Tag Archives: Polish Royalty

June 9th

09 Sunday Jun 2013

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No major events.

Birthdays:
1595 – Wladyslaw IV Vasa is born today in Krakow, Poland. He was the son of Sigismund III Vasa and Anne of Austria. In 1632, he was elected to the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Twenty years before, in 1610, he was elected by the Seven Boyars to be Tsar of Russia, but was never able to claim the throne, despite technically being Tsar for three years. He would also attempt to claim the Swedish throne, but was also unsuccessful. He was religiously tolerant and carried out reforms throughout the country. He was a great patron of the arts and was able to defend Poland in several skirmishes with Russia, Sweden, and the Ottoman Empire.

1640 – The future Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I is born in Vienna today, as the second son of Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Spain. He became King of Bohemia and Hungary in 1655 and 1656, after the death of his brother, Ferdinand IV and then succeeded his father as King of Croatia and Emperor. He sent most of his reign warring with the Turks, and involved in the War of Spanish Succession, the Nine years War, and the Dutch Revolts. The Wars would outlast Leopold, who died in 1705, and would not be successes for Austria. Two of his sons would become Emperors, as Joseph I and Charles VI.

1661 – Feodor III of Russia is born in Moscow. Feodor succeeded his father, Alexis, in 1676 at age 15. He was said to be quite intelligent, but was severely physically disabled. He would marry twice, but was unable to produce a surviving child. Feodor died suddenly at age 20.

1672 – The future Peter I of Russia is born in Moscow. He became co-Tsar in 1682 with his elder half-brother, the sick and mentally ill, Ivan V, under a regency of their sister, Sophia. Peter became Tsar on his own in 1696. Known for his intimidating height, his main goal was to modernize Russia, and he took an extensive tour of Europe, going as far as England to meet with William III. He spent all of his reign reforming everything from the calendar to the church. He also founded the city of St. Petersburg. Peter the Great would be succeeded at his death, by his second wife, Catherine I, whom was crowned as co-ruler before Peter’s death at age 52.

1930 – Princess Ragnild of Norway was born in Oslo to King Olav V and Martha of Sweden. King Harald V was her younger brother and supplanted her place in the succession. She married a commoner, Erling Lorentzen, but retained her titles and held patronages. She ended up living in Brazil with her husband and her three children.

1983 – In not so dead royal birthdays, Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark was born today in 1983 in London. She is the youngest child of the deposed Constantine II of Greece and Anne-Marie of Denmark. Theodora was born ten years after her father’s overthrow. Being a descendant of Sophia of Hanover she is currently 350th in the line of British succession. She is currently living in Los Angeles, California and working as an actress.

Deaths:
1923 – In London, Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, died at age 77. She was a daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and was living under the reign of her nephew, George V. She was married to a Danish Prince, Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and they lived in Britain through out their 50+ year marriage. She was one of the most active members of the royal family, who promoted the causes of Nursing, and was a founding member of the Red Cross.

Have an awesome day!

May 21st

21 Tuesday May 2013

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Events:
996 – Otto III of Germany is crowned as Holy Roman Emperor in Rome. He was 16 years old and had already been King of Germany since he was three years old.

1553 – Lady Jane Grey, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, and grand-niece to Henry VIII of England, is married to Lord Guilford Dudley, son of the Duke of Northumberland. Northumberland was the de facto head of Edward VI’s council, and when the young king laid dying, he put Jane forth as Edward’s successor instead of Edward’s half sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. They would both be taken to the Tower after Edward’s death and would never leave, both being executed in 1554 when they were in their late teens.

1674 – John Sobieski is elected King of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. He would assumed the name John III and rule until 1696.

1939 – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were in Ottawa, Canada to dedicate and unveil the National War Memorial. It was initially for World War I, but later rededicated to include World War II and the Korean War. The Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was later added.

Birthdays:
1527 – Phillip II of Spain was born Valladolid. He was the son of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Isabella of Portugal. He would inherit is father’s Spanish lands, but not the Imperial titles or lands. He is famous for a few things, the first being married to Mary I of England from 1554 until her death in 1558, then for being a thorn in the side of Elizabeth I and sending the doomed Spanish Armada to depose her. He did help to expand Spanish territories in the New World, but also left Spain a financial disaster. In 1581, he also became King of Portugal and saw the beginning of the Dutch Revolt that year. He passed away at age 71.

1653 – Eleanor of Austria is born in Germany as the daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1670 she married the King of Poland, Michael Korybut. She was Queen consort of Poland for three years before Michaels death. They had no children, and she later remarried to the Duke of Lorraine and live out her days in Austria.

