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Shooting Victoria

Shooting Victoria

Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy

by Paul Thomas Murphy
Hardback
Publication Date: 31/08/2012

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$37.95
During Queen Victoria's 64-year reign, no fewer than eight attempts were made on her life. Murphy follows each would-be assassin and the repercussions of their actions, illuminating daily life in Victorian England, the development of the monarchy under Queen Victoria and the evolution of the attacks in light of evolving social issues and technology. There was Edward Oxford, a bartender who dreamed of becoming an admiral, who was simply shocked when his attempt to shoot the pregnant Queen and Prince consort made him a madman in the world's eyes. There was hunchbacked John Bean, who dreamed of historical notoriety in a publicized treason trial, and William Hamilton, forever scarred by the ravages of the Irish Potato Famine. Roderick MacLean enabled Victoria to successfully strike insanity pleas from Britain's legal process. Most threatening of all were the "dynamitards" who targeted her Majesty's Golden Jubilee-who signaled the advent of modern terrorism with their publicly focused attack.
From these cloak-and-dagger plots to Victoria's brilliant wit and steadfast courage, Shooting Victoria is historical narrative at its most thrilling, complete with astute insight into how these attacks actually revitalized the British crown at a time when monarchy was quickly becoming unpopular abroad. While thrones across Europe toppled, the Queen's would-be assassins contributed greatly to the preservation of the monarchy and to the stability that it enjoys today. After all, as Victoria herself noted, "It is worth being shot at-to see how much one is loved."
ISBN:
9781605983547
9781605983547
Category:
British & Irish history
Format:
Hardback
Publication Date:
31-08-2012
Language:
English
Publisher:
Pegasusbooks
Country of origin:
United States
Pages:
512
Dimensions (mm):
236x160x53mm
Weight:
0.86kg

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