In the annals of history, Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman stand as towering figures women of unmatched courage and conviction, though they came from drastically different worlds. While Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire during its grandest era, Harriet Tubman walked the dangerous paths of the American South to free enslaved people. Although their lives never intersected directly, examining their contrasting yet overlapping timelines offers insight into two women who, in their own ways, shaped the 19th century. Exploring Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman together offers a rare opportunity to examine empire, abolition, and gender through the lives of two iconic figures.
Background and Birth
Queen Victoria: Born to Rule
Queen Victoria was born Alexandrina Victoria on May 24, 1819, in Kensington Palace, London. Her lineage traced back to the House of Hanover, and she became queen at the young age of 18, following the death of her uncle, King William IV. As the monarch of the United Kingdom and Empress of India, her reign from 1837 to 1901 would become one of the longest in British history. The era that bears her name The Victorian Era was characterized by industrial progress, scientific discoveries, and global imperialism.
Harriet Tubman: Born into Slavery
In stark contrast, Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross around 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, into slavery. She later adopted her mother’s first name and her husband’s surname, becoming Harriet Tubman. Unlike Victoria, who was born in a palace, Harriet entered a world of cruelty, oppression, and backbreaking labor. But despite her circumstances, she would rise to become one of America’s most celebrated abolitionists and humanitarians.
Leadership in Different Forms
Queen Victoria’s Constitutional Monarchy
Though Queen Victoria was technically a constitutional monarch with limited political power, her influence over public sentiment and moral values was immense. She became a symbol of stability, family, and propriety. She presided over a vast empire that included territories on nearly every continent, promoting the ideals of British culture and colonial governance. Her guidance helped shape not only the political tone of Britain but also the expectations of gender roles for women in leadership.
Harriet Tubman’s Grassroots Leadership
Harriet Tubman wielded a different kind of authority. Her leadership was rooted in action. After escaping slavery in 1849, she risked her life to return again and again to the South, leading dozens of enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Tubman’s leadership was informal but no less commanding. She earned the nickname ‘Moses’ for her efforts, and she became an icon of moral courage, resistance, and the fight for justice.
The Role of Religion and Morality
Both Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman were deeply religious, and their spiritual beliefs guided much of their actions and philosophies. Queen Victoria was a devout Anglican and believed in the moral mission of the British Empire. She viewed the expansion of British rule as a civilizing force, often rooted in Christian ideals, even when applied through colonial oppression.
Harriet Tubman was equally, if not more, devout. Raised in a deeply spiritual community, she believed her actions were divinely guided. She often relied on dreams and visions to direct her movements on rescue missions. Tubman saw herself as an instrument of God, chosen to lead her people out of bondage much like Moses in the Bible.
Contrasting Views on Slavery and Freedom
One of the most striking differences between Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman lies in their proximity to the institution of slavery. While Tubman fought directly against slavery, Queen Victoria’s Britain had complex ties to it. The British Empire abolished slavery in most colonies in 1833, but the economic benefits of the slave trade lingered. Queen Victoria did not publicly champion abolition in the same personal and active way Harriet Tubman did.
Nonetheless, some members of the British monarchy supported abolitionist efforts, and Britain’s naval forces did work to suppress the transatlantic slave trade. However, for Tubman, the issue of slavery was never abstract. It was personal, lived, and resisted at great cost.
Legacy and Influence
Queen Victoria’s Global Footprint
Queen Victoria’s legacy is visible across the world in architecture, city names, legal systems, and even fashion. Her reign left a lasting imprint on the modern British state and on former colonies. She was seen as a grandmotherly figure by her subjects and was mourned worldwide upon her death in 1901. Her nine children married into royal families across Europe, earning her the nickname ‘the grandmother of Europe.’
Harriet Tubman’s Enduring Inspiration
Harriet Tubman left behind a legacy of bravery and activism. After the Civil War, she continued to advocate for civil rights, women’s suffrage, and care for the elderly. In her later years, she opened a home for aging African Americans in Auburn, New York. Her story is taught in schools, memorialized in monuments, and soon to be represented on U.S. currency. Her life remains a testament to the power of resistance and moral clarity.
Two Women, One Century
Though Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman never met, they both lived during one of the most transformative centuries in human history. The 19th century witnessed industrial revolutions, the end of the Atlantic slave trade, the rise and fall of empires, and the beginning of modern political movements. Both women were shaped by and helped shape these momentous shifts.
- Queen Victoria was the face of empire and monarchy.
- Harriet Tubman was the face of resistance and liberation.
- Both influenced their societies in lasting ways.
- Both have become symbols beyond their time and culture.
Comparing Queen Victoria and Harriet Tubman offers a compelling contrast between two women of power one born into royalty, the other into slavery. Their lives remind us that leadership takes many forms. Whether seated on a throne or walking the backwoods of Maryland under cover of darkness, both women made indelible marks on history. Their legacies, though vastly different, continue to teach us about courage, leadership, and the enduring human quest for justice and identity.