Tag Archives: German Royalty

August 3rd

13 Tuesday Aug 2013

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No major events.

Birthdays:
1770 – The future Frederick William III of Prussia is born in Potsdam. He was the eldest son of Frederick William II and Frederika Louise. He was said to be shy and quiet as a child, and that carried over when he succeeded his father in 1797. He was slow to bring Prussia into the Napoleonic Wars, which led to an embarrassing defeat for the Prussians. After the war though, he refused to give Prussia the constitution he promised before the war. His eldest son would succeed him as Frederick William IV, and later his younger son, as Wilhelm I, who would unite all of Germany under Prussian rule.

1872 – Prince Carl of Denmark is born in Copenhagen, as a younger son of Frederick VIII of Denmark and Queen Louise of Sweden. He would be the younger brother of Christian X. In 1896, he married Maud of Wales, daughter of the future Edward VII of Great Britain and Queen Alexandra. In 1905, Sweden and Norway dissolved their union, and Carl was asked to be the first monarch of Norway. He asked for a referendum from the people stating they wanted a monarchy, and the people voted overwhelmingly yes. The following year, he and Maud were crowned, with Carl taking the name Haakon VII. He would be a popular King, and rule through both World Wars, and was a fierce resistor of Nazi occupation. He ruled until 1957, when he died at age 85.

1943 – In not so dead royalty, Swedish Princess Christina is born near Stockholm to Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sybilla. She is an elder sister of the current Swedish King, Carl XVI Gustaf. Because she married someone of unequal station in 1974, she is known as Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnusson.

1986 – Also in not so dead royals, Charlotte Casiraghi is born in Monaco to Princess Caroline of Monaco. She is a granddaughter of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, and a niece to the current monarch, Albert II.

Deaths:
1460 – King James II of Scotland died at age 29, when a cannon he was standing next to exploded. He was laying siege to Roxburgh Castle, which was still held by the English. He had been king since 1437, when his father was assassinated. James was just 6 years old, and ruled through regents until 1449. He would be popular with the common people, but he is also known for his struggle with the Douglas family, which culminated with beheading of William, 6th Earl Douglas. His young son would succeed him as James III.

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August 2nd

12 Monday Aug 2013

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Events:
1830 – Charles X of France, abdicated the throne of France. His son, Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angouleme, also abdicated his claim, twenty minutes later. Charles would be the last King of the mighty House of Bourbon.

Birthdays:
1858 – The future Queen Emma of the Netherlands is born in Germany. She was the wife of William III of the Netherlands, and would serve as regent for her young daughter, Wilhelmina, after her husband’s death in 1890. She stepped down as regent in 1898 as Wilhelmina turned 18. She remained active as the popular Queen mother until her death.

1868 – Constantine I of Greece is born in Athens to King George I and Queen Olga. He had actually been king twice, the first time from 1913-1917, when he abdicated in favour of his son Alexander. Alexander died suddenly just a few years later, and a national referendum was voted on, where the people decided to bring Constantine back as King. After his second abdication, he was forced into exile in Italy, where he died in 1923.

Deaths:
1100 – King William II of England was shot by an arrow while hunting and died. He was the eldest son of William the Conqueror, an succeeded him in 1087. He had a difficult relationship with the church. William was called “William Rufus” do to his red-faced appearance. He had no legitimate children, and would be succeeded by his younger brother as Henry I.

1589 – French King Henry III died at age 37. He was a younger son Henry II and Catherine de Medici. Before he was King of France, he was actually elected as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1573 until 1575. He became King of France in 1574 after the death of his elder brother, Charles IX. He died at the hand of a Catholic assassin, Jacques Clement, who thought Henry was too tolerant of Protestants.

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July 31st

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1423 – The Battle of Cravant takes place in France as part of the Hundred Years War. It would be a victory for the English/Burgundian alliance against the French. It would be one of the few times the allies would fight together.

1492 – The Alhambra Decree takes affect in Spain, expelling Jews from all Spanish lands and territories. It would not be revoked until 1968.

1588 – The Spanish Armada is spotted off the English coast. Troops would be assembled on the ground, but the fleet would never make it to English shores.

Birthdays:
1527 – The future Maximilian II was born in Vienna. He became Holy Roman Emperor in 1564 after the death of his father, Ferdinand I. He married his cousin Maria of Spain, with whom he had sixteen children. Only nine would survive into adulthood. He was said to be very tolerant of the Protestants, despite previous tensions and opposition from his Spanish cousins. Two of his sons would later become Emperors and Rudolf II and Matthias I. His daughters Anna and Elizabeth would be Queen consort of Spain and Queen consort of France.

