Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy

Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy

Biography & Memoir, Royalty, Nonfiction, History, British, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy by Paul Thomas Murphy, Pegasus Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Paul Thomas Murphy ISBN: 9781453249376
Publisher: Pegasus Books Publication: July 3, 2012
Imprint: Pegasus Books Language: English
Author: Paul Thomas Murphy
ISBN: 9781453249376
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Publication: July 3, 2012
Imprint: Pegasus Books
Language: English

From a hunchbacked dwarf to a paranoid poet-assassin, a history of Victorian England as seen through the numerous assassination attempts on Queen Victoria during her reign

During Queen Victoria’s 64 years on the British throne, 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 changing 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—signaling 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.”

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From a hunchbacked dwarf to a paranoid poet-assassin, a history of Victorian England as seen through the numerous assassination attempts on Queen Victoria during her reign

During Queen Victoria’s 64 years on the British throne, 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 changing 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—signaling 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.”

More books from Pegasus Books

Cover of the book The Book of Spice: From Anise to Zedoary by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Lovecraft Squad: Dreaming (Lovecraft Squad) by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Charles Dickens in Love by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book While You Sleep: A Novel by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Strings of Murder: A Novel (A Frey & McGray Mystery) by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Golden Lad: The Haunting Story of Quentin and Theodore Roosevelt by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Rudyard Kipling's Tales of Horror and Fantasy by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Why Can't Elephants Jump?: And 113 Other Tantalizing Science Questions Answered by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Lafayette: Hero of the American Revolution by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Boy Who Escaped Paradise: A Novel by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Vintage Attraction by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Victims of Yalta by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: The Greatest Detective Stories: 1837-1914 by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book The Wives by Paul Thomas Murphy
Cover of the book Kurosawa's Rashomon: A Vanished City, a Lost Brother, and the Voice Inside His Iconic Films by Paul Thomas Murphy
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy