho reigns now, he is very smart and insightful.
“We will put him to sleep too, and his mind will not help him. Lestar, my friend, tell me what happened to you in the cave.
Hearing the story of how people fell asleep from the fumes of miraculous water, Rougero exclaimed:
“That changes things completely! We will collect all this horde there, and let them quietly overcome the magical dream. But here is another difficulty: after all, we, the organizers of this work, will also fall asleep with them. And if we don't show up, it will look suspicious.
"Don't worry," Lestar said. We have talismans for this occasion. – And he told the Keeper of Time about the effect of diamonds.
Rugero was delighted.
- So, it's decided! We will put all these parasites to sleep, and the country will breathe freely.
- And then? asked the Scarecrow.
- What - then?
– When will they wake up?
“If they stay near the source, they won't wake up,” Rougero protested.
“But excuse me, my friend,” said the Scarecrow weightily, “that would be a real murder!”
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I didn't think of that." We'll have to move them to the Rainbow Palace and let them sleep in their storerooms.
- And then? the Scarecrow asked urgently again.
- What - then? Rugero responded irritably.
“But someday they will wake up!”
“And we will give them water again,” the Keeper of Time said uncertainly.
“So it’s better to leave them to die in the Sacred Cave,” the Scarecrow exclaimed mockingly. “It will be faster and you will have less trouble.
“Your Excellency, explain yourself, I don’t understand you,” pleaded Rougero. - Your thoughts are too deep for me, because it is not for nothing that the inhabitants of the Emerald City called you Thrice Wise!
– Did you hear about it? The Scarecrow smiled benevolently. - Okay, I'll explain my idea to you. After a magical dream, people wake up like newborn babies, don't they?
- Yes!
“They are brought up again within a few days and reminded of everything they knew but forgot?
- Yes!
“So who is stopping you from suggesting to the same King Mentaho, when he wakes up, that before his enchanted dream he was not a king, but a blacksmith or a plowman, and teach him the basics of a new craft?”
If the lightning had struck at Rugero's feet, he wouldn't have been so startled. A beaming smile appeared on the Time Keeper's face.
“Your Excellency, you are the greatest sage in the world!” he exclaimed.
“Well, everyone has known this for a long time,” the Scarecrow replied modestly.

Edward VII

Portrait of King Edward VII (1841-1910), Franz Xaver Winterhalter

High English society, permeated with the prim morality of the Victorian era, reluctantly endured the antics of the Prince of Wales until he went beyond the bounds of decency. When he declared the beautiful Lily Lantry his official mistress and began to appear with her in the world, a huge scandal erupted.

He was called Edward the Loving. This not the most respectable nickname bothered the monarch himself a little. The king was even less worried about the opinion of his relatives, who tried to interfere with his adventures.

Alfred (1844-1900), later Duke of Edinburgh, and his older brother Bertie, later King Edward VII.Great Britain and Ireland, 1855

Edward VII was the last representative of the "golden monarchical age", which ended with the First World War, which forever destroyed the old foundations of British society. The era of Edward is remembered as a time of croquet, noisy balls and grandiose hunting games. People in those years became more relaxed.
The infamous rake, Edward loved gourmet food. And at the same time, unbridled sexual appetites led him not only to the boudoirs of the wives of his friends, but also to European brothels. The writer Henry James was the first to dub Prince Edward "loving", and Bertie, as his friends called him, did not hide and was even proud of his love victories.

Queen Victoria, Princess Alice, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester at the age of 80.
Edward's mother, Queen Victoria, and father, Prince Albert, turned his childhood into a nightmare. According to psychologists, the constant boring instructions on how a member of the royal family should behave caused an internal protest in the boy, which over the years turned into an unbridled passion for the fair sex.
The Prince of Wales - the title the prince had before taking the throne - rejected the puritanical principles of his parents. He lived for his own pleasure, trampling on the established moral foundations for centuries.

Queen Victoria's family

His life was spent in pleasure travels around Europe, sumptuous dinners, careless card battles and hunting. He was also fond of sailing, loved the theater.
The Prince of Wales had his first sexual encounter with a woman at the age of nineteen, while on military service in Ireland.

Prince of Wales

Portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales,

Officer buddies put actress Nellie Clifden in his bed. From that day on, Bertie's cheerful life began (as his friends called him).
Twice the country witnessed his scandalous behavior in court - so far only as a witness. The first time - because of a quarrel at the card table, the second - because of Lady Harriet Mordaunt, who said that her son, who was born blind, was God's punishment for her betrayal of her husband, including with Prince Edward. The prince himself swore that he had never been her lover, but to this day everyone believes that he added perjury to his numerous sins.