1737 – Princess Augusta of Great Britain is born in London to the Prince of Wales, Frederick, son of King George II, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. In 1764, she married Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, with whom she would have seven children, despite the unhappiness of the arranged marriage. One of their daughters, Caroline, would later marry the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. In 1807, after the death of her husband, she moved back to London, while her brother, George III was king.

Deaths:
1750 – John V of Portugal died in Lisbon at age 60. He had been King since 1706, at the death of his father, Peter II. In 1707, he married Austrian Archduchess Maria Anna, and they would have 3 surviving children, who include Joseph I and Peter III. He was known as a great patron of the arts, and amassed one of the greatest art collections in all of Europe. He overhauled the economic system of Portugal, which at first worked, but were unpopular with the nobility, but later they were shown to be ineffective.

1993 – King Baudouin of Belgium died at age 62 of heart failure, while in Spain. He had been King since 1951, when he was age 20. Under his reign, the Belgian Congo became independent, and he attended the ceremony. In 1990, he was actually declared unable to rule for a day, due to his refusal to give Royal Assent to a bill he disagreed with for religious reasons. On the day he did not rule the bill was signed into effect by the other members of the government, and he was declared capable of ruling again the following day. He was childless, and was succeeded by his brother, Albert II.

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July 30th

09 Friday Aug 2013

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Events:
1635 – The Siege of Schenkenschans began as part of the Eighty Years War. The fortress was being held by Spanish Imperial forces, but the Dutch rebels, being led by the Stadtholder, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, were successful, nine months later, in capturing the important fort.

1656 – The Battle of Warsaw takes place as part of the Second Northern War. The belligerents were the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, with back up from Germany. It would be a victory for the Swedish, but it would not affect the overall outcome of the war.

Birthdays:
1872 – Princess Clementine of Belgium is born to King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette. In 1910, she would marry Prince Napoleon Victor Bonaparte, heir to the Bonaparte claim to the French throne. Unlike her sisters, she married older, and chose her spouse for love. They would have a daughter and a son within the first five years of their marriage. Clementine was widowed in 1926, and would never remarry. She lived to her 82nd year, dying in France.

1936 – In not so dead royalty, Spanish Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz is born in France. Her father was Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Maria-Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The Spanish royal family was exiled at the time, but years later, her brother was restored and is the current King, Juan Carlos I.

Deaths:
1683 – Maria Theresa of Spain died at Versailles. She was the Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis XIV. She stayed out of politics and handled Louis’ numerous affairs, giving him six children. However, only one child would survive into adulthood, a son also named Louis. Her grandson through the younger Louis would go on to be King Phillip V of Spain.

1900 – Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburg, and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, died in Coburg, Germany. He was the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He spent his youth in the Royal Navy, and in 1866, was created Duke of Edinburgh. Alfred also became the first member of the royal family to visit Australia. In 1874, he married Russian Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II. They would have five children survive adulthood, who include Queen Marie of Romania. Finally in 1893, he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha after his brother, the future Edward VII renounced his claim.

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July 28th

07 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1540 – Henry VIII of England married his fifth wife, the teenaged Catherine Howard. Catherine was a granddaughter to the Duke of Norfolk, and a first cousin to Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. Later, the marriage would fall apart Catherine executed for misconduct before and after she was Queen; namely, having an affair with another courtier.

Birthdays:
1347 – Margaret of Durazzo is born. In 1369, she married Charles, Duke of Durazzo, her cousin, who became King of Naples in 1382, and King of Hungary in 1385. She would be widowed in 1386, and her son Ladislaus would succeed his father, and later her daughter Joanna would rule Naples as Joanna II. She died in 1412 of the plague.

1860 – Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna is born in Russia. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Michael and his wife, Princess Cecile of Baden, and a granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I. At age 19, she was married to the Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and had three children. Due to his health and her unpopularity in the region, they rarely lived there. Their son would become the new ruler in 1897, and her two daughters went on to be Queen of Denmark, and Crown Princess of Germany. Anastasia lived the majority of her days in France afterwards, and even caused shock when she gave birth to a child by her personal secretary. She died in France in 1922.

Deaths:
1844 – Joseph Bonaparte, elder brother to Napoleon Bonaparte, died in Italy. He served in various posts in the French government during his brother’s rise, and helped with the overall coup d’état. Later, in 1806, his brother then installed him as King of Naples and Sicily, which he would only rule until 1808. That same year, his brother tried to install him as King of Spain, but his three year rule was never secure. Joseph actually stole some of the Spanish crown jewels on his way out, and later sold them in the US, where he primarily lived. He was 76 at his death.