1864 – Princess Stephanie of Belgium is born. She was the daughter of Leopold II and Marie Henriette of Austria. In 1881, Stephanie was shipped off to Austria to marry the Crown Prince Rudolf, son of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth. She had one child with her husband, the Archduchess Elisabeth Marie. Stephanie did not get along with her mother in law, who used to insult her publicly. She may have begun having affairs, but we know Rudolf definitely did. He was found dead in 1889 with his mistress at Meyerling. She later remarried, and had to move around throughout Hungary as war broke out.

1885 – Sophie of Schonburg-Waldenberg is born in Potsdam, Germany. In 1906 she married Prince William of Wied. After the births of their children, in 1914, William was asked to become the sovereign Prince of Albania. However by the time they arrived, the situation was volatile and they were forced to leave the country six months later. They were technically rulers until 1925 when Albania was declared a republic. Sophie lived the rest of her life in Romania.

Deaths:
987 – Louis V, the last Carolingian king of France died at age 20 from a fall from a horse. He had only been King for a year and unfortunately been unable to completely much during his reign. He would be succeeded by Hugh Capet, who’s descendants would rule France until the French Revolution.

1254 – Conrad IV of Germany, King of Sicily, Jerusalem, and Germany died of malaria in southern Italy. He was the son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and had ruled since 1228. He had ruled during times of great upheaval in the Empire and had been excommunicated at the time of his death. It would take 20 years for another clear ruler to emerge from Germany.

1471 – Henry VI of England is found dead in his cell in the Tower of London. He had deposed the month before for the second time as King of England. He had become king in 1422 after the early death of his father Henry V. He was deposed by the first time by Edward of York during the War of the Roses. He was restored to the throne in 1470 only to be overthrown and imprisoned. His wife, Margaret of Anjou had tirelessly worked to keep him as King, but it was for naught, partly to do with Henry’s mental instability. Henry was 49 years old and may have been dispatched by the orders of Edward IV.

1481 – In Copenhagen, Christian I of Denmark and Norway died at age 55. He had been King of Denmark since 1448, King of Norway since 1450 which he ruled until his death. Christian had also been King of Sweden from 1457 until 1464. In 1479 he started the University of Copenhagen. His House of Oldenburg would rule Denmark until 1814.

Have a great day!

May 20th

20 Monday May 2013

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Events:
1217 – The Second Battle of Lincoln takes place in England. The battle was between forces of the future Louis VIII of France, and William Marshal, who was regent for the young Henry III. The French would be defeated, and Louis would renounce any claim to the English throne.

1293 – Sancho IV of Castile signed the charter creating the Study of General Schools of Alcala in Madrid. The University still operates today under the name Complutense University of Madrid. It is one of the oldest universities in the world.

1449 – The Battle of Alfarrobeira takes place in Portgual between Afonso V and the Duke of Coimbra. The Duke would be killed, and the House of Braganza would remain the ruling power.

1536 – Henry VIII was formally betrothed to his third wife, Jane Seymour today. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, had been executed for adultery, treason, and incest the previous day. Ten days later they would marry. The following year she gave birth to Henry’s only legitimate son, the future Edward VI. Jane died from complications about 12 days after giving birth.

Birthdays:
1315 – Bonne of Luxembourg was born to the King and Queen of Bohemia, John and Elisabeth. Called Jutta in Bohemia, (Bonne in France) she married John, Duke of Normandy and Count of Maine and Anjou, who later became John II. However John did not become King until after Bonne’s death, so she was never Queen. They would have seven children survive into adulthood, who included, Charles V of France, Louis I of Naples, and Joan, Queen consort of Navarre. She sadly died at age 34 of the plague.

1967 – In not so dead royalty, Greek Crown Prince Pavlos is born in Athens to King Constantine II and Queen Anne Marie. The Prince would grow up in London after the overthrow of his father and the abolition of the monarchy. He is currently residing in New York with his wife and children.

Deaths:
1648 – Wladyslaw IV Vasa died in Lithuania at age 52. In 1610, he had been elected to be Russian Tsar by the Seven Boyars, but was unable to claim the throne until his reign ended in 1613. In 1632, he would be elected to be King of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His reign was one of contrasts; he could be tightfisted, but then also spent more than he could afford at times. He is said to have a very personable disposition, but was also quick tempered and acted rashly.

Have a good one!

May 12th

12 Sunday May 2013

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Events:
1191 – Richard I of England married Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus today. Richard was on his way to the Third Crusade. Berengaria would accompany him on the first part of the Crusade, but they would be separated eventually. She would never come to England or Aquitaine with Richard as his Queen.