Portrait of Lily Langtry painted by George Frederick

Edward was 36 years old when fate brought him together with Lily Lantry. He met her at a dinner with one of his London friends, the bachelor Sir Allan Young, and they soon became inseparable.
British society was outraged. The prince, like other aristocrats, was not forbidden to have a mistress, but it was completely unacceptable to appear with this lady in high society. It was usually allowed to take a mistress to private clubs, but not to formal dinners.

By putting Lily on public display, Edward challenged the high society. For ten years, his relationship with the actress shocked all of Europe.

At that time, Edward did not have public duties, since his mother was not going to leave the throne, and he increasingly threw himself into the abyss of pleasure. To stop the shameful behavior of his son, his parents insisted on marriage with the Danish princess Alexandra. But even after the wedding, the prince continued to lead a wild life.

Alexandra, Princess of Denmark in her youth.

Princess Alexandra of Denmark, wedding.

Marriage of Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

Engraved illustrations inHarper's weeknewspaper of the wedding of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Alexander of Denmark

wedding of Prince Albert Edward (later King Edward VII) and Alexander of Denmark, London, 1863

Large ceremonial portrait of Queen Alexandra

Emilia Charlotte le Breton was a mystery to many. Calling herself an actress, the only daughter of William Corbet, who held a rather high spiritual position in Jersey, ran away from home in the hope of finding freedom, happiness and wealth. Subsequently, she was called the "Lily of Jersey" after her birthplace.

Lily Lantry

Lily Lantry

Probably, her father had a great influence on Lily's character. Because of his many love affairs, he was nicknamed the "evil priest" on the island. Ironically, the first admirer of his daughter was ... the illegitimate son of Corbet himself.
Lily was a rare beauty. A strict Greek profile, huge expressive eyes the color of spring violets, luxurious silky hair ... She attracted fans like a magnet.

Lily Lantry

One of the writers said about her: "Lily never wore corsets. Maybe

that is why she was at the same time like a Greek goddess and an earthly peasant girl and resembled a marble figurine.

Lily - right, Frederic Leighton

In 1874, the young beauty married Edward Lantry, the son of a prosperous shipowner who came to Jersey to enjoy its wonderful nature, and at the same time squander his father's money on local beauties. Captivated by the beauty of Lily, he offered her a hand and a heart. She agreed. Soon the young moved to England, where Lily became a "professional beauty". At that time, this was the name given to ladies of aristocratic origin, who were photographed dressed, but in rather seductive poses. These photographs were then sold throughout Britain.

Lily Lantry

That evening, when Lily was introduced to the prince, he leaned over to her and whispered in her ear that she was much more attractive in real life than on postcards. A great connoisseur of female beauty, he noticed that none of the images conveys her "heavenly features." A week later they became lovers. By that time, Prince Edward was the father of three children ... However, Edward did not hide his love affairs from Alexandra. She treated it with condescension.

Edward VII, with his wife, the future Queen Alexandra, and their firstborn, Albert Victor.

However, with Lily, the case was out of the ordinary! The prince began to insist that they be recognized by society, and Lily became his official mistress. He appeared with her everywhere, including at the races he adored. He made a love nest in Bournemouth, where he spent most of his weekends at one time.

Lily Lantry

Once, in the famous Parisian restaurant Maxim, he kissed her on the lips in front of everyone. If Mrs. Lantry's name was not on the invitation card, Edward himself entered her name and always took it with him. He even introduced his mistress to his wife and the Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace, as they were terribly eager to see the person who had such a great influence on the prince.

Together with Lily, Edward traveled around Europe and stayed in luxurious apartments of the best hotels. At this time, Lily's humiliated husband got drunk and got into huge debts.
For two years, English society had been curiously waiting to see what would follow each new trick of the prince. And then one day, while in Edward's mansion, Lily suddenly felt ill. Princess Alexandra invited a doctor who, after an examination, told Edward and his wife that Lily was expecting a baby.

It was rumored that the girl whom Lily secretly gave birth in France and named Jeanne-Marie was Bertie's daughter. However, there is another version, according to which Lily had, in addition to Edward, another lover, Prince Louis of Battenberg.
The royal family believes that both love affairs developed simultaneously. One way or another, Lily hid that she had a child, claiming that she was raising the daughter of a brother who died in India.

The prince continued to patronize Lily and meet with her. But over time, the most insane passion most often passes. Gradually, their relationship became purely friendly. He helped Lily break into the stage, which his beloved had long dreamed of.
Lily's acting debut took place on December 15, 1881. She played the role of Kate Hardcastle in the play "The Steps of Power". The Prince of Wales with his wife and representatives of London's high society, who were present at the concert, applauded the actress, calling her for an encore.
In five years, Lily became the most famous actress of that time. In 1882, she performed in New York with great success. Her wealth and fame skyrocketed.
Edward was always fascinated by wealth and beauty, and the combination of both made Lily simply irresistible.