1849 – A 50 year old Charles Albert of Sardinia died in Portugal, just months after being deposed and exiled. He had been overthrown in the revolutions of 1848, and was replaced with his son, Victor Emmanuel II. He had been King of Sardinia since 1831.

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July 27th

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1214 – The Battle of the Bouvines took place between the forces of Phillip II of France and King John of England. The battle took place in the County of Flanders. The forces against the French consisted of English, Angevin French, German, and Flemish men. The battle was a decisive victory in favor of Phillip II to the point that Emperor Otto IV was deposed after and King John would sign the Magna Carta later that year.

1689 – The Battle of Killiecrankie took place in Scotland between Highland forces supporting the deposed King James VII and II, and forces of the newly installed King William III and Mary II. The battle would be a rout in favor of the Jacobites, but their leader was killed, which would lead to future losses in the future.

No major birthdays.

Deaths:
1101 – 27 year old Conrad II of Italy dies in Florence after being deposed as King of Italy and Germany, by his father Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. He had been crowned in Germany in 1087, and in Italy 1091. He had been at odds with his father, since the death of his mother, shortly before his German coronation. Conrad spent the rest of his life warring with the Emperor.

1276 – James I of Aragon died at age 68 in Valencia, Spain. He had been King of Spain since the death of his father, Peter II, in 1213, when James was just five years old. In 1231 he would become King of the island of Majorca, and King of Valencia in 1238. These annexations earned him the nickname “the Conqueror”. He attempted a Crusade in 1269, but was deterred by bad weather. James is also known for his patronage of Catalan writers, and wrote in Catalan himself, being one of the first proponents of the language.

1382 – Queen Joanna of Naples was assassinated in her bed at age 56. It is believed that she was killed on the orders of her niece’s husband, because of her support for the Avignon Papacy. Joanna was an effective ruler for her time, and every proclamation and edict from her rule, was signed and sealed by her, despite how insignificant. She also insisted on free medical treatment for the poor and her nation was said to be ahead of its time in terms of healthcare.

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July 26th

05 Monday Aug 2013

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Events:
1469 – The Battle of Edgecote Moor takes place as part of the Wars of the Roses. The forces of King Edward IV and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick met and was a turning point in the war. Neville had helped Edward win the throne, but would then help Henry VI reclaim it, after being embarrassed by Edward.

1581 – The Low Countries (modern day Netherlands) issued the Act of Abjuration which declared it independence from the Spanish rule of Phillip II.

1936 – King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom performed one of his few official duties before his abdication. He unveiled the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, which commemorated Canadian soldiers killed in France during World War I. Edward would abdicate before the year was out.

Birthdays:
1678 – The future Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I is born In Vienna. He was crowned King of Hungary in 1687 at age 9, King of the Romans in 1690 at 11, and finally Emperor in 1705 at the death of his father, Leopold I. He had continued the War of Spanish Succession to install his brother as King of Spain. Instead his brother would succeed him as Emperor, becoming Charles VI. Joseph had two daughters though, the eldest becoming Queen consort of Poland, the younger eventually becoming Holy Roman Empress, when her husband, a Bavarian prince, was elected as Charles VII. He would die at age 32 of smallpox.

Deaths:
1801 – Austrian Archduke Maximilian Francis died today in Vienna. He was the youngest child of Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. He spent most of his life in the church as both a Bishop and Archbishop. He was also one of the first employers and patrons of a young Ludwig von Beethoven.

1867 – The former Greek King Otto I died in his native Bavaria at age 52. In 1832 he was proclaimed King of Greece after the Convention of London, which gave Greece its autonomy. In 1843, he gave Greece its first constitution. Unfortunately due to the political pressure and military failures during the Crimean War, Otto was deposed in 1862.

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July 25th

04 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1547 – Henry II of France is crowned King after the death of his father, Francis I. He would rule until his death in 1559.

1554 – Mary I of England married the future Phillip II of Spain, her second cousin through her mother. The marriage was wildly unpopular in England, but Mary was desperate to produce a Catholic heir, in order to disinherit her half sister , Elizabeth. She claimed to be in love with Phillip, but he told his companions he saw the marriage as “his duty” and nothing else. She was 38 years old and considered almost too old for child bearing. 4 years, 2 false pregnancies, and 200 dead Protestants later, Phillip was King of Spain and Mary would die, saying his name was carved into her heart.