1588 – During the French Wars of Religion, Henry III of France flees Paris as the Duke of Guise rides into the city and riots erupt against the recent concessions Henry gave to Protestants.

1689 – William III of England signs on to the League of Augsburg along with most Europe in opposition to the expansion plans of Louis XIV of France. In England it was called the Grand Alliance.

1743 – Maria Theresa of Austria is crowned as Queen of Bohemia. She was the eldest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, whose death and female heir led to the War of Austrian Succession. In 1741, she had been crowned as Queen of Hungary, and in 1745 her husband, Francis, was elected Holy Roman Emperor, but Maria Theresa did not take the role of consort, and acted as much as a ruler as Francis did, even later co-ruling with their sons.

1937 – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned at Westminster Abbey. The coronation was originally planned to be for George’s elder brother, Edward VIII. Edward had abdicated the previous December to marry his American lover, Wallis Simpson.

Birthdays:
1496 – Gustav I of Sweden is born today in Uppland, Sweden. He rose to be one of the leaders of the War of Liberation against the Danish, and despite his low birth, he was elected King of Sweden in 1523. He has both the legacy as a tyrant, for his harsh dealings with revolts against him, and he has the legacy as the father of the nation of Sweden. His accession day is still a national holiday. He was both witty and sly, in addition to ruthless to his opponents.

1670 – In Dresden, Germany the future Augustus II of Poland and Lithuania is born. He was at first Elector of Saxony, where he earned the nickname “Augustus the Strong”. He converted from Lutheranism to Catholicism in order to be elected King of Poland and Lithuania in 1697. He was a great patron of the arts in Saxony, but his reign was not as successful in Poland, as he was unable to institute the reforms he wanted, and Poland became involved in the Great Northern War.

No major deaths.

Have a great day!

May 1st

01 Wednesday May 2013

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Events:
1328 – The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton was ratified. The treaty officially ended the First War of Scottish Independence. It recognized Scotland as its own nation, the heirs of Robert the Bruce as rulers, and settled on a border. The treaty was wildly unpopular with the English nobility, and thus made the Dowager Queen Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer, more unpopular with it. Sadly peace only lasted 5 years, when Edward III later started the Second War.

1576 – Anna Jagiellon, Queen regnant of Poland marries Transylvanian Prince Stephan Batory. He was crowned as King and co-ruler the same day. They ruled together until 1586, when Stephan died. Their reign was wildly successful, and they are looked on as some of the most popular rulers of Poland.

1707 – The Acts of Union which united England and Scotland took effect, making the two countries, which had shared a monarch since 1603, formally the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The two Parliaments also met today, to convene as one.

1785 – The Kingdom of Hawaii is established under the rule of King Kamehameha I, although the full conquest of the islands would take several more years. The formal Kingdom was declared in 1810.

Birthdays:
1218 – Rudolph I is born in Germany to the Habsburg family. Elected King of Germany in 1273, he was one of the early monarchs of the House and helped push them into prominence in Europe. He attempted to consolidate his power by establishing peace among the German regions, but was unsuccessful. His attempts at peace would continue until shortly before his death in 1291 at age 73.

1850 – Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was born today. He was a younger son of Victoria and Albert, and spent his life in Military service, including World War I. He was appointed to be Governor General of Canada for a time too, under his nephew, George V’s rule. He mostly withdrew from public life in 1928, but at the onset of World War II, he engaged with some of the younger military recruits. He died at age 91, in 1942.

1964 – In not so dead royalty, Lady Sarah Chatto is born. She is the only daughter of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon. She is a niece of Queen Elizabeth II. She is currently 20th in line to the throne, and her two children are 21st and 22nd.

Deaths:
1118 – Matilda of Scotland died at approximately 38. She was the daughter of Malcolm III and Saint Margaret of Scotland, and a descendant of the House of Wessex. She married Henry I of England in 1100, appeasing people in Southern England, who resisted the Normans. She was the mother of the doomed William Adelin, who died in the White Ship accident, and to Matilda, Holy Roman Empress, who later tried to claim England after her father’s death. The elder Matilda is interred at Westminster Abbey.

1308 – Albert I of Germany died at age 52 in Austria. He had become King of the Germans in 1298, not immediately after his father, Rudolph I’s death. He ruled for only 10 years, but spent all the time consolidating the German states. Unlike his father, he was able to secure the succession for his son, but his son died before he could ascend. He would be succeeded as king by Henry VII of Luxembourg.

