Tag Archives: Hungarian Royalty

July 16th

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Events:
1377 – A ten year old Richard II was crowned King of England, after the death of his Grandfather, Edward III. His father, known as Edward, The Black Prince, died when he was just 3 years old.

1951 – King Leopold III of the Belgians was forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Baudouin. The abdication was due to his conduct during World War II, and spent the rest of his life in semi-retirement, acting as an advisor to his son from time to time. He died in 1983.

Birthdays:
1611 – Cecilia Renata of Austria is born to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and Maria Anna of Bavaria. In 1637, she became Queen consort of Poland when she married Władysław IV Vasa, King of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. She would be popular in the country and at court. She was influential at first with her husband, promoting the causes of her Habsburg family, but after time, her advice was ignored. She had three children, two died young, and one stillborn in 1644, which claimed Cecilia’s life shortly after.

Deaths:
1342 – Charles I of Hungary died in Visegrad at age 54. He was of the House of Anjou, but had a dynastic claim to the Hungarian throne, which he claimed in 1312. He is credited with being one of the more successful Hungarian medieval rulers, for his overhauls of the way royal favors and grants were given, he would also reform the government and economic systems.

1557 – Anne of Cleves died in England. Anne is famous for being the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England. Their marriage was annulled after just six months, and Anne was given a settlement of lands, homes, and an annuity. She had been in London when her former stepdaughters rode into the city in 1553, when Mary became Queen. She had lived a quiet life since the end of her marriage and was 41 years old. She is the only wife of Henry VIII to be buried in Westminster Abbey.

Have an awesome day!

July 10th

16 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Events:
1460 – The Battle of Northhampton took place in England as part of the Wars of the Roses. The battle was decisive victory for the Yorkists, and the Lancastrian King, Henry VI, was captured. Henry would be formally deposed the following year in favor of Edward IV.

1553 – Lady Jane Grey, cousin to Edward VI of England accepts the throne of England. She was put forth as an alternative heir to the Protestant Edward’s Catholic half sister, Mary. Jane would only be Queen for nine days.

1778 – Louis XVI signs the Declaration of War against Britain to assist the American colonies during their rebellion.

Birthdays:
1451 – James III of Scotland was possibly born today. He became King in 1460 after the death of his father, James II. He ruled through regents until 1469. Also that year, he married Margaret of Denmark, by whom he had three sons, who included the future James IV. In the early 1480’s he was at war with England, and was briefly unseated, regaining power in 1482. He died in 1488, while fighting with his son and heir. He was widely an unpopular and ineffective ruler.

1711 – Princess Amelia of Great Britain is born in Hanover, Germany. She was the daughter of King George II. Amelia Island in Florida is named in her honor. She moved to England with her family after her grandfather’s accession to the British throne and remained in England, never marrying.

1736 – Maria Walpole is born in London. She was the granddaughter of Robert Walpole, who is considered to be the first Prime Minister of Britain. She had three daughters by her first husband, but in 1766, she was thrust into fame, when she married Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, son of George III. She was illegitimate and the marriage was not consented to by the monarch, and because of this marriage, the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 was passed, which forbade any marriage by a descendant of George III without Royal approval.

1867 – Prince Maximilian of Baden is born in Germany as the heir to the Grand Duchy of Baden. He served in the military during World War I. For a brief time in 1918, he served as Chancellor of Germany and Ministerial offices in Prussia. He was helping to oversee to governmental change from a monarchy to a parliamentary system.

1965 – Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark is born in Greece to Constantine II of Greece and Queen Anne-Marie. She was heir apparent until her father’s deposition. She is currently living in the Canary Islands with her husband and children.

Deaths:
1290 – Ladislaus IV of Hungary was assassinated at age 27. The country was in chaos due to religious differences and strife over his advisors. He was the son of Stephen V of Hungary and Elizabeth the Cuman. Ladislaus was married to Elizabeth of Anjou but they were childless so his successor was a cousin from another branch.

1480 – Rene of Anjou, King of Naples, died in Aix-en-Provence at age 71. He became King of Naples in 1435 until 1442, and after he used the title only nominally. He was a key player in the Hundred Years War, and he aided the French forces, out of dislike for the Burgundians. After 1453, he installed his elder son with Duchy of Lorraine, and all but retired from public life in 1466. He was called “Good King Rene”.

