(1841–1910), king of Great Britain and Ireland and emperor of India (1901–10), who gave his name to the Edwardian period.

Edward was born on Nov. 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 (1844–1925), 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 traveled 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 1903–4 between Great Britain and France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Portugal. He was also an important force behind two agreements that strengthened the position of Great Britain on the Continent, the Entente Cordiale of 1904 between France and Great Britain, and a pact between Russia and Great Britain in 1907. In 1909 the king and queen paid a diplomatic visit to Emperor William II of Germany (Edward's nephew) that temporarily dispelled German suspicion that the increasingly friendly relations between Great 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 (1864–92), and George, duke of York, who succeeded Edward as George V. In 1896 Edward's youngest daughter, Princess Maude Charlotte Mary Victoria (1869–1938), married her cousin, Prince Charles of Denmark, who later became King Håkon VII of Norway.