Queen Victoria's Empire

- Season 1

(2001)

At the start of the Victorian era, urban migration was beginning to swell the population of cities under the Industrial Revolution. Prince Albert's plan for a Great Exhibition to showcase to the world the might of Great Britain's industrial talents and technology comes to fruition.

A British commercial venture, The East India Company, controls a large part of the Indian continent. Initially a trading venture, it encroached into India's social life, ultimately leading to political and military conflict. Britain becomes embroiled in a war in Crimea, and, in India, mutiny against British rule is fomenting.

By the middle of the 19th century, Britain was the richest country in the world, and controlled almost one quarter of the world's trade. British explorers set their sights on the Dark Continent, Africa. One in particular, David Livingstone, a Scottish physician, spent several years exploring its interior. News of his adventures led to a British scramble for new lands, wealth and ultimately, war.

Oppression and slavery in Sudan in Northeast Africa and an uprising by the ruling Mahdi (a messianic redeemer of the Islamic faith) would lead the former British governor General Charles Gordon into a personal, bloody war culminating in his defeat and death at Khartoum, the capital. In South Africa British businessman Cecil Rhodes would lead the rush to exploit the riches of a vast diamond mine and gold reserves. His wealth, power, politics and war would lead to the creation of the new African country of Rhodesia.