1584 – William of Orange, or William the Silent, was assassinated by a Catholic Frenchman. William had been one of the leaders of the Dutch Revolts against Spanish rule, and was considered to be a traitor by many. William is still considered to be a national hero of the Netherlands, with the following Dutch monarchs to be his descendants, the current national anthem is based on a propaganda song of his, and the flag, arms, and motto of the countries are based on William’s.

Have a great day!

July 7th

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Events:
1575 – The Raid of the Redeswire takes place along the English-Scottish border, as the last major raid between the two countries. It would be a victory for the Scottish and the two countries would be united by a common monarch in 1603.

Birthdays:
1207 – Elizabeth of Hungary is born as a daughter of Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania. In 1221, when aged 14, she was married to a German Landgrave. She became known for her charity works, especially for the poor. Her husband did not object to her works, as he thought his money was going to a good cause. At age 20, she was widowed and she went to live in a convent, where she became the abbess. She continued her work with the poor and sick until her death at age 24. She was later canonized as a Saint of the Catholic Church.

1528 – Archduchess Anna of Austria is born to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Empress Anne of Bohemia. She was married to Albert V, Duke of Bavaria when she was just 17 years old. They would have seven children She and her husband became known for their patronage of the arts, and founded museums and libraries.

Deaths:
1307 – Edward I of England died at age 68. He was the son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence, and was active at his father’s court, even fighting in the Second Barons War. In 1270, he left for the Holy Land, to participate in the Ninth Crusade. He was in Sicily in 1272, when he learned of his father’s death and his accession to the throne. He would take almost two years to get back to England though, and be crowned in 1274. Edward then became known for his reworking of the English law system, and later for his invasions of Scotland, which he would never fully see through. He became known by his nicknames too, namely “Longshanks” for his imposing height, and later as Malleus Scotorum, or the Hammer of the Scots. He was succeeded by his only surviving son, Edward II.

1537 – Sixteen year old Madeline of Valois died in Scotland less than 6 months after becoming Queen consort of Scotland. She was married to James V of Scotland in January 1537, and had only arrived in her new country in May. She was ill as soon as they landed. James held her as the daughter of Francis I and Queen Claude died.

1572 – Sigismund II Augustus died in Krakow as the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. He was childless, and the last of his Jagiellon dynasty. He had succeeded his father in 1548, and ruled until his death. In 1569, he had helped to over see the union of Poland and Lithuania as the Commonwealth, with an elected monarch. He married three times to attempt to have children, but it was unsuccessful.

Have an awesome day!

July 4th

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Events:
1187 – The Battle of Hattin takes place between the Christian forces of Jerusalem and the Muslim forces loyal to Saladin. It was a decisive victory for the Muslims and would be one of the events leading to the Third Crusade.

1534 – Christian III of Norway and Denmark is elected as King. He was a fervent Protestant and his election helped spread the Reformation in Continental Europe.

1569 – The Union of Lubin is signed by Sigismund II Augustus, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The treaty merged the two countries into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

1914 – The funeral of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie took place. They were shot six days prior in Sarajevo and the even would help spark World War I.

Birthdays:
1799 – The future Oscar I of Sweden is born in Paris, France. In 1810 his father, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected to succeed Charles XIII. He succeeded his father in 1844, and ruled until 1859. Before his accession, he married Josephine of Leuchtenberg, daughter of Eugene de Beauharnais, and granddaughter of Josephine de Beauharnais. He was very liberal in his youth, but settled down after his accession. But under him, Norway was given more equality, and early freedom of the press laws and gender equality laws.

1937 – In not so dead royalty, Queen Sonja of Norway is born in Oslo. In 1968, she married Crown Prince Harald of Norway, and in 1991, they became King and Queen of Norway. Her son, Haakon, is the current Crown Prince and future ruler of Norway.

1942 – Prince Michael of Kent is born in England to Prince George and Princess Marina. He is a grandson of King George V, and thus a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth. Through his mother, he is also a first cousin to Prince Phillip. He undertakes royal duties on his cousin’s behalf although he lost is place in the line of succession in 1978, when he married a Roman Catholic.

Deaths:
2011 – Otto von Habsburg died in Germany at age 98. He was the last Crown Prince of Austria, as the son of Charles I of Austria and Zita of Bourbon-Parma. He fled Europe during World War II but returned to the continent after the war, never living in Austria again. He was a member of the European Parliament and a strong supporter of the European Union. His father never abdicated, and by his family and supporters he was still considered to be Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

July 1st

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Events:
1862 – Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was married to Prince Louis, future Grand Duke of Hesse. The wedding took place just a few months after the death of Prince Albert and was said to be a sad affair, due to the Queen’s continuing grief. They would have seven children, the most famous being the ill-fated Empress Alexandra of Russia.