1539 – Isabella of Portugal, Queen consort of Spain and Holy Roman Empress, died at 35 after the birth of her 6th child. She was the daughter of Manuel II of Spain and Maria of Castile and Aragon. She was the mother of the future Phillip II of Spain, and Holy Roman Empress Maria of Austria. She was as intelligent as she was beautiful, and served as regent for her husband multiple times while he was away fighting. When she died, her husband, Charles V was said to be deeply upset. He never remarried, and dressed in black until he died.

1920 – Princess Margaret of Connaught and Crown Princess of Sweden died suddenly of an infection at age 38. She was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert through their son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. She married the future Crown Prince of Sweden, Gustaf Adolph in 1905. It was said to be a happy marriage, and Margaret was loved for her charity work for the poor and the war effort during World War I. She is the grandmother of two current monarchs, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Margrethe II of Denmark, and the deposed Queen consort of Greece, Anne-Marie.

Have a great day!

April 30th

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

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Events:
1980 – Queen Juliana of the Netherlands abdicates the Dutch throne on her birthday, the holiday known as Queen’s Day, in favour of her daughter, Beatrix.

2013 – Queen Beatrix then abdicates on Queen’s Day at age 75. Her son, Willem-Alexander, becomes the first Dutch King in 120 years.

Birthdays:
1245 – Phillip III of France is born in Poissy, France, as the son of Louis IX and Margaret of Provence. He became King at age 25 when his father died while they were on the Eighth Crusade. Phillip ruled until 1285, when while on campaign in Italy he died suddenly of dysentery. His son, now Phillip IV, succeeded him.

1662 – The future Queen Mary II of England, Scotland, and Ireland. She was the eldest surviving daughter of James, Duke of York and Anne Hyde, and niece to Charles II. Her father later became King James II and VII and converted to Catholicism. Combine his conversion, later marrying a Catholic and giving birth to a son, this caused uncertainty in Protestant England. Mary’s husband, William of Orange was asked to invade in what has become known as the Glorious Revolution. Mary and William were crowned as joint monarchs. They ruled together until Mary’s death, and then William ruled on his own, with Mary’s sister, Anne, as his successor.

1909 – Born today in The Hague was Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. She was the daughter of Queen Wilhelmina. She took over as ruler after her mother’s abdication in 1948 after Juliana and her children lived in Canadian exile. She abdicated in favor of her daughter in 1980. Juliana even has an asteroid named after her, the 816 Juliana. Her birthday is a national holiday in the Netherlands, called Queen’s Day.

1946 – In not so dead royalty, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf is born. He succeeded his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolph in 1973. Also, he presents the Nobel Prizes every year. His daughter, Crown Princess Victoria is his current heir apparent, after the laws were changed to recognize absolute primogeniture in stead of male first.

Deaths:
1632 – Polish King Sigismund III Vasa died at age 65 in Warsaw. Swedish by birth, he was elected to be King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1587, which sparked the War of Polish Succession, where Sigismund was the victor. From 1592 until 1599, he was also the King of Sweden, but could not hold both territories. He ruled Poland until his death. His reign is looked on positively, and with his death, ended the Golden Age of the Commonwealth.

Have an awesome day!

April 18th

18 Thursday Apr 2013

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Events:
1025 – Boleslaw I Chrobry is crowned as the first King of Poland. He is credited with bringing Poland to the stage as a player in European politics.

1518 – The coronation of Bona Sforza as Queen consort of Poland takes place. She was the second wife of Sigismund I.

1909 – In non-royal news, Joan of Arc was beatified by the Catholic church, paving the way for her canonization in 1920.

Birthdays:
1480 – Lucrezia Borgia is born near Rome to Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and his mistress, Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her father would later become the infamous Pope Alexander VI. She was married and divorced to serve her father’s political needs. History is not kind to her, as she is accused with having incestuous relationships with her father and her brother Cesare. Nothing can be proven though. She would die in childbirth at age 39.

1917 – Frederica of Hanover, future Queen of the Hellenes is born in Brunswick, Germany. She was the daughter of the Duke of Brunswick, and Princess Viktoria of Prussia, the granddaughter of Wilhelm II of Germany, and thus a descendant of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. In 1936 she married Greek Crown Prince Paul and became Queen of the Hellenes from 1947 until 1964, when Paul died. Her son would become King Constantine II, and her daughter would marry into the Spanish Royal Family and is the now former Queen Sofia of Spain.

Deaths:
1945 – William, Sovereign Prince of Albania dies at age 69 in exile in Romania. The German prince had been appointed to the throne of Albania in March of 1914, however after only 6 months, he would flee in exile. His reign would officially end in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic. During his exile, he spent time in the German Imperial Army, during World War I.

