Tag Archives: Napoleon

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.

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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 22nd

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Events:
1298 – Edward I of England scored a victory in the Scottish War of Independence at the Battle of Falkirk. William Wallace’s army was ill-equipped against Edward’s longbowmen. The loss would cause Wallace to resign as Guardian of Scotland.

1706 – The Acts of Union were agreed upon by commissioners sent by both England and Scotland. The acts were then sent to each Parliament for passage. These acts would lead to the union of England and Scotland into Great Britian.

Birthdays:
1210 – Joan of England is born to King John of England and Isabella of Angouleme. She married Alexander II of Scotland in 1221 when she was eleven, and he 23. They had no children, but she died suddenly at age 27.

1478 – Phillip I of Castile is born in Belgium to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Mary, Duchess of Burgundy. He married Joanna of Castile, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. They had six children, two of which would become Holy Roman Emperors, and daughters who were Queen consorts of various European countries. After Isabella died, he and Joanna became King and Queen of Castile until Phillip’s early death in 1506.

1535 – Catherine Stenbock is born in Sweden to humble beginnings. But she was the niece of Margareta Leijonhufvud, who was previously married to King Gustav I of Sweden. After her aunt’s death, Catherine caught his eye, and they married in 1552. They were only married for 8 years before Gustav’s death. She stayed in Sweden and attempted to remarry, but was prevented by politics. She lived out her days and worked with children until her death at age 86.

2013 – A prince is born to Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He is named George Louis Alexander, and is currently third in line for the British throne.

Deaths:
1461 – A 58 year old Charles VII of France died. He had become King after the military successes of troops led by Joan of Arc. The French were able to finally push the English out in 1453, and Charles had a relatively quiet reign remaining. However, the last part of his time was marred by conflicts with his son, Louis, to the point Charles banished him in 1446, never to see him again. That same son succeeded him as Louis XI.

1832 – Napoleon II, son of Napoleon Bonaparte, died at age 21 of Tuberculosis. He never actually ruled France, and spent most of his life in Austria, known as Franz, Duke of Reichstadt. Its been joked that because he never actually ruled France, he was France’s best leader, since he brought no wars, taxation, or tyranny.

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July 11th

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Events:
1174 – Baldwin IV becomes King of Jerusalem at age 13. Soon after, he was found to have leprosy, which claimed his life at age 24.

Birthdays:
1274 – Estimated to be a possible birthday of Robert the Bruce, or King Robert I of Scotland. A claimant to the throne from an early age, he was crowned King in 1306. He was one of the primary leaders of the Scottish rebellions against the invasion and overlordship of Edward I of England. It wasn’t until the 1320’s after the death of Edward I, and major successes against Edward II, including the Battle of Bannockburn, that Robert was finally recognized by the Pope as King, and war with the new English King, the young Edward III, finally concluded. Robert would die in 1329. Nearly 700 years after his death, Robert is still a national hero of Scotland.

1657 – The future Frederick I of Prussia is born to Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg and Louise Henrietta of Orange-Nassau. In 1701, he convinced the Holy Roman Emperor to allow Brandenburg-Prussia to be elevated from a Duchy to a Kingdom, making himself the first Prussian King. However, the new nation was still under the sovereignty of the Empire.

1751 – Princess Caroline Matilda of Great Britain was born in London. She was the sister of George III of Great Britain and in 1766 she married Christian VII of Denmark at the ripe age of 15. In 1768, she gave birth to the future Frederick VI. But her marriage was unhappy, as Christian was mentally ill, and acted indifferent to his wife. In 1770, she most likely started an affair with Christian’s physician, Johann Struensee, who, it was rumored, fathered her second child, although Christian recognized the girl as his daughter. In 1772 though, Christian had enough apparently, and both Caroline and Struensee were arrested, and the marriage was dissolved. Her lover was executed and Caroline died suddenly of scarlet fever in 1775.

