Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion

Queen Anne, an often overlooked figure in British history, played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of her time through her passionate and strategic decisions. Despite her limited reign, lasting from 1702 to 1714, Anne's commitment to her favored causes influenced not only her immediate successors but also British politics as a whole. This article explores the key events and political alliances during Queen Anne's reign, shedding light on her remarkable impact on the country.

Rise to Power

Anne Stuart, born on February 6, 1665, ascended to the throne after the death of her brother-in-law, King William III. Her reign marked the beginning of the Stuart dynasty's return to the British throne, following the turbulent years of the English Civil War and the subsequent Glorious Revolution.

From a young age, Queen Anne exhibited a keen interest in politics. This interest was further fueled by her close relationship with Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, who became her closest confidante and advisor. Together, they formed a formidable political partnership that would go on to shape the course of British history.

Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion

by Anne Somerset (Kindle Edition)

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The War of the Spanish Succession

One of the defining events of Queen Anne's reign was the War of the Spanish Succession. This conflict arose from the disputed succession to the Spanish throne and its potential implications for the balance of power in Europe.

Queen Anne's government initially supported the claim of Archduke Charles of Austria, fearing that an alliance between the kingdoms of France and Spain would tilt the balance of power unfavorably. This decision proved unpopular, as many members of the English aristocracy were economically tied to Spain and feared the consequences of a prolonged war.

Unable to gain widespread public support, Queen Anne embraced a new political strategy. She formed an alliance with the Tories, who opposed the Whig party that had initially advocated for the war. This partnership allowed her to secure the backing needed to continue the conflict.

The Act of Union

Another significant development during Queen Anne's reign was the Act of Union in 1707, which saw the merging of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into a single sovereign state called Great Britain.

This act was instrumental in solidifying the political unity of the two kingdoms and addressing the lingering tensions between England and Scotland. Queen Anne played a crucial role in pushing for the union, recognizing its potential to strengthen her rule and create a more centralized British state.

Queen Anne's Legacy

Queen Anne's passion for politics and assertive decision-making left an indelible mark on British history. Her strengthening of the monarchy and consolidation of state power through political alliances and the Act of Union laid the foundations for a stronger and more cohesive Great Britain in the centuries to come.

Although she faced numerous challenges during her reign, Queen Anne's determination and political acumen allowed her to navigate complex issues and shape the country's future. Her reign represents a fascinating period of political intrigue and strategic maneuvering, illustrating the power of a passionate leader in a time of great change.

Queen Anne's political career offers valuable insights into the intricacies of power and influence during a transformative period in British history. Despite her relatively short reign, her passion for politics and astute decision-making enabled her to leave a lasting impact on the country.

By understanding Queen Anne's rise to power, her involvement in the War of the Spanish Succession, and her role in the Act of Union, we gain a deeper appreciation for her remarkable political achievements. Queen Anne's story reminds us of the power of passion and determination in shaping the course of history.

Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion

by Anne Somerset (Kindle Edition)

4.3 out of 5

FREE

She ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1702, at age thirty-seven, Britain’s last Stuart monarch, and five years later united two of her realms, England and Scotland, as a sovereign state, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. She had a history of personal misfortune, overcoming ill health (she suffered from crippling arthritis; by the time she became Queen she was a virtual invalid) and living through seventeen miscarriages, stillbirths, and premature births in seventeen years. By the end of her comparatively short twelve-year reign, Britain had emerged as a great power; the succession of outstanding victories won by her general, John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, had humbled France and laid the foundations for Britain’s future naval and colonial supremacy.

While the Queen’s military was performing dazzling exploits on the continent, her own attention—indeed her realm—rested on a more intimate conflict: the female friendship on which her happiness had for decades depended and which became for her a source of utter torment.

At the core of Anne Somerset’s riveting new biography, published to great acclaim in England (“Definitive”—London Evening Standard; “Wonderfully pacy and absorbing”—Daily Mail), is a portrait of this deeply emotional, complex bond between two very different women: Queen Anne—reserved, stolid, shrewd; and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the Queen’s great general—beautiful, willful, outspoken, whose acerbic wit was equally matched by her fearsome temper.
           
Against a fraught background—the revolution that deposed Anne’s father, James II, and brought her to power . . . religious differences (she was born Protestant—her parents’ conversion to Catholicism had grave implications—and she grew up so suspicious of the Roman church that she considered its doctrines “wicked and dangerous”) . . . violently partisan politics (Whigs versus Tories) . . . a war with France that lasted for almost her entire reign . . . the constant threat of foreign invasion and civil war—the  much-admired historian, author of Elizabeth I (“Exhilarating”—The Spectator; “Ample, stylish, eloquent”—The Washington Post Book World), tells the extraordinary story of how Sarah goaded and provoked the Queen beyond endurance, and, after the withdrawal of Anne’s favor, how her replacement, Sarah’s cousin, the feline Abigail Masham, became the ubiquitous royal confidante and, so Sarah whispered to growing scandal, the object of the Queen's sexual infatuation.

To write this remarkably rich and passionate biography, Somerset, winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, has made use of royal archives, parliamentary records, personal correspondence and previously unpublished material.

Queen Anne is history on a large scale—a revelation of a centuries-overlooked monarch.