Tag Archives: Romanovs

August 30th

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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No major events.

Birthdays:
1334 – Peter I of Castile is born to Alfonso XI of Castile and Maria of Portugal. He would be king twice, first from 1350 until 1366, then again from 1367 until 1369. His reign was interrupted by his half-brother, Henry of Trastamara, the future Henry II. Because of the civil wars, Peter is remembered as both the Cruel, and the Just, by the opposing sides of the war.

1808 – Princess Ludovika of Bavaria is born in Munich. She was the daughter of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria, and Karoline of Baden. Ludovika married the Duke in Bavaria, her cousin, Maximilian Joseph. They had ten children, and Ludovika lived out her days in Munich, dying in 1892.

1813 – Princess Mathilde Caroline of Bavaria is born as a daughter of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. She married a Hessian Grand Duke, also named Ludwig, in 1833. They would have no children, and Mathilde died in 1862.

1842 – Alexandra Alexandrovna is born in St. Petersburg Russia to Tsar Alexander II and Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna. She was the couple’s first child, and was doted on by her parents. Sadly at age 6, she caught infant meningitis, and died suddenly. Her mother would cry at the mention of her name for years to come.

1870 – Princess Alexandra of Greece is born as a daughter of King George I of Greece and Queen Olga. She was a sister of King Constantine I, and is thus an aunt of Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II. She married at age 19, to Russian Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, son of Tsar Alexander II. It was a happy marriage and they would have two children. But during her second pregnancy, she fell, and went into a coma after delivering the child, and died a few days later. She was 21 years old.

1917 – Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia is born in Finland. He was a descendant of Alexander II of Russia, and his family has escaped the Russian Revolution. After the executions of the Romanov family, he was a claimant of the Imperial titles of the Tsars until his death in 1992.

1946 – The future Queen Anne-Marie of Greece is born in Copenhagen. She is the daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Queen Ingrid, and her elder sister is the current Danish Queen, Margarethe II. In 1964, she married Constantine II of Greece, and they ruled until Greece was declared a Republic in 1973. She currently resides in the UK.

Deaths:
1483 – Louis XI of France died at age 60. He had been King since 1461, after the death of his father, Charles VII. As king he fought with the Burgundians but also technically ended the Hundred Years War, with the Treaty of Picquigny. After crushing rebellions, he was able to strengthen royal power and the French Economy.

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August 23rd

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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

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

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

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

Have a good one!

August 12th

24 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1831 – King William I of the Netherlands abandons the campaign started ten days prior, to bring the newly created state of Belgium back under Dutch rule. The new Belgian king Leopold I had already taken the oath as king just a few weeks prior.

Birthdays:
1503- Christian III of Denmark is born as the son of Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg. He became King of Denmark in 1534, and King of Norway in 1537, and was a zealous reformer, having heard Martin Luther speak at the Diet of Worms. His establishment of the Protestant religions as the state religion cause some strife and rebellions that he quelled. Christian was a member of the Schmalkaldic League, opposing the Holy Roman Empire. He died in 1559, with his son succeeding him as Frederick II.

1762 – The future King George IV of Great Britian is born in London. He was the eldest son of King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. As a young man, George quickly showed his differences from his father, and enjoyed drinking, gambling, and womanizing. In 1785, he illegally married a Catholic widow, Maria Fitzherbert, causing a political scandal. He was later forced to publicly deny the marriage, and in 1795, his father forced him to marry Caroline of Brunswick, agreeing to pay his debts. The marriage was terribly unhappy and produced one daughter, Charlotte. With his father’s later descent into mental illness, George was made Prince Regent and ruled on his father’s behalf for 9 years, finally becoming king in 1820. Charlotte, his daughter, died in 1817, during childbirth, and George himself passed in 1830, with his brother William succeeding him.

1872 – Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein is born in London. She was the daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, and was a grandchild of Queen Victoria. In 1891, she was married to Prince Aribert of Anhalt, however, the marriage was annuled after nine years and was childless. She would spend the rest of her life in Britain, undertaking royal duties and patronages.

1904 – Alexei Nikolaevich, the last Tsarevich of Russia is born as the youngest child and only son of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra. At a young age, it was discovered that he was a haemophiliac and his mother believed that Grigori Rasputin could cure him, but the relationship with the family caused great national scandal. He was said to be a sweet, affectionate child, but also a bit spoiled by his family. In 1917, his father abdicated and the family was forced into exile, and a year later they were all executed. Alexei’s remains were found and identified in 2007.

Deaths:
2013 – Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, younger son of Queen Beatrix, died in a hospital after being in a coma for over a year. He had been removed from the succession when he married in 2004 without Parliamentary consent. He had been skiing in Austria when an avalanche struck, burying him. He was 44 years old, and left behind two children.

Have a great day!

July 18th

25 Thursday Jul 2013

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Events:
1290 – Edward I of England issued the Edict of Expulsion, which banished all Jews from English lands. Over the next few hundred years, Jewish people were only allowed in the country with special permission, and suspected Jews were arrested. It wasn’t until after the Civil War, under Oliver Cromwell, that Jews were formally invited back into the country, with hopes they would help rebuild the country and the economy.