1866 – Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine was born in Darmstadt, Germany. She was a middle child of Grand Duke Ludwig IV and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and thus, a grandchild of Queen Victoria. She was also the elder sister of the doomed Empress Alexandra of Russia. Irene was married to Prince Heinrich of Prussia, a younger brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Like her sister, Irene turned out to be a carrier for the haemophilia gene, which affected two of her sons.

Deaths:
1766 – Elisabeth Farnese died in Spain. She was the Queen consort of Spain as the wife of Phillip V of Spain. Italian by birth, she was of the powerful Farnese family, who were the Dukes of Parma. Early in the marriage she exercised great influence on her husband, but it waned eventually. Among her children, she numbers a King of Spain, and Queen of Portugal and a Duke of her ancestral Parma. She was 73 years old at her death.

1920 – Eugenie de Montijo died in Madrid, Spain. She had lived in France while young and caught the eye of Prince Louis Napoleon, President of France and nephew of Napoleon I. They wed in 1853, a year after he became Emperor Napoleon III. She was the counter influences to liberal policies and was blamed for the French interventions in Mexico. Her husband was overthrown in 1871, and she lived the rest of her days first in England, then later her native Spain, outliving both her husband and son.

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July 9th

15 Monday Jul 2013

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Events:
1540 – The marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves was formally annulled. Anne was Henry’s fourth wife, and this would be Anne’s only marriage. The annulment was declared on grounds of non-consummation and Anne’s pre-contract with the son of the Duke of Lorraine. Anne consented to the split and was given a yearly monetary settlement, several houses, and a place at court.

1807 – French Emperor Napoleon I and Russian Emperor Alexander I sign the Treaty of Tilsit. Prussia also signed the treaty which ceded territory to France. Napoleon created the Kingdom of Westphalia from some of the territory he gained.

1810 – The Kingdom of Holland is annexed by Napoleon I as part of the First French Empire.

Birthdays:
1511 – Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg is born in Germany to the Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. In 1525, she was married to Christian III of Denmark and Norway, much to her chagrin. Despite the unhappiness of the marriage, they had five children, who included the future Frederick II of Denmark and Norway, and Magnus, King of Livonia. Frederick became King and Dorothea a widow in 1559. Her relationship with her children was poor from then on out, and she died in exile in 1571.

1578 – The future Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor was born in Graz, Austria. He became Emperor in 1619 after the death of his childless cousin Matthias died. The Thirty Years War fully encompassed his reign. He would have seven children with his wife, Maria Anna of Bavaria, who included Emperor Ferdinand III and a Queen consort of Poland. He ruled until his death in 1637.

1786 – Princess Sophie Helene Beatrice is born at Versailles as the youngest child of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The child lived less than a year, and died before her first birthday the following year, after having convulsions for several days.

Deaths:
1654 – Ferdinand IV, King of the Romans died of smallpox at age 20. He was the eldest son and heir of his father, Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, and was starting to take of his father’s titles and duties.

1746 – Phillip V of Spain died in Madrid at age 62. He was French born, but had a claim to the Spanish throne, and was named the successor of Charles II of Spain, in his will. The War of Spanish Succession would be fought to protect his claim. In 1700 he officially became King, and ruled for the first time until 1724. He abdicated in favor of his son, Louis. Louis was young, unmarried, and died of smallpox just seven months into his reign. Phillip took then throne again, and was king until 1746. His rule is the longest in modern Spanish history.

1985 – Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg died at age 89 in the capitol city of Luxembourg. She had reigned from 1919, when her elder sister, Marie-Adelaide, abdicated in her favor. She abdicated herself in 1964. The year of her accession, she was married to Felix of Bourbon-Parma, with whom she had six children. Much like other rulers in Europe during World War II, she spent the war in exile, working for her country’s cause, and became a figurehead for Nazi opposition. Her younger sister, Antonia, who had married into the Bavarian royal family, would spend time in the Dachau concentration camp.

