Tag Archives: Hungarian Royalty

August 29th

29 Wednesday Jan 2014

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Events:
1756 – Frederick the Great of Prussia attacks Saxony, starting what’s called the Seven Years War, over territorial disputes with the neighboring German nations and Austria.

1825 – The Kingdom of Portugal officially recognizes the independence of Brazil. In 1822, Brazil would declare itself its own empire.

1968 – Crown Prince Harald of Norway married Sonja Haraldsen, after dating in secret for nine years. She was not of royal status, so there was concern of a scandal. The couple rule today as King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

Birthdays:
1729 – Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony is born to King Augustus III of Poland and Maria Josepha of Austria. She was one of 15 children, and the sister of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony, Queen Maria Amalia of Spain, and French Dauphine Maria Josepha. This makes Maria Anna the aunt of French Kings Louis XVI, Louis XVIII, and Charles X. In 1747, she married the Elector of Bavaria, Maximilian III Joseph. The marriage was childless, and Maximilian died in 1777, but Maria would outlive him by 20 years, remaining in her adopted homeland.

Deaths:
1526 – King Louis II of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia died while fighting the Ottomans during the Battle of Mohacs. He had been king for ten years, after the death of his father, Vladislaus II. Louis was only twenty at the time of his death, and was childless, in his marriage.

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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 15th

27 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1760 – The Battle of Liegnitz took place in Prussia between the forces of King Frederick the Great and the Austrians, being led by Ernst von Laudon. It would be a sound defeat for the Austrians, who lost almost 5000 soldiers in 30 minutes.

Birthdays:
1171 – Alfonso IX of Leon is born to King Ferdinand II of Leon, and Urraca of Portugal. He became King in 1188, and ruled until 1230. He convened the Cortes of Leon, which is said to be the oldest form of Parliament in Europe. He had been excommunicated by the Pope for a time, because of his unsanctioned marriage to Berengaria of Castile. When he died, his son, Ferdinand succeeded him. Ferdinand was already King of Castile, through his mother’s claim, thus uniting the two regions of Spain.

1769 – Napoleone Buonaparte is born on the island of Corsica. Later, while serving in the military in France, he adopted the French spelling of his name, making it Napoleon Bonaparte. He would move up through the ranks in the military, then in 1799, Bonaparte was declared First Consul of France. Five years later, he was given the title ‘Emperor of the French’. Through the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, he captured most of continental Europe, but after a failed invasion of Russia, things collapsed, with his eventual abdication and exile to the island of Elba. Napoleon escaped captivity on Elba, returned to France, and attempted to reclaim his throne, but he was thwarted again, and sent back to exile on the British controlled island of St. Helena, where he died in 1821.

1950 – Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom was born today in 1950 to the future Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.

Deaths:
1038 – Stephen I of Hungary dies in Hungary. He had been Grand Prince of Hungary from 997 until about 1000, when he became the first king of Hungary. He was also a champion for the early Christian church in the nation, and was later sainted. He would unify Hungary also under his banner, and is still considered a national hero.

1057 – MacBeth, King of Scotland died in battle. He had been King of Alba since 1040, after the death of Duncan I. He was involved in the strife in England, between Godwin, Earl of Essex, and Edward the Confessor. In contrary to the Shakespearean play, he was a good and just ruler.

1369 – Philippa of Hainault died at age 55 in London. She was born in Valenciennes to the Count and Countess of Hainault, Holland, and Zeeland. Her betrothal to the future Edward III of England was at first to gain her father’s support in Isabella, Edward’s mother’s, invasion of England. But Edward and Philippa did love each other and were said to be quite devoted. Edward trusted her enough to leave her as regent during his trips abroad and she would accompany him on some. They would have fourteen children. Philippa was well loved and admired by the people of England for her piety, charity, and compassion.

Have an awesome 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!

August 5th

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1100 – Henry I of England was crowned King in Westminster Abbey, just days after the mysterious death of his brother, William II.

1305 – William Wallace, one of the rebel leaders of the Scots in their war for independence against England, was captured by the English and sent to London for trial.

