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Edward VII (1841-1910), king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and emperor of India (1901-1910). The Edwardian period is named after him. Edward was born on November 9, 1841, in Buckingham Palace, London, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and was christened Albert Edward. He studied at the universities of Edinburgh, Oxford, and Cambridge. In 1860 he visited Canada, inaugurating the custom of goodwill visits by members of the British royal family, particularly the Prince of Wales, to British dominions and foreign countries. In 1863 Edward married Alexandra, eldest daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark. The prince and princess then assumed much of the burden of court ceremonials and public functions, which Queen Victoria had laid aside on going into virtual retirement after the death of the prince consort in 1861. Edward travelled extensively. In Russia and France, particularly, he made valuable personal contacts in political and social circles. At home, his popularity was increased both as Prince of Wales and as king by his interest in sports, notably yachting and horse racing; his horses won the Derby in 1896, 1900, and 1909 and the Grand National at Liverpool in 1900. Edward succeeded to the throne in 1901. From the beginning of his reign he adopted a policy of promoting international amity in Europe, where political tension had been mounting. His visits to various European capitals from 1901 to 1904 and return visits to him by European rulers helped promote the signing of arbitration treaties in 1903-1904 between Britain and France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Portugal. He was also an important force behind two agreements that strengthened the position of Britain on the Continent, the Entente Cordiale of 1904 between France and Britain, and a pact between Russia and Britain in 1907. In 1909 the king and queen paid a diplomatic visit to Emperor William II of Germany (Edwards's nephew) that temporarily dispelled German suspicion that the increasingly friendly relations between Britain and France and Russia were aimed at weakening Germany. Because of his efforts to increase international amity the king became known as Edward the Peacemaker. Edward died at Buckingham Palace on May 6, 1910, having reigned for only nine years. Three daughters and two sons were born of the marriage between Edward and Alexandra. The sons were Prince Albert Victor, duke of Clarence, and George, duke of York, who succeeded Edward as George V. In 1896 Edwards youngest daughter, Princess Maude Charlotte Mary Victoria, married her cousin, Prince Charles of Denmark, who later became King Hkon VII of Norway.      | ALEXANDRA OF DENMARK "ALIX"
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| I3 | GEORGE V WINDSOR
George V (1865-1936), king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and emperor of India (1910-1936), of the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (later changed to Windsor). George was born in London on June 3, 1865, the second son of Edward VII. Known as the Sailor Prince, he entered the Royal Navy in 1877 and during an active career rose to the rank of vice admiral in 1903. The death in 1892 of his elder brother, Albert Victor, duke of Clarence, made George second in line to the succession. He married his brother's fiancé, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, later Mary, queen consort of England, and was created duke of York in 1892. After his father succeeded Queen Victoria in 1901, George became Prince of Wales and succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1910. Six children were born to George and Mary: Edward Albert, later Edward VIII; Albert Frederick George, later George VI; Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary; Henry William Frederick Albert, duke of Gloucester; George Edward Alexander Edmund, duke of Kent; and John Charles Francis. The most notable event of the reign of George V was World War I. Following England's declaration of war on Germany, the king renounced all the German titles belonging to him and his family and changed the name of the royal house to Windsor. He died at Sandringham House, Norfolk, on January 20, 1936. He was succeeded by Edward VIII. | MARY OF TECK
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