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July 8th

14 Sunday Jul 2013

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Events:
1709 – The Battle of Poltava takes place between the Swedish forces of Charles XII and Peter the Great of Russia as part of the Great Northern War. It would be a decisive victory for the Russians and signaled the nations rise in prominence.

1808 – The Bayonne Statute is signed by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of French Emperor Napoleon I. The document was to act as a foundation for his Kingship of Spain, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

Birthdays:
1545 – Carlos, Prince of Asturias is born in Spain to the future King Phillip II of Spain and Maria Manuela of Portugal. Because of the close family relations of his parents and grandparents, Don Carlos as we was called, was said to be mentally unstable from a young age. In 1568, he was part of a plot to overthrow his father, because he was passed over for a military appointment. He was arrested, imprisoned, and left in solitary confinement. He died in prison just six months later, with rumors that Phillip had him poisoned.

1792 – Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen is born to the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg. In 1810, she married Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, the future Ludwig I. The celebration of their marriage became known as the first Oktoberfest, which continues today. She was loved by the Bavarian people, and was popular despite her husbands affairs which he was not discreet about. In 1848 he was forced to abdicate because of the scandal associated with an affair. But Therese’s son by him became Maximilian II of Bavaria, and her younger son, Otto, became King of Greece.

1830 -Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg is born in Germany. She married Russian Grand Duke Constantine Nikolaevich, a younger son of Tsar Nicholas I. She took the name Alexandra Iosfina when she converted to Russian Orthodoxy. Their eldest daughter Olga married the King of Greece and is the grandmother of the British Duke of Edinburgh. She tried to bear her husbands affairs and illegitimate children as best she could. In 1889 he was incapacitated by a stroke, and she was his caretaker for the rest of his life.

Deaths:
1850 – Prince Adolphus, the Duke of Cambridge, died in London at age 76. He was the youngest child of British King George III and Queen Charlotte. He spent his youth in military training in Hanover, Germany, and even fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He married a Hessian Princess, and was the grandfather of the future Queen Mary of Britain. He would spend over 20 years as the Viceroy of Hanover, ruling the nation on behalf of his two elder brothers, George IV and William IV. He returned to England after the accession of another brother, Ernest Augustus, as King of Hanover.

1859 – King Oscar I of Sweden died in Stockholm at age 60. 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.

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June 23rd

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Events:
1314 – The Battle of Bannockburn started in Scotland between the Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce and the English forces under Edward II. The battle is considered part of the First War of Scottish Independence. The fighting would last two days, and be a decisive victory in favor of the Scots.

1532 – Francois I of France and Henry VIII of England sign a secret treaty to oppose Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

1661 – The marriage contract between Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland and Catherine of Braganza is finalized.

Birthdays:
1373 – Joan II of Naples is born in Dalmatia to Charles III and Margaret of Durazzo. She would become Queen of Naples in 1414 after the death of her elder brother. She married twice, but had no children. She ruled until 1435, when she died at age 61.

1456 – Margaret of Denmark is born as the daughter of Christian I and Dorothea of Brandenburg. At age 13, she was married to James III of Scotland in order to settle disputes. They would have three sons, which include the future James IV. She was said to be a popular Queen, more so than her husband. She died early though at age 30, and rumors of her being poisoned still persist.

1703 – Marie Leszczynska is born to Stanislaus I of Poland and Catherine Opalinska. In 1725, at the age of 22, she married the 15 year old Louis XV of France. She would have ten children, seven surviving childhood, all by 1738. After this Louis began to have several public affairs, with Madame de Pompadour being the most famous. She was not politically involved, but stayed at court and had ceremonial duties. Marie was also popular with the French people, who widely mourned her death in 1768.