Birthdays:

1481 – Christian II of Denmark is born as the son and heir to King John of Denmark and Christina of Saxony. He became King of Denmark and Norway in 1513. In 1515, he married Isabella of Austria, sister of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. One of their daughters is Christina, Duchess of Milan, and a brief candidate for marriage with Henry VIII of England. In 1520, Christian invaded Sweden to unite the countries. He was crowned, but it was a very short reign, and after the Stockholm Bloodbath, he was overthrown. Two years later he was overthrown in Denmark, and died in prison in 1559.

1506 – King Louis II of Hungary is born in Budapest to Ladislaus II Jagiellon and his third wife. He became king in 1516, while still a child. In 1515, he was married to Mary of Austria, daughter of Juana and Phillip of Castile. He only ruled for ten years and died in 1526 at age 20, during the Battle of Mohacs, against the forces of the Ottoman Empire.

1534 – Frederick II of Denmark and Norway is born as the son of Christian III. He became king in 1559, and ruled until 1588. He kept the Danes out of military actions during his time, but managed to continue to build on its status. He would be succeeded by his son, Christian III. His daughter Anne, would also be Queen consort of England and Scotland, as the wife of James I and VI.

1961 – Diana, Princess of Wales, was born today in 1961 to John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, and the Honorable Frances Shand Kydd. She was thrust into the limelight in 1981, when while working as a preschool teacher, she was engaged to Charles, Prince of Wales. They had two children, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry. The relationship soured from there culminating in their divorce in 1996. She remained in the public eye, working for the various charities she was involved with. Tragically in 1997, she died in a car crash in Paris.

Deaths:
1109 – Alfonso VI of Leon and Castile died in Toledo at age 69. He had been King of Leon since 1065, King of Castile since 1072, King of Galicia and Portugal since 1071, and in 1077, he was declared Emperor of all Spain until his death. He was called “the Brave” or “the Valiant” due to his prowess in battle against the Spanish Muslims. At his death, he would be succeeded by his eldest legitimate child, a daughter named Urraca.

Have an awesome day!

June 25th

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Events:
1741 – Maria Theresa of Austria is crowned as Queen of Hungary. She was the daughter of Holy Roman Empress Charles VI, and is the only female ruler in all the Habsburg dynasty. Her accession caused the War of Austrian Succession, and her husband would be elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1745, although all the power laid with Maria Theresa.

Birthdays:
1242 – Eleanor of Provence, mentioned below, gave birth to a daughter named Beatrice, in Bordeaux, France. She was married to John II, Duke of Brittany, although he did not become Duke until after she died, so Beatrice was never known as the Duchess of Brittany. John was also the Earl of Richmond. The two titles would be split between Beatrice and John’s eldest sons, Arthur II, Duke of Brittany, and John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond. Beatrice died in 1275, while in London.

1755 – Princess Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt is born in Brandenburg, Germany to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1773, she was married to the future Paul I of Russia, son of Catherine the Great. The marriage was not happy, and Natalia Alexeievna, as she became known after her marriage, was probably having an affair. She became pregnant and the paternity was disputed, but it didn’t seem to matter to the Empress. However, the Princess died giving birth to a still born baby. She was only twenty years old.

Deaths:
1291 – Eleanor of Provence died in England. This date is disputed, as she may have died the 24th. She was from Aix-en-Provence, and was the daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, and his Countess, Beatrice of Savoy. In early 1236, when she was only approximately 12 years old, she was sent to England, where she was married to Henry III of England. They had five children, the eldest being the future Edward I of England. While she and Henry were seemingly devoted to each other, she was unpopular with the people, for promoting her foreign relatives, and was even attacked while sailing down the Thames on her barge. She outlived Henry, and eventually went to live in a convent, although she kept in touch with her children, especially Edward.

1533 – Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, died in England at age 37. She was the youngest child of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and sister Henry VIII. In late 1514, she was married to Louis XII of France against her will. The marriage only lasted for three months when Louis suddenly died. Henry sent his friend, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, whom the Princess married in secret. After they paid a fine, they were allowed at court and returned to royal favor. Mary and Charles had children, and through their daughter, Frances, Mary was the grandmother of the ill-fated Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen of England.

Have a great day!

