PBS - Queen Victoria's Empire (2001) Part 4 The Scramble for Africa

Queen Victoria's Empire

This series offers an engaging portrait of the Queen who ruled over one-fifth of the world's population for 64 years, as well as influential figures who shaped British imperialism: Gladstone, Disraeli, Livingstone, Rhodes, and Prince Albert. Personal accounts, re-enactments, and cinematography from imperial outposts recount the dramatic clash of personalities and cultures during Victoria's remarkable reign. Donald Sutherland narrates.

Part 4: The Scramble for Africa

The Suez Canal is threatened by a holy war in the Sudan, and General Charles Gordon, killed by the rebels, becomes an “imperial martyr.” Cecil Rhodes prospects diamond deposits in southern Africa, and asserts British control in the region. However, as Victoria celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, the empire is on the verge of its darkest hours. The Boer War leads to devastating losses and a reassessment of British purpose. Finally, in 1901, the death of Queen Victoria marks the end of an extraordinary era.

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