1763 – Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie is born on the island Martinique to wealthy land owners. She came to France as a small child, and eventually married Alexandre de Beauharnais, with whom she had a son and a daughter. He died during the Revolution, but Rose emerged, when she finally met an up-and-comer in the Army, Napoleon Bonaparte, who preferred to call her Josephine. Napoleon married Josephine, and became his Empress consort when he was declared Emperor. However the marriage would be dissolved later, as it became obvious she could not have more children. She lived out her days in Paris, where she kept beautiful flower gardens and entertained guests. She died in 1814, and Napoleon was said to be inconsolable. Josephine has many illustrious descendants, which include the Royal houses of Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Luxembourg.

1894 – The future King Edward VIII of The United Kingdom is born in southern England. He is the eldest child of George V and Queen Mary. He was made Prince of Wales when he was 16 years old, and served in the military during the First World War, and spent time on the front lines. He was popular with the people and visited areas of low-income families in Britain. He was also a womanizer and seen as irresponsible by his parents. He succeeded to the throne in 1936, but he intended to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced American. Before the year was out, he abdicated in favor of his brother, Albert. He was named the Duke of Windsor, and he and Wallis lived in exile until their deaths.

Deaths:
1222 – Constance of Aragon died in Italy, died of malaria while in her early 40’s. She had been married twice, the first in 1198, when she was married to Emeric of Hungary. She had a son with him the following year, who was crowned co-ruler at age 5 while his father was dying. Constance served as regent for her son, Ladislaus III, who died in 1205. She was married again in 1209, to Frederick III, and became Queen of Sicily and Germany. In 1220, she became Holy Roman Empress, but she would only be Empress for two years. Her son by Frederick would go on to be Henry VII of Germany.

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June 21st

21 Friday Jun 2013

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Events:
1529 – The legatine court convenes at Blackfriars in London, to let the Papal representative, Cardinal Campeggio, hear the case for the annulment of the marriage of Henry VIII of England and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was said to make a passionate speech before Henry and then left the court.

1791 – King Louis XVI of France, along with his wife, children, and other family members began to flee France following the outbreak the French Revolution. Their attempt would be in vain.

Birthdays:
1528 – Maria of Austria is born in Spain to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and his wife, Isabella of Portugal. A fervent Catholic, she was married to her first cousin, Austrian Archduke Maximilian who became Holy Roman Emperor in 1564. After her husband’s death, she moved back to Spain, where she was an influential part of her brother, Phillip II’s court. Two of her sons became Emperors as Rudolf II and Matthias. She had also served as regent in Spain for her father and her brother.

1646 – Maria Francisca of Savoy is born in Paris to the Duke and Duchess of Nemours. She is unique for being Portuguese Queen Consort twice. First she married King Afonso VI, but the marriage was annulled in 1668, due to non-consummation. Later that year she married his brother, Peter, who also became King in 1683. Later that year, Maria died as well.

1788 – Princess Augusta of Bavaria is born in Strasbourg to Maximilian I Joseph and Augusta-Wilhelmine. In 1806, she was married to Eugene de Beauharnais, son of Josephine, and stepson to Napoleon I. The marriage was a happy one, and Eugene was made a Duke of her father’s realm. Among their children, they can count a Queen consort of Sweden, Empress of Brazil, and the husband of Maria II of Portugal.

1982 – In not-so-dead royalty, His Royal Highness, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was born today to Charles and Diana, Prince and Princess of Wales in 1982. He is second in the line of succession to his grandmother’s crown, behind his father. Wills and his wife, Catherine, are expecting their first child any day now.

Deaths:
1377 – Edward III of England died at age 64. He is one of only 5 monarchs to rule England for more that 50 years, taking the throne in 1327 at age 14. He became king when his father was overthrown by his mother, Isabella of France, and her lover, Roger Mortimer. His father, Edward II, was forced to abdicate in the younger Edward’s favour. He was very popular during his reign, as was his wife, Phillippa of Hainault. They had nine children who survived into adulthood, who include such famous names as Edward, The Black Prince, and John of Gaunt. Edward also laid a claim to the throne of France, through his mother, and started what we know as the Hundred Years War. He also start the Chivalric Order known as the Order of the Garter, which is still in existence today.