May 31st

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Events:
1578 – The first stones of the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris are laid by Henry III. It is the oldest bridge in Paris.

Birthdays:
1443 – Lady Margaret Beaufort is born in England. At age 12, she married Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Tudor was the half brother of Henry VI, through their mother, Catherine of Valois. Margaret had one child who would later become Henry VII of England. She would marry three more times, but at her death, be buried by Edmund. In 1485, her son became king, and she would live at court and be an influential member of his government. She lived two months into the reign of her grandson, Henry VIII.

1469 – Manuel I of Portugal is born. In 1495, he became King after his cousin, John II. Portugal made great strides in exploration during his reign, including the discovery of Brazil and a route to India. He also oversaw an Inquisition towards the Jews. There were many deaths and forced conversions at the time. He was married three times and among his children there are two Kings of Portugal and a Holy Roman Empress.

1557 – Feodor I of Russia is born in Moscow to Ivan IV and Anastasia Romanova. He became Tsar in 1584, but wasn’t supposed to until is elder brother died. He had no children and little, to no interest in politics. His chief minister Boris Godunov would succeed him as Tsar, and lead to a time called “The Troubles” .

1923 – The future Prince Rainier III of Monaco is born. He became Sovereign Prince in 1949, after the death of his grandfather, Louis II. In 1956, he famously married American movie star Grace Kelly, with whom he had three children, including the current ruler of Monaco, Prince Albert. He helped Monaco get a new constitution in 1962, which effectively ended autocratic rule.

Deaths:
1162 – Geza III of Hungary died in his early 30’s. He became King at age 10 after the death of his father, Bela II. He was a successful ruler for his time, both at home and militarily. The only rebellions he would see would come later in his reign from his brother and uncle. However it would be crushed quickly. Two of his sons would become king after him, as Stephen III and Bela III.

1246 – Isabella of Angouleme died at Fontevraud Abbey. She had been the second wife of John I of England, whom she had married when she was about 12, in the year 1200. In 1202, at the death of her father, she became Countess of Angouleme in her own right. Through John she would mother Henry III of England, and her daughters would become a Queen in Scotland and Holy Roman Empress. After John’s death, she went back to France, remarried (causing a scandal), and assisted in an attempt to overthrow French King Louis IX.

1495 – Cecily Neville, Duchess of York died at age 80. She was a great-granddaughter to Edward III and Queen Philippa. She married Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and in time, gave birth to three daughters, who all married into peerage, and four sons, two of whom became Kings of England as Edward IV and Richard III. “Proud Cis” lived until she was 80, and thus watched the whole of the Wars of the Roses, which her family was deeply entrenched in. She outlived all of her sons. But Cecily lived long enough to watch her granddaughter, the once illegitimatized Elizabeth, Edward IV’s daughter, become Queen consort of England. Since Henry VIII, every English monarch is somehow descended from Cecily Neville.

1740 – Frederick William I of Prussia died in Berlin. Called the Soldier King because of his time in the military and his fondness for it, he attempted to instill the same virtue in his son, the future Frederick II. His relationship with son would be difficult for a long time, and would include an exile and court martialing of the young man. As a whole, he did a lot improve the Prussian military and the country as a whole.

Have a great day!

April 22nd

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

No major events.

Birthdays:
1451 – The future Isabella I of Castile was born. She was the daughter of John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal, and the sister of Henry IV. She became queen in her own right in 1474, and 5 years later, became Queen consort of Aragon when she married Ferdinand II. They would finance Christopher Columbus’ journeys to the Americas, and complete the Reconquista of Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand would also begin the Spanish Inquisition and expel the Jews from their lands. Their daughter Joanna succeeded her, with her husband Phillip acting as co-ruler. After Phillip’s death and Joanna’s alleged breakdown, Ferdinand continued to rule as regent until their grandson, Charles, could assume power.

1852 – William IV of Luxembourg is born today. He would succeed his uncle and become Grand Duke of Luxembourg in 1905 and rule until 1912. He was the last Protestant monarch of the country and the last ruler to die in office. He would have no sons, but six daughters with Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal. His daughter Marie-Adelaide succeeded him immediately, but would abdicate after only seven years, and his next daughter, Charlotte assumed the throne.

1868 – Archduchess Marie Valerie is born in Hungary as the youngest child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth. She was doted on by her mother, to the point of exasperation for Valerie. Unlike her siblings, she was allowed to marry for love, and not for the dynasty. She married another Austrian, an archduke and cousin, Franz Salvator. She was said to be crushed by her brother, Rudolf’s suicide in 1889. After the end of World War I, she officially renounced her claim to the Austrian crown, and any claim for her descendants.

