Statues in London - Kings and Queens

Here are the statues of the Kings and Queens that you will come across. They are usually shown in a commanding postion way up high on the plinth or, even higher, on horseback.


Boudicca
Not a British monarch, but the Queen of the Iceni tribe, living in East Anglia, who took on the Roman invaders in year 50. Queen Victoria's husband liked the story so much that he had this statue made in 1905, complete with the fanciful sythes on the chariot wheels
Richard I
Reigned for 10 years from 1189. England was just a small part of his Kingdom and he preferred to be either in France or mounting crusades to the Holy Lands to fight the Muslims. His Christian and warrior values appealed to the Victorians who, 800 years later, had the statue made in his honour
Charles I
Looking down Whitehall towards the place of his execution, Charles' 35 years reign was spent fighting Parliament for power, and which would eventually lead to two civil wars, and his final capture and beheading
Oliver Cromwell
A monarch in all but name. After the execution of Charles I in 1653, the Parliamentarian Oliver Cromwell becomes 'Lord Protector' of England, Scotland and Wales. The republic is short-lived and 7 years later Charles II becomes king

James II
(and not in fact, a Roman emperor). At a time of intense religious polarisation James II was deposed in 1688 for becoming a catholic. He reigned for just 3 years.
Anne
Reigned for 12 years from 1702 continuing the protestant line. She was often unwell and left political decision-making to her ministers -- a significant step in the erosion of the power of the monarchy
George III
Reigned for 60 years from 1760. The seven year war with France is over and Britain becomes the major power overseas, although the American colonies are soon lost in the American Revolutionary War.
George IV
10 year reign from 1820, but remembered mostly for his extravagant lifestyle and gambling. Reform movements were sweeping Europe after the success of the French Revolution and Royal families were under threat everywhere

Victoria
A record 63 year reign from 1837, which is why so much of London history falls into the 'Victorian' era. This was the time of rapid industrialisation which produced the military machine necessary for building a huge overseas Empire.
Edward VII
9 year reign from 1901. Not involved in the running of the country while his mother was at the helm, Edward persued a life of lavish entertaining, gambling and sports
George V
Reigned for 26 years from 1910 at a time when the monarchies (all connected) of Russia, Austria, Germany, Greece and Spain were finally overthrown. In 1914 the First World War broke out in Europe -- a clash of Empires with Britain, France and Russia fighting Germany, Austria and Hungary
George VI
Ascended the throne in 1936 sfter his brother Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry the American, Wallis Simpson. During his reign Britain's position as pre-eminent world power was usurped by the United States and the Soviet Union after the Second World War.


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