Have an awesome day!!

February 19th

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Events:
1594 – Sigismund III is crowned as King of Sweden after the death of his father, John III. He had been elected to the throne of the Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth in 1587.

Birthdays:
1960 – A second son is born to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, to be named Andrew. He would be created the Duke of York in 1986 upon his marriage to Sarah Ferguson. He is also known for his military service as a helicopter pilot, and saw actual combat during the Falklands War.

No major deaths.

Have an awesome day!!

February 18th

18 Monday Feb 2013

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Events:
1503 – An eleven year old Henry, the future Henry VIII of England, is created Prince of Wales, following the death of his older brother, Arthur.

1861 – Victor Emmanuel II, King of Piedmont, Savoy and Sardinia begins using the title King of Italy, due to his successes in the Wars of Italian Unification. The war would be officially over in just a months time.

Birthdays:
1374 – Possible birth date of Jadwiga of Poland, first Queen regnant of Poland. She became Queen at the approximate age of ten, and was crowned as King, not Queen, to show her reign was by birthright, not marriage. She was active in her government, but most day to day activities were done by her husband, who became ruler after her death, and her council. She would give birth to a daughter in 1399, and both Jadwiga and the baby would die within the month. She would later be sainted.

1516 – The future Mary I of England is born to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon in Greenwich. She was later disinherited and deemed illegitimate when her father had his marriage to her mother annulled in 1533. She would become the first undisputed Queen regnant of England in 1553 and try to undo the Reformation, which was in full swing in England at the time. She persecuted Protestant leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, earning her the epithet “Bloody Mary”.

1947 – In not so dead royals, Princess Christina of the Netherlands is born to Queen Juliana and Prince Berhard. She is the youngest sister of former queen, Beatrix, and aunt to the current King Willem-Alexander. Queen Juliana had German measles during her pregnancy which left the little Princess almost blind at birth, but with modern advances, she has been able to live normally. One of her godparents is Winston Churchill, and she officially opted for her second name Christina in 1963, prior to that it was Marijke.

1984 – Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was born in Belgium. She was a Countess in her own right, until 2012, when she married Guillaume, the heir to the Grand Ducal throne of Luxembourg. At the age of 18, she stayed in Moscow for a year, in order to study Russian. She also finished her master in German philology in Berlin.

Deaths:
1478 – George, Duke of Clarence is executed in private at the Tower of London after being convicted for treason. He was attained for treason for going the Lancastrian forces against his brother, Edward IV, during the War of the Roses. He was also the older brother of Richard III. How George was executed is still open to debate, as beheading was the traditional method, but when his skeleton was exhumed, it did not show signs of the head being removed. There are reports of his being drowned in a vat of wine, but there is no way to corroborate the story.

Have a great day!

February 2nd

03 Sunday Feb 2013

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Events:
1141 – The Battle of Lincoln takes place in England as part of the larger civil war known as the Anarchy. The forces of Empress Matilda defeated her cousin, King Stephen, taking him prisoner and securing her places as Queen for a short time.

1901 – The funeral of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom takes place. She had laid in state for two days and was buried with various effects from her family and companions through life. It snowed as she was interred next to her husband, Prince Albert.

Birthdays:
1208 – James I of Aragon is born in Spain as the son of Peter II of Aragon. He would become King at age 5 after the death of his father and rule until majority under a regency. He would become known as James the Conqueror for his expansion of Aragonese lands and for his part in the early Reconquista.

1455 – John I of Denmark would be born in Aalborg Castle to King Christian I and Queen Dorothea. Later on he would hold the crowns of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. He would hold Denmark and Norway until his death, but lose Sweden in 1501, after four years of rule.

1494 – In Italy, Bona Sforza, future Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuiania is born to the powerful Sforza family of Milan. Among her children, she could number a King of Poland and Lithuania, the Queen consort to her son’s elected successor, a Queen of Hungary, and a Queen of Sweden. She would return to Italy after becoming a widow, but he poisoned by someone who owed her considerable monies.

1882 – Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark is born in Athens as a son to King George I of Greece and Queen Olga. Prince Andrew is most famous in his youngest child, who we know today as the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Deaths:
1461 – Owen Tudor would be executed as a prisoner of war after the Lancastrian forces he led in the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross during the Wars of the Roses. He was the husband of Catherine of Valois, Dowager Queen of England as the wife to Henry V and mother to Henry VI. His grandson would go on to be the future Henry VII of England, making Owen the founder of the Tudor dynasty.

Have a great day!