Tag Archives: holy roman emperor

August 28th

04 Saturday Jan 2014

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Events:
1619 – Ferdinand II is elected Holy Roman Emperor, succeeding his childless cousin, Matthias. Under his rule, the Thirty Years War would start.

1913 – Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands officially opened the Peace Palace in The Hague. The concept of diplomats and philanthropists (including Andrew Carnegie). It is the home of the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague Academy of International Law, and other organizations.

1996 – The divorce of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, would be final. Diana would die suddenly in a car crash the following year.

Birthdays:
1667 – Louise of Mecklenburg-Gustrow is born in Germany to the Ducal family of Mecklenburg-Gustrow. In 1695, she married the future Frederick IV of Denmark, and they became King and Queen in 1699. Frederick was famously unfaithful, even entering into bigamous marriages. She was dutiful, but never very popular. Louise amassed a large collection of religious books during her time, which was donated after her death, with much praise from the clergy. Her son would become Christian IV, but Louise would die in 1721.

1691 – Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel is born in Germany. Elisabeth was the oldest daughter of Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen. In 1708, she married Austrian Archduke Charles in Spain, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. In 1711, they succeeded to the Imperial throne, but Charles went alone, leaving Elisabeth as Governor of Catalonia, where we was said to be a wise and effective ruler. She joined him later, and gave him four children, with only two surviving into adulthood. Her oldest surviving child would be the indomitable future Empress Maria Theresa. Elisabeth would live well into her daughter’s reign, dying in Vienna at age 58.

1694 – Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg is born to the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg. She shared a birthday with her elder sister, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Charlotte was married in 1711, to Tsarevitch Alexei, the son of Peter the Great of Russia. She was isolated at court, and never fully assimilated into the Russian court. Charlotte gave birth to two children, a daughter named Natalia, then a son, the future Peter II. Her death came just a few days after the birth of Peter. She was only 21 years old.

Deaths:

1481 – Afonso V of Portugal died in Lisbon, at age 49. He was the son of King Edward of Portugal and Eleanor of Aragon. In 1438, He became king at age 6, under the rule of a regency. He spent many years on campaign in North Africa, fighting the Muslims by Papal decree. He would attempt to claim the throne of Castile from Isabella I, but to no avail. Afonso would retire after, abdicating in favour of his son, and spending the rest of his life in a monastery.

1943 – Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria died of heart failure in his home country. He had just met with Adolf Hitler a few days before, and it has been suspected that the German leader poisoned him. Her had been Tsar since the abdication of his father, Ferdinand I, in 1918, after World War I. During World War II, Bulgaria was allied with Germany, but Boris did not cede control to the Nazis. Boris also refused to deport Bulgarian Jews, and helped many escape to other countries.

1972 – Prince William of Gloucester died in a crash at an air show. He was the son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson to King George V, and a cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. William was just 30 years old, and unmarried. In 1968, he had been diagnosed with porphyria, a blood disorder, but had continued to attend to royal duties. He was close to his cousin, Charles, Prince of Wales, who would name his eldest son in his honor.

Have a great day!

August 23rd

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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Events:
2007 – The remains of a boy and girl were found near Yekaterinburg, Russia. DNA testing later confirmed that the remains were of Alexei Romanov, Tsarevitch of Russia, and one of his sisters, probably Maria or Anastasia. The remains of Alexei’s parents, Nicholas II and Alexandra, as well as his other 3 sisters had already been found.

Birthdays:
1754 – The future King Louis XVI of France is born at the Palace of Versailles. He became Dauphin after the death of his father, and King after the death of his grandfather, Louis XV, when he was just 19. He ruled through a time of great upheaval in France, which culminated with his arrest and overthrow in 1792, as part of the French Revolution. While Dauphin, he married Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia, know now as Marie Antoinette. Of their four children, only their oldest daughter would survive into adulthood, and both Louis and Marie were executed in 1793.

1836 – Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria is born in Hungary, as a granddaughter of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. In 1853, she married Prince Leopold of Belgium, the future Leopold II. The marriage was a political move, as Belgium was trying to bolster the legitimacy and popularity of its monarchy, by aligning itself with a well-established family, like the Habsburgs. However the marriage was unhappy, and despite their four children, they lived apart for many years. In 1865, they became King and Queen of Belgium. Her daughters would perform court duties in her absence, and Marie died away from Brussels in 1902, at age 66.

Deaths:
1387 – King Olaf II of Denmark and IV of Norway died at age 16. Through him, Denmark and Norway had become united as one kingdom and would remain that way until 1814. He had been King of Denmark since age 5, after the death of his grandfather, and King of Norway since 1380, after the death of his father. Olaf’s mother, Margaret, had served as his regent, and would take over rule of both nations after his death.

Have a good one!

August 19th

15 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Events:
1561 – Mary, Queen of Scots lands back in Scotland after living in France since childhood. She had been widowed earlier in the year by Francis II of France.

1745 – Charles Edward Stuart, or “Bonnie Prince Charlie” raises his standard in Glenfinnan, Scotland. This is considered the start of the second Jacobite Rebellion to restore the Catholic Stuarts to the thrones of Great Britain instead of the Protestant Hanovers.

1772 – Swedish king Gustav III enacts a new constitution in a coup d’état that takes power from the Riksdag and gives to the King.

Birthdays:
1342 – Catherine of Bohemia is born in Prague to Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and Blanche of Valois. In 1356, she entered into a political marriage to the Duke of Austria, Rudolf IV. He left her a widow after a nine year childless marriage. The following year, she was married to Otto V, Duke of Bavaria, and was later caught in territorial disputes when her father invaded her husbands Brandenburg lands. She died in Austria in 1395.

1596 – Elizabeth Stuart is born in Scotland to King James VI and Anne of Denmark. She stayed in Scotland for a while after her father became King of England as well, and actually during the Gunpowder Plot, it was said that she was to be set up as an alternative Catholic monarch to her fathers and brothers. In 1613, she was married to Frederick V, Count Palatine of the Rhine. Three years later, Frederick was elected to be King of Bohemia, only to be overthrown a few months later, earning Elizabeth the nickname, “The Winter Queen.” In 1621, she ended up in The Hague, where she would be widowed in 1632. Elizabeth continued to try and parent her remaining children as possible. Her youngest daughter, Sophia, would be the mother of the future George I of Great Britain. In 1661, she returned to Britain, living out her days in the court of her nephew, Charles II.

Deaths:
1186 – Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany died at age 27 in Paris. There are two accounts of his death, one saying he was trampled to death in a tournament, the other saying he died after a sudden illness. Geoffrey was the son of Henry II of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He had participated in his brother Henry’s rebellion against their father, and had been close to Phillip II of France. His son and heir, Arthur, would later come into conflict with Geoffrey’s younger brother, John.

1493 – Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III died in Austria at age 77. A son of the Habsburg family, he was born in 1415. He became Archduke of Austria in 1424, King of Germany and the Romans in 1440, and finally Holy Roman Emperor in 1452. He was the first Habsburg Emperor, and the last Emperor to be crowned in Rome. For the last ten years, his son, Maximilian I, ruled jointly with him as co-ruler.

August 18th

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Events:
1572 – Henry III of Navarre married Margaret of Valois in Paris. The bride was the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici, as well as the sister of the French Kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. Henry of Navarre was the heir to the French throne and would become Henry IV of France later on. Six days later, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre occurred.

Birthdays:
1606 – Maria Anna of Spain is born in Spain to King Phillip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. In 1631, she was married to Ferdinand III, titular King of Hungary and future Holy Roman Emperor. Their relationship was a good one, and she served as regent for her husband during his absences. They would have six children, including a future Queen of Spain, and a Holy Roman Emperor. She died at age 39, while in Austria, from complications during the birth of her sixth child, who also died shortly after birth.

1611 – Marie Louise Gonzaga is born in France to a noble family. In 1646, she married Wladyslaw IV of Poland. Within two years, he died leaving her a widow. His brother, John Casimir was elected as the next King of Poland, and Marie was married to him in 1649. She was active politically, much to the scandal of the Polish nobility. She founded the first Polish newspaper and was a patron of the literary salons. Marie died in her adopted homeland, in 1667.

1819 – Russian Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna is born as a daughter of Tsar Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra. She grew up close with her family, including her parents, who doted on their children. She was known to have a strong personality, and was active with the arts. Despite the animosity from her family, she married the German Duke of Leuchtenberg, Maximilian, nephew of Ludwig I of Bavaria. The couple remained in Russia, where she became the President of the Academy of the Arts. Her husband died in 1852, and she remarried morganatically in 1856. She eventually moved to Italy and continued to collect art until her death in 1876.

1830 – The future Franz Joseph of Austria is born in Vienna. He became Emperor in 1848, after the abdication if his uncle, Ferdinand I. He would reign for a tumultuous 68 years, through years of wars with the Italians, the Germans, and increasing nationalism in all the Austro-Hungarian lands. In 1854, he had married the young and beautiful Elisabeth of Bavaria, with whom he was very in love with, but she was not suited for Imperial court life. They had four children, the eldest daughter died in childhood, and their only son, Rudolf, committed suicide in 1889, after killing his mistress. Empress Elisabeth was herself stabbed in 1898 while traveling. In 1914, Franz’s heir, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed in Sarajevo, an event which not only kicked off a succession crisis in Austria-Hungary, but World War I. The Emperor did not survive the war, and died in 1916.