Lily Lantry, W. & D. Downey

In 1975 the royal correspondence was published. During the visit of the royal family to Sweden, Edward wrote to Lily from Stockholm: "I am happy to hear that you are back at the top of your fame, and I sincerely wish you further success on the stage, although I fear for your health - after all, your work is very difficult. I was pleased to get acquainted with the vast geography of your tour. Being a frequent guest of the King of Sweden, I told him about your successes, and he personally asked me not to forget you and support you. He wishes you success in your acting path."

Lilly Langtry

Lilly Langtry

Lily achieved the greatest success in the role of Rosalind from "As You Like It All" by William Shakespeare. In 1899 she became the wife of Sir Hugo de Bath.
Over time, Edward had new mistresses, among whom was the legendary French actress Sarah Bernhardt. But, of course, he did not experience those passionate feelings for any of them, as for Lily ...

Sarah Bernard

Alice Keppel

Alexandra of Denmark and Edward VII.

Edward VII and Alexandra

The future King Edward VII was born on November 9, 1841. He was the son of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and her husband Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Before the coronation, the heir bore the double name of Albert Edward (the first was given to him at baptism). This monarch became the first in the Windsor dynasty. He spent more time as heir to the throne than any of his predecessors (59 years). Edward's record was broken in 2011 by the current Prince of Wales, Charles.

Disobedient child

Edward VII, whose years of reign fell on 1901 - 1910, remained heir to the throne for a record long time (his mother Victoria died at a ripe old age). Because of this, Windsor spent his entire youth in the status of the Prince of Wales. From childhood, he retained an uncontrollable character. The teachers could hardly cope with Bertie (as his relatives called him).

At the age of 17, the heir began to study at Oxford. At the university, a previously unfamiliar world of horse racing, gambling, alcohol and cigars opened up before the young man. The temptations of youth were not conducive to discipline. To accustom his son to order, his father sent him to serve in the army in Ireland. However, this did not change the future of Edward VII.

Conflict with mother

Personal life

Although Edward's marriage to Alexandra was effectively forced on the heir by Victoria, the family life of the young couple, who got married in 1863, was at first simply wonderful. Their relationship cooled a few years after the birth of their third child.

Edward began to spend more and more time away from home. Brothels became his favorite places of leisure. The Prince of Wales especially appreciated the brothels of Paris, where he left his homeland at the first opportunity. The heir to the British throne has a lot of dubious friends and women of easy virtue.

One day, Edward got into a disgusting scandal due to the fact that he entered into an affair with a married woman, as her husband, an influential baron, found out. The court passed. The girl was sent for compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital. The prince was present at the trial as a witness, but all the English newspapers were happy to chew this unpleasant story for the royal court. Edward, however, continued to lead a frivolous lifestyle in subsequent years. He had affairs with several actresses.

Edwardian era

The period during which Edward VII was in power (1901-1910) is remembered in British history as the Edwardian era. The monarch ascended the throne at the age of 59. For subsequent generations of Britons, that time began to evoke good-natured nostalgic emotions. The Edwardian era was considered and is considered carefree, peaceful and calm. Against the background of the Great War (as the British call the First World War), it really looked like an idyllic time.

Edward VII himself was the best personification of his time. Cheerful and well-versed in entertainment, he was the exact opposite of his strict mother Victoria. In his youth, having shocked the public more than once with his antics, the king has now brought back to life the brilliant ceremonial of power (for example, the annual magnificent opening ceremony of the British Parliament was revived).

Period of progress

For people who belonged to high society or had significant means, Edward II was the living embodiment of a comfortable life. At the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy Englishmen joined the new technical and scientific achievements. Under Edward, automobiles became widespread, and long-distance travel by train and ferry became popular. Created by talented artists and writers. In art, Art Nouveau arose, that is, modern.

But despite the outward brilliance, the British King Edward VII had numerous worries. A large-scale struggle of various social groups and classes unfolded in the country. The opposing political factions tried to lead the monarchy in the right direction, in their opinion. Among British workers, socialism was gaining popularity.

Rapprochement with France

In foreign policy, Edward VII, whose reign fell on the eve of the First World War, followed a course of rapprochement with Russia and France. It was he who stood at the origins of the Entente. During World War I, this alliance would oppose Germany, Austria and Turkey. In fact, the creation of blocs by the great powers became one of the most important prerequisites for the beginning of the bloodshed. Nevertheless, Edward remained in the memory of his compatriots as a peacemaker monarch.

