Coveted Imperial Titulature, Emperors and Empresses: Don’t Blame Queen Victoria

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Coronation of Queen Victoria 28 June 1838 by Sir George Hayter (Public Domain)

Coveted Imperial Titulature, Emperors and Empresses: Don’t Blame Queen Victoria

The title of “emperor” is commonly seen as superior to that of “king”.  But that has not always been the case.  Ironically, what is now translated as “emperor” started out not as a title at all but as an attempt to avoid a monarchical title altogether. A popular Punch-cartoon shows British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli on bended knee accepting an earl’s coronet from Queen Victoria, who is depicted sporting an imaginary oriental-looking crown. Published in August 1876, it is titled “Empress and Earl, or One Good Turn Deserves Another.”  It is a reference to Disraeli’s acquisition for Queen Victoria of the title ‘Empress of India’, in return for which he was invested with the noble title of Earl.

“Empress and Earl” from The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mr. Punch's History of Modern England Vol. III of IV, by Charles L. Graves

“Empress and Earl” from The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mr. Punch's History of Modern England Vol. III of IV, by Charles L. Graves

Queen Victoria had long hankered after the title of “Empress”, especially after her own daughter and daughter-in-law’s sister had or were in line to succeed to that title, which was seen to outrank that of a mere Queen.  Queen Victoria’s daughter, also called Victoria, was married to the future German Kaiser Friedrich III, the title “Kaiser” being the German equivalent of “Emperor”.  And “Minnie”, a sister of Alexandra, wife of Queen Victoria’s son and heir, the future Edward VII, was married to the future Russian Tsar (or Czar) Alexander III – Tsar or Czar being the Russian equivalent of Emperor.


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