Deaths:
1645 – Eudoxia Streshneva, wife of Tsar Michael I, died in Moscow. She was his second wife, and married him in 1626. She was not active in politics and was overshadowed by her mother in law. In 19 years of marriage, she gave birth to ten children. Michael died in 1645, and Eudoxia followed him just over a month later.

1765 – Holy Roman Emperor Francis I died in Austria at age 56. He was born in the Duchy of Lorraine, but in 1736, after Lorraine had been surrendered to France, he married Maria Theresa of Austria, heir to the Habsburg dominions. In 1745, he was elected as Holy Roman Emperor, however he did not wield much power. Maria Theresa was the true ruler of the Empire. Francis did not outwardly seem to have a problem with his wife being the one in power. They had sixteen children, who included 2 Holy Roman Emperors, a Queen of Naples, and a famous Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.

Have a great day!

August 13th

24 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1704 – The Battle of Blenheim takes place in Bavaria, Germany, as part of the War of Spanish Succession. The British were fighting on the side of the Holy Roman Empire and the Dutch, against French and German forces. Although the French would be ultimately successful, the Alliance would be victorious today.

1792 – French King Louis XVI was arrested and declared an enemy of the State. He was jailed and the following month, France was officially declared a Republic, with Louis being stripped of all titles. He was formally referred to as “Citizen Louis Capet”. The former King was executed the following January.

Birthdays:
1311 – Alfonso XI of Castile is born in modern day Spain as the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and Constance of Portugal. He became king in 1312 after the death of his father, and ruled under regents until 1325. He continued the Reconquista of Granada from the Moors. He would become known for his ruthless and sometimes bloody methods. He ruled until 1350 when he passed away at age 38. Two of his sons would later become Kings and Peter I and Henry II.

1752 – Another daughter is born in Austria to Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. She is named Maria Carolina. As a child, she was said to be close to her younger sister, Maria Antonia, the ill-fated Marie Antoinette of France. In 1768, she married Ferdinand IV of Naples, and despite the marriage being a duty to both parties, she bore eighteen children, with seven becoming adults. Like her mother, she was active politically and instituted many policies. In early 1799, she and her husband would be overthrown in Naples, only to be restored again that year, ruling until 1806, when they would be deposed again. She died in 1814, in her native Austria. Among her children, she numbers a King of the Two Sicilies, a Holy Roman Empress, a Queen of France, a Queen of Sardinia, and a Princess of Spain.

1792 – Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen is born in Germany. In 1818, she married Prince William, Duke of Clarence in a double ceremony, alongside William’s brother Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld. The younger sons of George III were trying to secure the succession after Princess Charlotte, daughter of the future George IV died. She would become pregnant several times, but she would either miscarry, or the baby would die early. In 1830, after the death of George IV, Adelaide became Queen consort. She was well loved by the people for her kindness and generosity, and got along well with her niece and future Queen, Victoria. William died in 1837, and she would not follow until 1849, well into the reign of Victoria.

Deaths:
1382 – Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile died giving birth to her third child, a daughter named for her, that died young as well. Eleanor was the daughter of Peter IV of Aragon and Eleanor of Sicily. In 1375, she married John I of Castile. They also had two sons, Henry who became king of Castile, and Ferdinand, who became King of Aragon. She was only 24 at her death.

Have an awesome day!

August 11th

22 Thursday Aug 2013

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Events:
1332 – The Battle of Dupplin Moor took place in Scotland as part of the Second War of Scottish Independence. It was fought between the English backed forces of Edward Balliol, and those loyal to the young heir of the deceased Robert Bruce, now David II. The Balliols would be successful, and Edward would be crowned at Scone, but later he would be overthrown, chased out of Scotland, and died in England.

1804 – Holy Roman Emperor Francis II formally adopted the title ‘Emperor of Austria’ as Francis I, in response to Napoleonic aggression. The Habsburg-Lorraine family wanted to keep Imperial status, in case the Holy Roman Empire were to be dissolved, which it was, two years later.

Birthdays:
1467 – Mary of York was born at Windsor Castle to King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. Not much is known about Mary’s life, other than she died young, at age 14, in London.