Birthdays:
1461 – Alexander Jagiellon is born in Krakow to Casimir IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth Habsburg of Hungary. In 1492 he was elected Grand Duke of Lithuania, and in 1501, he succeeded his brother as King of Poland. He principally favored his Lithuanian courtiers, and spent most of his time there, until his death in 1506.

1828 – Louise of the Netherlands is born in The Hague as a granddaughter of William I. In 1850, she was married to the future Charles XV of Sweden and Norway. The marriage was unhappy, and Charles had many public mistresses. They would have two children, despite their arranged marriage. As Queen, she did not intervene in politics but was active with charity works, although she avoided ceremonial duties. She died early at age 42 of pneumonia.

1833 – Carola of Vasa is born in Vienna to the deposed Swedish Royal Family. She was born Lutheran, but to the chagrin of her father, she converted to Catholicism. In 1853, she married Albert, Crown Prince of Saxony. She was popular and supported the building of new hospitals, and entertained soldiers. Albert became King of Saxony in 1873, and they ruled until 1902, when he died. She died in Dresden just five years later.

1939 – Princess Irene of the Netherlands is born to Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard. She is the younger sister of the former Queen Beatrix and the aunt of the current Dutch King, Willem Alexander. In 1963, she secretly converted to Catholicism and married the Spanish Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, and pretender to the Spanish crown. They had four children before their divorce in 1981, and she returned to the Netherlands, where she resides today.

Deaths:
1877 – Gustav, Prince of Vasa died in Austria. He was the one time Crown Prince of Sweden, until his family was deposed when he was ten. He had also spent time in the military of Austria, under the Habsburg family, receiving grants and titles in appreciation. He would be buried in Stockholm, by his father.

1901 – Victoria, German Empress and Princess Royal died in Germany under the reign of her son, Wilhelm II. She was the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and was in close communication with her mother for all her life. She was actually only German Empress for only 3 months, as her husband, Fredrick III, was already terminally ill at his accession. Vicky had a very strained relationship with her son, who suspected her of supporting liberal policies.

Have a good one!

August 4th

13 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1265 – The Battle of Evesham takes place in England as part of the Second Baron’s War. The army of King Henry III, led by his son, the future Edward I, would defeat the rebels. Simon de Montfort, the leader of the rebels would be killed in battle.

Birthdays:
1900 – Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon is born to the future Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. In 1921, Prince Albert, Duke of York proposed marriage to her. She declined, stating she didn’t want to be in the public eye as a royal. He would ask again, and again, Elizabeth refused. Finally in 1923, he asked a third time, and she agreed. She would be the first royal bride to lay her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in honor of her brother who died in World War I. Ten years later Elizabeth and Bertie became King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who already had two young daughters, the future Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. She remained in the public life and was a popular member of the royal family up through her daughter’s reign. She passed away in 2002, shortly after the death of her daughter Margaret.

1906 – Marie Jose of Belgium is born to King Albert I and Elisabeth of Bavaria. In 1930, she married Prince Umberto of Italy, becoming the Princess of Piedmont. They would have four children, despite the marriage being unhappy. She would be active in Italian politics, even throughout World War II. In 1946, she became Queen consort when her father in law abdicated, but 35 days later, the monarchy was abolished in Italy. They lived in Portugal for a time, but she and Umberto decided to separate, and Marie would move to Switzerland with her children. She lived there, in Mexico briefly, and returned to Italy after her husbands death. She herself died in Geneva at age 94.

Deaths:
1060 – Henry I of France died at age 52. He had been king on his own since 1031, when his father, Robert II died. He has the mixed legacy of being a strong king, but other Capetian historians believing he was the personification of the weakness of the Capets. He was succeeded by his son, Phillip I, who was seven years old. Henry’s third wife and Phillip’s mother, Anna of Kiev, would serve as regent.

1306 – The 16 year old Wenceslaus II of Bohemia died suddenly. He was the son of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Habsburg. He had been king of Bohemia since 1301, and King of Hungary, Croatia, and Poland since 1305. He had also married in 1305, but had no legitimate heirs.