1872 – Princess Margaret of Prussia is born in Potsdam, Germany. She was the daughter of the future Emperor Frederick III and Empress Victoria. Empress Victoria was the Princess Royal of Great Britain as the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria. She married Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse-Kassel, future Landgrave of the region. Her husband was even elected King of Finland, but was unable to claim the throne because of the anti-German tide after World War I. She would lose three of her five sons during both World War I and II.

1906 – Prince Gustaf Adolph, Duke of Vasterbotten was born in Stockholm. He was the eldest son of Gustaf VI Adolph of Sweden and Queen Margaret. Through his mother, he was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. During his life, he was rumored to have been a Nazi sympathizer, but the release of his journals after his death provide otherwise. He would die suddenly at age 40 after a plane crash. His son is the current king of Sweden, as Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

No major deaths.

Have a great day!

April 6th

06 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Events:
1320 – Scotland reaffirms its independence with a document called the Declaration of Arbroath, named for the Abbey in which it was probably written. It was sealed by 51 nobles and magnates of the land. One copy survives today.

1385 – The Portuguese Council of the Kingdom meets in Coimbra and declares John, Master of Aviz, King of Portugal. He was the illegitimate son of Peter I, but there had been civil war before him, as his sister, Beatrice was married to John I of Castile, and thus with their accession, Portugal would have been annexed by Castile.

Birthdays:
1632 – Maria Leopoldine of Austria is born in Innsbruck. She was he daughter of and Archduke of Austria, thus making her and Archduchess. She would marry Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor in 1648, and thus be Empress consort. They were first cousins. A year later, Maria would die after a difficult labour with the couples only child. She was 17 years old.

1871 – A baby boy is born to the future Edward VII and Alexandra of the United Kingdom. He would be christened as Alexander John, but would die within 24 hours of his birth.

Deaths:
1199 – King Richard I of England dies in France of injuries while laying siege to a castle. He had been King of England for 10 years, but spent most of the time on the Third Crusade or protecting his vast lands in southern France. He was the son of first Plantagenet king, Henry II, and the equally indomitable Eleanor of Aquitaine. His legacy lives on in the Royal Arms of England, which still bear his standard, three gold lions. He is also the only English king better known by his nickname , the Lionheart, rather than his number.

1490 – Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, and Duke of Austria, dies in Vienna at age 47. He had been king of Hungary since age 14 and acquired the other titles in time. He was one of the first rulers to fully embrace the Italian Renaissance, and fashioned himself a philosopher king after Plato’s Republic. However his empire would not last after him, as he had only one illegitimate son, and he was not accepted as ruler in most lands.

2005 – Prince Rainier III of Monaco dies at age 81. He had been sick for some time, and suffered from multiple illnesses. He came to the throne in 1949 after the death of his father, Louis II. He famously married American movie star, Grace Kelly in 1956 and they had three children, including the current ruler, Albert II. But more than that, he expanded Monaco’s economy from more than just gambling revenues, which were 95% of the country’s revenue at his accession, and less than 5% at his death.

Have an awesome day!!

March 15th

15 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in Daily Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Events:

1672 – Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland issues the Royal Declaration of Indulgence, which was an early attempt to extend religious liberties to Catholics and non-conformist Protestants. The decree would be rolled back by Parliament the following year.

1848 – A revolt in Hungary breaks out which would force the King of Hungary, Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I, and later Franz Joseph I to make serious reforms and would eventually lead to Hungarian independence.

1917 – Nicholas II of Russia formally abdicates the crown of Russia. He declared his brother, the Grand Duke Michael, to be the next Tsar, instead of the haemophiliac Alexei. However Michael declined the throne, and the Bolshevik revolution was complete. Nicholas, Michael, Alexei, and the rest of the immediate Romanov family would be dead in a year.

Birthdays:

1275 – Margaret of England is born as the tenth child to Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile. At the age of three, she was betrothed to the Duke of Brabant, John II, whom she would marry at age 15. Her husband would die in 1312, but Margaret would live well into the reign of her son, John III.

Deaths:

44 BCE – Roman dictator Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of Senators after being declared dictator for life. Rome had been a republic, but certain groups from the government were afraid of too much power being lost to the Senate and other ruling groups. He’s widely credited with expanding the Roman empire to cover most of continental Europe, and had began invading the English Isles.

Have a good day!!