The British monarch signed an alliance agreement with France in 1904 (it also went down in history under the name "cordial agreement"). Thanks to this treaty, Edward stopped the long-term colonial conflict between the two countries in Africa. The borders of the powers on this continent were agreed upon, and no longer aroused controversy. Also, England and France issued a joint declaration on the disputed Morocco and Egypt. In Paris, they abandoned Newfoundland, for which they received part of the border lands in Africa. By signing the "cordial agreement", King Edward VII won a major diplomatic victory.

Relations with Russia

In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began, after which Russia sent a squadron to the Far East, which was supposed to sail the Atlantic and go around Africa. While in the North Sea, the ships mistakenly shot down several peaceful ships with British fishermen. Two people died. Edward VII soon learned about what had happened.

The King of England did everything to smooth out the conflict. An arbitration court was set up to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy. Russia paid compensation to the affected fishermen and their families. However, relations between the two powers were for some time at their worst since the Crimean War.

The emergence of the Entente

Due to the incident with the squadron, Edward had to cancel his planned visit to Russia. When the conflict smoothed out, the organization of the trip resumed. Finally, in 1908, Edward VII, whose biography was directly connected with Nicholas II, visited Russia. The visit of the British monarch was the first such visit in the history of relations between the two countries.

Edward was the uncle of Nicholas II, as well as the uncle of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, which is why he was nicknamed "Uncle Europe". The family ties that bound the monarchs of the Old World left an additional imprint on their ties. Edward, contrary to personal relationships, had to choose for the sake of state interests with which of his nephews to conclude an alliance.

In 1907 (even before the visit of the monarch) an Anglo-Russian agreement was signed, which in its meaning resembled the previous agreement with France. The treaty ended the "Great Game" in Afghanistan and neighboring countries. Great Britain and Russia definitively demarcated their spheres of influence in Central Asia. Edward and Nicholas recognized Chinese rule over Tibet and abandoned their own interests in the region.

After the signing of the Anglo-Russian agreement, the triple Entente finally took shape. Edward abandoned the policy of "brilliant isolation" that characterized his mother's era. The king took this step because of the threat of German hegemony and the growing colonial ambitions of Germany.

Financial difficulties

Four years after Edward VII became king, the Junior-Conservative party, which had been in power for almost twenty years, lost in the elections to the Liberal-Labor alliance. The new parliament and the monarch had to solve several difficult internal problems that had been brewing during the Victorian era. The greatest concern of society was the financial burden that fell on the shoulders of taxpayers due to the huge spending on the army, police, officials and courts.

The Boer War, which the king inherited from his mother, ended in 1902, but it managed to generate a significant public debt. Although the scepter of Edward VII was a symbol of power for the largest empire of his time, the monarch could not instantly solve the fiscal problems of the state. It was under Victoria's successor that a faction appeared in parliament that demanded tough protectionist policies.

constitutional crisis

Under Edward VII, Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George became popular politicians. They advocated increasing the wages of workers in areas where wages had previously been the lowest. Their measures were reinforced by the actions of municipal authorities and charitable organizations. As a result of such a policy, mortality has decreased and the standard of living of ordinary people in the UK has begun to rise.

However, the innovations that Edward also supported were extremely expensive for the treasury, which exacerbated the already existing financial problems. The military also demanded money, frightening society and politicians with the growing German threat. As a result, the budget proposed by Lloyd George in 1909 was based on the idea of ​​shifting the tax burden to the wealthy part of the country's inhabitants - it was planned to introduce new taxes on land, excess profits and inheritance.

The ideas of the liberals were opposed by opposition leader Arthur Balfour. He rejected the budget through the House of Lords. As a result of the conflict of politicians, the end of Edward's reign was marked by a constitutional crisis. By tradition, the House of Lords never interfered in the financial decisions of the state. The split in Parliament smoothed out after the death of the king. In 1911, an act was passed that limited the power of the unelected House of Lords.

Death and legacy

From his youth, Edward had a habit of smoking more than ten cigarettes and cigars a day. Towards the end of his life, the king suffered from bronchitis. In 1909, during an official visit to Berlin, he suffered a brief loss of consciousness. In the last days of his life, the king's ailments intensified. The monarch died on May 6, 1910 at Buckingham Palace. He was 68 years old.

When the throne chair of Edward VII was empty, royal powers passed to his son George V. A few days later, a funeral took place. The burial of the deceased took place in the chapel of St. George in Windsor Castle. In memory of the king, almond-shaped tokens of Edward VII and coins were issued.

George was the second son of the British king. The eldest of Edward's six children, Albert Victor, died in 1892 without waiting for his turn to take the throne. Nevertheless, George became a worthy heir to his father. Contemporaries noted that their relationship was more like a brotherly one. Today, historians consider Edward VII the first truly constitutional monarch of Great Britain and its last king to have real political power.