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June 6th

06 Thursday Jun 2013

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Events:
1523 – Gustav Vasa is elected to be King of Sweden. He was the first hereditary monarch in modern Sweden and ended Sweden’s participation in the Kalmar Union.

1654 – Queen Christina of Sweden abdicated in favour of her cousin, Charles Gustavus. She was the daughter of Gustavus Adolphous of Sweden, and became Queen regnant after her father’s death in 1632, although not being officially declared Queen until 1633, at age 6. Her abdication came for a couple reasons. She planned to convert to Catholicism, which a monarch was not allowed to be in Sweden, and she famously refused to marry and produce an heir. She returned to Sweden to try and reclaim the throne after Charles died, but was refuted. She lived out her days in Italy.

1808 – Joseph Bonaparte, older brother to Napoleon I of France, is created King of Spain, after the overthrow of Ferdinand VII. He gave up the throne of Naples to assumed the Spanish one, that he would only rule until 1813.

1809 – A new Constitution in accepted in Sweden reestablishing power to the Riksdag. Also Charles XIII is elected as the successor of Gustav IV Adolph.

1857 – The future King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway marries Sophia of Nassau in Hesse, Germany.

Birthdays:
1502 – John III of Portugal is born in Lisbon. His parents were Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon, making him a grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. He continued to extend Portugal’s reach around the world, and under him, Portugal was the first country to make contact with China and Japan. He became king in 1521 and at his death in 1557 the Portuguese Empire spanned over 1 billion acres.

1714 – The future Joseph I of Portugal is born as the son of John V and Maria Anna of Austria. In 1729 he married a Spanish Infanta, Marianna Victoria. He became king in 1750 and ruled until 1777. He is called “the Reformer” but most of the reforms were instituted by his lead advisor, the Marquis of Pombal. His daughter Maria, and her husband, Peter, would succeed him at his death.

1772 – Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily is born in Italy. Her parents were Ferdinand I and Maria Carolina. In 1790, she married her double first cousin, who became Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. In 1804, the Holy Roman Empire was officially dissolved and she and her husband became the Emperor and Empress of Austria. Among their children, there is an Austrian Emperor, and Brazilian Empress, a French Empress, and a Crown Princess of Saxony.

1934 – In not so dead royalty, Albert II, King of the Belgians is born to Leopold III and Queen Astrid, he succeeded his brother, Baudouin, as King in 1993.

No major deaths.

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June 1st

01 Saturday Jun 2013

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Events:
1204 – Phillip II of France conquers the city of Rouen, which was part of English held France. Rouen was part of Normandy, which had been part of Henry II’s Angevin Empire.

1252 – Alfonso X of Castile succeeds his father, Ferdinand III, two days after his death.

1533 – Anne Boleyn was crowned as Queen of England in Westminster Abbey. She was the second wife of Henry VIII and her marriage to him had been proclaimed as valid earlier in May, while Henry’s marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon was invalidated. She was heavily pregnant at the time with the future Elizabeth I and is the last Queen consort to be crowned separately than her husband.

1670 – The secret treaty of Dover is signed by Charles II and Louis XIV which effectively started the Third Anglo-Dutch War.

Birthdays:
1815 – The future Otto of Greece is born in Bavaria as the son of Ludwig I. 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. He died in 1867 at home in Bavaria.

Deaths:
1879 – The 23 year old Prince Imperial of France, Napoleon, son of Napoleon III died in Africa while fighting in the Anglo-Zulu War. His father had died 6 years before after his overthrow as French Emperor. The younger Napoleon was considered the last of the dynastic Bonapartes and was the scion of the Imperialists in France.

1983 – Prince Charles, Count of Flanders died in Belgium at age 79. He was the second son of King Albert I and brother to Leopold II. He served in both World War I and II, and was regent for his brother during absences. He oversaw women getting the right to vote, Belgium’s admission to the United Nations, and reconstruction after war.

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