1901 Death of Queen Victoria

QUEEN VICTORIA DIED on 22^nd January 1901 at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, aged 81.   She was sovereign of the British Empire, which at that time, ruled 23 % of the earth’s population, including 80 nations around the world.

Editor's note.   By year 2000 many nations had amalgamated with other countries but 56 had joined the new British Commonwealth and were self - governed.     14 Overseas Territories, mostly clusters of remote Islands, although also self – governed still rely on Britain for defence.