Victoria’s Wars

Victoria’s Wars examines the first twenty-four years of Queen Victoria’s reign, from her accession in 1837 to the death of Prince Albert in 1861. During this period Britain fought in Afghanistan, China, India, southern Africa, New Zealand, Persia and the Crimea while the empire expanded through conquest, treaties and commercial pressure.

David connects cabinet decisions and imperial strategy with the experiences of officers, soldiers and civilians. The book follows famous commanders and campaigns but also exposes weak logistics, disease, divided command and the violence inflicted on local populations. The Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion reveal both the reach and the fragility of British power, while military reform, steam transport and telegraphy foreshadow a more organised later Victorian empire.