1968 – In not so dead royalty, the future Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau is born in the Netherlands. In 2004, she married Dutch Prince Friso, younger son of Queen Beatrix. Because they married without the approval of the Dutch Parliament, Friso and his children with Mabel are excluded from the line of succession. However in 2012, Friso was in a skiing accident, and Mabel was left a widow in 2013.

No major deaths.

Have a great day!

August 10th

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1628 – The state-of-the-art Swedish Warship, The Vasa, set sail, only to sink on her maiden voyage. The disaster is attributed to King Gustavus Adolphus’ insistence that she join the fleet as soon as possible to assist with the Thirty Years War, and his council’s reluctance to let him know that there were structural problems with the ship. In the 1960’s, she was recovered from the ocean floor, and is being stored in a museum built specifically to display the ship.

1792 – An angry mob stormed the palace of Tuileries as part of the French Revolution. The King and his family had been staying there, and six weeks later the French Monarchy was abolished.

Birthdays:
1267 – James II of Aragon is born Valencia as the son of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Sicily. He became King of Sicily in 1285, after the death of his father, and in 1291, he succeeded his brother as King of Aragon. In 1295, he began a struggle with his younger brother over the island of Sicily, and ceased to rule the island. He was given rule of Sardinia and Corsica instead. He ruled those lands until his death in 1327, and was succeeded by his son, Alfonso IV.

1296 – John of Bohemia is born in Luxembourg to Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII and Margaret of Brabant. In 1310, he became king of Bohemia and titular King of Poland, by right of his wife, Elisabeth. He eventually lost his eyesight, earning him the nickname “John the Blind”. When the Hundred Years War broke out, John sided with King Phillip VI of France, and died while fighting at the Battle of Crecy, when he was about 50 years old.

1520 – Madeleine of Valois is born in France to Francis I and Queen Claude. She typically didn’t live at court, because of her delicate health, so she spent time being raised by her aunt, Marguerite of Navarre. In 1536, she was contracted to marry the Scottish King James V, which she did in early 1537. They married in Paris, and then left for Scotland a couple months later. By the time they arrived, she was already very ill. She died in July 1537, a month after her arrival. Madeleine was just 16 years old.

Deaths:
1759 – Ferdinand VI of Spain died at age 45 in Madrid. He had succeeded his father, Phillip V, in 1746, and was one of the early Spanish Bourbon monarchs. He over saw many reforms in his short reign, and reinforced the military might of Spain after the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War. He had been married to Barbara of Portugal, but had no children. Ferdinand’s heir would be his brother, Charles, who was already King of Naples and Sicily.

Have a great day!

August 6th

18 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1514 – Margaret Tudor, Dowager Queen of Scotland and Princess of England, married her second husband, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. Margaret was the older sister of Henry VIII, mother to James V of Scotland, and grandmother to Mary, Queen of Scots.

1806 – Holy Roman Emperor Francis II formally abdicated the Imperial Crown and dissolved the Empire. However, he remained Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia.

1942 – Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands became the first sitting Queen to address a dual session of the United States Congress. She was visiting the US at the time, while her nation was being occupied by the Nazis. During her exile, her picture was used as a symbol of the Dutch resistance movement, and she gave radio broadcasts funneled through the BBC to the Dutch people.

Birthdays:
1666 – Maria Sophia of Neuburg is born in Dusseldorf, Germany to Phillip William, Elector Palantine and Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse. In 1687, she became Queen consort of Portugal with her marriage to Peter II. She was a popular Queen and known for her charitable causes. She would give birth to 9 children, with only five living into adulthood. She died in 1699, just two days before her 33rd birthday.

1697 – The future Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor is born in Brussels to the Elector of Bavaria and his wife. He married a daughter of an Emperor too, Maria Amalia, daughter of Joseph I. In 1741, he was elected to be Holy Roman Emperor after the death of Charles VI, the first non-Habsburg to be Emperor in over 300 years. He had rejected the Austrian Pragmatic Succession, and attempted to prevent the previous Emperor’s daughter, Maria Theresa, from ruling. However, in 1745, Charles died, and Maria Theresa’s husband was elected to Imperial rule.

1844 – Prince Alfred is born at Windsor Castle to 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 into 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. Alfred would remain in Germany, dying there in 1900.

Deaths:
1272 – Stephen V of Hungary died suddenly at age 33. He was on his way to rescue his infant son, the future Ladislaus IV of Hungary, who had been kidnapped by nobles who Stephen had been fighting with. He had been king on his own since 1270 after the death of his father, Bela IV. In 1246, he had been crowned as co-king with his father to ensure the succession.

Have an awesome day!

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.

Have a great day!

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.

Have a great day!