Famous People Who Died In 1861

Albert, Prince Consort was the husband of Queen Victoria who earned a reputation for promoting public causes like the abolition of slavery worldwide and educational reform. He also helped develop Britain's constitutional monarchy by guiding his wife during her dealings with Parliament. After his untimely death at age 42, Queen Victoria started wearing black for the remainder of her life. 

Abdülmecid I reigned as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 2 July 1839 until his death on 25 June 1861. During his reign, Abdülmecid I tried to set up alliances with France and the United Kingdom. He also played an important role in the Crimean War against the Russians.

Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, mother of Queen Victoria of the U.K., was a German princess who became the Duchess of Kent and Strathearn by virtue of her marriage to Prince Edward. She was initially married to Charles, Prince of Leiningen. The Royal Chapel of All Saints was dedicated to her.

Best known for his iconic medical textbook Gray's Anatomy, surgeon Henry Gray, who was a skilled anatomist, was made a Fellow of The Royal Society at the tender age of 25. His untimely death at 34 due to small pox, while treating his nephew, cheated him of an illustrious career.

Frederick William IV of Prussia was the King of Prussia from 1840 until his death in 1861.  He was the eldest son of Frederick William III of Prussia and his wife, Queen Louise. He was a staunch Romanticist and was a patron of several great German artists. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his father in 1840.

Lola Montez was an Irish actress and dancer. She achieved popularity as a Spanish courtesan, dancer, and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The German revolutions of 1848–1849 forced her to flee to the United States, where she established herself as an actress and dancer. Lola Montez has been portrayed in many films, including Lola Montez, the King's Dancer.

Qing dynasty Chinese emperor Xianfeng not just faced the invasion of the European powers but also had to deal with the internal Taiping Rebellion. In his bid to prevent the disintegration of his empire, he relied on the militia. He eventually fled his city when the Anglo-French forces advanced into it.

Nineteenth-century Japanese painter and printmaker Utagawa Kuniyoshi was one of the major figures behind the ukiyo-e style of woodwork. Born to a silk-dyer, he had started as a print designer. While he initially specialized in warrior prints, he later also worked on landscapes, such as the series Famous Sights of Edo.

Nicknamed the Factory King, Richard Oastler was a prominent English social reformer who is known for his relentless campaign for shortening work hours, eventually leading to the 1847 Ten Hours Act. While in prison for opposing the Poor Law Amendment Act, he penned Fleet Papers, a collection of his social theories.

French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot started his career as a professor of philology and travelled throughout Europe. With the help of British academic societies, he went on a mission to Indochina. He is best known for informing the Western world of the ruins of Angkor.

A prominent Austrian statesman and Bohemian nobleman of the 19th century, Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky had served as the Minister-President of the Austrian Empire. He had also been the interior minister of his kingdom. He was also the main rival of Prince Klemens von Metternich.

Born in Scotland, William Lyon Mackenzie moved to Canada as a merchant but soon got involved in the country’s politics. He later stepped into journalism and launched his own newspaper, the Colonial Advocate. He spearheaded the Canadian Rebellion of 1837, a failed uprising against the Canadian government.

John Heathcoat was an English inventor who improved the construction of the warp-loom in order to produce better-looking mitts. In 1808, he invented the machine to produce an exact imitation of handmade pillow lace. It was by far the most complex and expensive textile apparatus.