1578 – Sebastian I of Portugal died in battle against the Moors. He was just 24 years old. He had been king since age 3, when his grandfather John III died. Sebastian’s father had died before his birth, and his mother left while he was still a baby, to serve as regent for her family’s Habsburg lands. His grandmother was his domineering regent, and Sebastian grew up very devout. His death left a succession crisis in Portugal.

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July 29th

08 Thursday Aug 2013

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Events:
1565 – Mary, Queen of Scots married her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. They would have one son together, the future James VI and I of Scotland and England. The marriage would end with Darnley’s death in 1567.

1567 – James VI of Scotland (later also known James I of England) was crowned at Stirling Castle. He was only a year old.

1863 – The Arc de Triomphe is dedicated in Paris in honor of all the soldiers who died in the Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.

1981 – Charles, Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. It was a beautiful and lavish ceremony. There were over 3000 people in attendance, including the majority of European Royals, and an estimated 750 million people from around the world watched on television.

Birthdays:
1846 – Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil is born in Rio de Janeiro to Emperor Pedro II and Empress Teresa Christina. Her parents would have no surviving sons, so she would be her father’s heir. She would marry a French Count, and was said to be learned, and spoke four languages. Three times she would serve as regent for her father, during his absences abroad. She was well liked by the public, and in 1888, she would sign the Golden Law, which freed all slaves in Brazil. The people gave her the nickname “the Redemptress” for her action. However it was widely unpopular with nobles and wealthy landowners. The following year the monarchy in Brazil would be deposed and Isabel lived out her days on her husbands lands in France.

Deaths:
1030 – Olaf II of Norway died in exile after trying to reclaim his throne. He had been King from 1015 until 1028. He is still a cultural hero in Norway. Olaf is depicted in Norway’s coat of arms, and after his death, he was both given the title of Norway’s Eternal King, and was canonized as a Saint. Also the Norwegian Order of St. Olav is named for him.

1095 – Ladislaus I of Hungary died in his nation after almost twenty years on the throne. He became King after his brother, Geza I. He ruled during a time of civil war with his cousins, but he greatly expanded Hungarian territory and was widely loved but he was a harsh legislator. One hundred years after his death he would be canonized as a Saint of the Catholic Church.

1108 – Philip I of France died at age 56. He had been King since age 7, with his mother, Anna of Kiev serving as his regent. He was much more a successful ruler than his father, and his 48 years on the throne was unprecedented at the time. He would be married twice and he would be succeeded by his son as Louis VI.

1900 – Umberto I of Italy was assassinated. His killer said he wanted to avenge the people who died in the Beva-Beccaris massacre two years before. He also attempted to expand Italy’s colonial presence in Africa and his reign would be one of political and social turmoil.

Have an awesome day!

July 23rd

01 Thursday Aug 2013

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Events:
1745 – Charles Stuart, or ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ landed on the islands of Northern Scotland, planning to invade and install his father, James Stuart “The Old Pretender” on the throne of England and Scotland.

1914 – Austria-Hungary would issue to July Ultimatum to Serbia, demanding Austria be allowed to investigate the assassination of Archuduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne. Serbia would go on the reject the ultimatum, kicking off World War I.

1986 – Prince Andrew, Duke of York, married Sarah Ferguson. The wedding took place at Westminster Abbey. The couple had two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but divorced in 1996.

Birthdays:
1503 – Anne of Bohemia and Hungary was born today in 1503 in modern day Budapest. She was the daughter of Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and Anne de Foix. In 1521, she married Austrian Archduke Ferdinand who later became Holy Roman Emperor as Ferdinand I. They had 15 children in all, which include a Holy Roman Emperor and two Polish Queens consort. All of her children were married into the various royal and noble families of continental Europe. She was 43 when she passed away in Prague.

Deaths:
1536 – Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, illegitimate son of Henry VIII died, possibly of tuberculosis, at age 17. At the time of his death, there was a bill going through Parliament disinheriting his half-sister Elizabeth. Part of that bill would have allowed Henry VIII to name his successor, whether illegitimate or not. Some modern historians believe this would have been used by Henry to allow his son to become King should he not have a legitimate son.

Have an awesome day!