1593 – Henry IV of Navarre, publicly renounced his Calvinist faith for Catholicism. He did so at the insistence of his long time mistress. It may have also been because he was the French heir to the throne, and France was still very Catholic. The move made him wildly popular when he became King of France and Navarre the following year. He was the first Bourbon king. Famously he said, “Paris is well worth a mass.”

1603 – James VI of Scotland would be crowned King of England, uniting the crowns. However England and Scotland would operate as separate nations for another 104 years.

Birthdays:
1860 – Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia is born at Potsdam. She was the daughter of Prince Friedrich Karl and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau. In 1879, she married Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, a younger son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She would live in Britain for the rest of her days, except for a few years when her husband was Governor General of Canada. She died in London in 1917, at age 56. Her daughter, Princess Margaret would go on to be Crown Princess of Sweden.

No major deaths.

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July 24th

03 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1148 – Louis VII of France would begin the Siege of Damascus, as part of the Second Crusade. The siege would end 5 days later, in a sound defeat for the Crusaders, and begun the collapse of that Crusade.

1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate the Scottish Crown in favor of her infant son, now James VI. She would be held at Loch Leven Castle for another year, before she escaped, attempted to regain her throne, but lost in her attempt. She then fled to England where she would be kept as a prisoner by nobles of Elizabeth I.

2001 – Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Simeon had been the last Tsar of Bulgaria as a small child and ruled under a regency. He lived in exile after the fall of Bulgaria to the Soviets and is the only monarch to return to elected office after his overthrow.

Birthdays:
1860 – Princess Charlotte of Prussia was born in Potsdam to the future Emperor Frederick III and Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. She was the younger sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was married to Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Meiningen in 1878, and in 1914, they became the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, but by the end of World War I, her husband abdicated. She was said to have a nervous personality at a young age, and had a terrible relationship with her only child, a daughter named Feodora.

Deaths:
1568 – Carlos, Prince of Asturias died in Madrid at age 23. He was the eldest son of the future Phillip II of Spain and his first wife, Princess Maria of Portugal. His father would attempt several betrothals to various prominent houses, but none would come through. He was said to be mentally unstable. In 1567, he was angry with his father over a government position he was promised, and spoke of helping the revolts in the Netherlands, and he may have spoke of his father’s murder. Phillip had him arrested, and he died in prison.

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July 20th

28 Sunday Jul 2013

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Events:
1304 – Edward I of England finally takes Stirling Castle as part of the Scottish War of Independence.

Birthdays:
1890 – George II of Greece is born in Athens. He lived in exile from 1917, until his father’s re-installation as king in 1920. He succeeded to the throne in 1922. However in 1924, he was asked to leave Greece while the people voted either for or against the monarchy. While he was in Romania, he was formally deposed. He 1934, he was brought back as king and ruled until his death in 1947.

1973 – In not so dead royalty, the Norwegian Crown Prince, Haakon is born in Oslo. He is the heir apparent to his father, King Harald V.

Deaths:
1454 – John III of Castile died at age 49. He had been king since 1406, when he was just a year old. He was the son of Henry III of Castile and the English Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was unfortunately a weak and ineffective ruler and was almost completely under the influence of court favourites. He was succeeded first by his son as Henry IV, then later his daughter, Isabella I.

1524 – Claude, Queen consort of France and Duchess of Brittany died at age 24 of an unverified cause. She was the eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Due to Salic Law, she was unable to inherit the French throne, but she was able to inherit Brittany. Her father then married her to the next male in line, the future Francis I. They were married in 1514, and in 1515 became King and Queen of France. In the next ten years, she would birth seven children, including the future Henry II.

1927 – Ferdinand I Romania died at age 61. German by birth, he had succeeded his uncle, Carol I. He married Princess Marie of Edinburgh, also known as the fierce Marie of Romania. He sided his nation with the Allies in World War I, and its said the German Kaiser Wilhelm II felt Ferdinand betrayed his German roots. He was rewarded after the war, as Romania’s territory was expanded. His grandson, Michael I would succeed him.

1951 – Wilhelm, the last Crown Prince of Germany, died at age 69. He became Crown Prince of the German Empire in 1882. when his father ascended after the death of his grandfather and great-grandfather in the same year. He lived in exile for a short time with his father, but returned to Germany, and was a supporter of the Nazi party. hoping that Hitler would restore the Monarchy. After the death of some of his friend and when it became apparent that Hitler would not share power, the younger Wilhelm left the public eye for his country estates. His descendants live today.

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