Allied sovereigns' visit to England facts for kids
The Allied sovereigns' visit to England happened in June 1814. It was a big celebration of peace after Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated and gave up his power in April 1814. Leaders and generals from the countries that fought against Napoleon – like Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom – came to London. They had a special state visit and many peace parties. After this, they went to the Congress of Vienna later that year to discuss Europe's future.
Who Visited?
Many important people came to England for these celebrations.
- Tsar Alexander from Russia was there. He stayed with his sister, the Grand Duchess of Oldenburg.
- King Frederick William III of Prussia also attended.
- Prince Metternich, a top leader from Austria, was present.
- Famous generals like Field Marshal Blücher and Count Barclay de Tolly were also among the guests.
Exciting Events and Celebrations
The important visitors started their trip by boarding a ship called the Impregnable in France. They sailed to Dover, England, on June 6, 1814. In Dover, they received a grand welcome from soldiers of the famous Light Division.
They arrived in London on June 7. Many fun events, parades, and ceremonies took place:
- On June 8, Tsar Alexander held a special meeting called a levee. Later, the Queen held her court at the palace.
- On June 9, another court was held at Carlton House. The Emperor of Russia and two British leaders became Knights of the Order of the Garter. This is a very old and important award.
- On June 10, the kings went to the horse races at Ascot.
- Over the next few days, they visited Oxford. Here, Tsar Alexander, King Frederick William, and Marshal Blücher received special honorary degrees.
- They also saw the Woolwich Royal Arsenal, which was a big military factory.
- On June 18, the City of London held a huge banquet for them at the Guildhall. This one party cost a lot of money – about £25,000!
- Finally, on June 22, they watched a big naval review in Portsmouth with the Prince Regent. After this, they left England to go back to Europe.
To remember this special visit, two streets in London were named after the Russian capital and its main city. These streets are Moscow Road and St. Petersburgh Place in the Bayswater area.
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