1389 – England and France signed the Truce of Leulinghem which was supposed to be a truce in the Hundred Years War. The treaty would be broken by Henry IV within a year of the deposition of his cousin Richard II and his own coronation. The 13 year truce would be the longest peace in the war, which would continue for about another 50 years.

1555 – Queen Mary I and Phillip of Spain signed the charter which reincorporated the College of Arms in England. It was originally incorporated in 1484 by King Richard III. The College is one of only a few official heraldic organizations in Europe. Still in existence today, they act on behalf of the Queen on matters of national symbols, including flags, and granting new coats of arms, and the like.

Birthdays:
1501 – Isabella of Austria is born in Brussels. She was the daughter of Phillip and Joanna of Castile, and sister to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In 1514, she married Christian II of Denmark, becoming Queen consort of Denmark and Norway, and later Queen of Sweden until her husbands deposition in 1523 and 1521 from both crowns. In 1520, she served as regent of Denmark for her husband.

1552 – The future Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor is born in Vienna. He was the son of Emperor Maximilian II and Empress Maria of Spain. He has a mixed legacy, as both a influential patron of the arts and sciences, and as an ineffective ruler who laid the groundwork for the Thirty Years War.

Deaths:
1918 – Russian Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna Romanova was killed by Bolshevik forces. She was born as Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine and was the sister to Russian Empress Alexandra. In 1884, she had married Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II of Russia, and uncle of Emperor Nicholas II. He was murdered in 1905, and after Elisabeth devoted herself to charity, and became a nun. Later in 1981, she was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

1938 – Queen Marie of Romania died at age 62 in her adopted homeland. British by birth, she was a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and son of Queen Victoria. In 1893, she married Romanian Crown Prince Ferdinand, and in 1914, he became King. It was not a happy marriage, and Ferdinand may not have been the father of all their children, as it is known that Marie had affairs. During World War I, she was charitable with the Red Cross, and on the diplomatic side. She would be called the “Soldier Queen” after the war for her efforts, and even traveled to France for summits to ensure the Allies, who promised support to Romania, kept those promises. Her eldest son would become King Carol II, and her two eldest daughters would become Queen consorts of Greece and Yugoslavia.

Have a great day!

July 17th

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Events:
1429 – The coronation of Charles VII of France takes place at the cathedral in Reims. Charles’ coronation was delayed because of the Hundred Years War. The French victories were made possible by the military leadership of Joan of Arc.

1917 – King George V of the United Kingdom issued a royal proclamation changing his family’s name from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, to the House of Windsor. This was due to the large anti-German sentiment through Britain at the time during World War I. He also renounced any German titles for himself and several members of his family. His first cousin, German Kaiser Wilhelm II famously said that he wanted to Shakespeare’s play, “The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha”, after hearing the news of the name change.

Birthdays:
1945 – In not so dead royalty, the last heir apparent of Yugoslavia, Alexander is born in London. His father, Peter II was living in exile during World War II. When he was just a few months old, his father was overthrown, and his family deprived of citizenship. He grew up in Britain, and finally in 2000 he was able to return to Yugoslavia, and given citizenship again in 2001. He still resides in Serbia, and promised to stay out of politics, focusing on humanitarian efforts.

1947 – Camilla Shand is born in London to Major Bruce Shand and Rosalind Cubitt. She is known today as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Charles is her second husband, and she has teo children from her previous marriage.

Deaths:
1762 – Peter III of Russia was found dead, approximately a week after he was overthrown in favor of his wife, now Catherine II of Russia. She would rule in her own right until her death in 1796. German by birth, Catherine had fully assimilated herself into Russian culture and is one of the most famous monarchs, both male or female in European history. She is referred to as Catherine the Great.

1918 – The family of the deposed Tsar Nicholas II was shot and killed near Yekaterinburg, Russia. Nicholas and his immediate family, including his wife, Alexandra, son Alexei, and daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia were assassinated by agents of the new Bolshevik government which had overthrown the monarchy the previous year. The family had been arrested and living in captivity since then. Their remains would not be found until much later in the 20th century, then positively identified through DNA in the late 90’s.

Have a great day!

July 14th

20 Saturday Jul 2013

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Events:
1789 – The angry citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille fortress. This is regarded as the start of the French Revolution. France was in a major economic crisis and the kings dismissal of his finance minister, who had been sympathetic to the lower classes, was the final straw that put the National Assembly on the move. The people of Paris were encouraged to take up arms and fight. Before they took the Bastille, the actually stormed the Hotel des Invalides which was housing muskets. There were actually few prisoners left in the Bastille, as the economic crisis had made it almost impossible to operate financially. However it was a symbol of royal tyranny. King Louis XVI did not retaliate and most nobles began fleeing the country.

Birthdays:
1932 – Princess Margarita of Baden is born in Germany to the Margrave of Baden and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark. She left Germany in 1948 and lived in London, where she met and eventually married an exiled Yugoslavian Prince, Tomislav. They would have two children, but later divorce. She lived out her days in England, and died there in 2013.

1977 – In not so dead royalty, Swedish Crown Princess Victoria is born in King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. She is her father’s heir and will be the first Queen regnant of Sweden since 1720.

Deaths:
1223 – Phillip II of France died at age 57. Also known as Phillip the God-Given, he would continue construction on the Notre-Dame be Paris, and would construct the Louvre as a fortress. He spent much of his reign at war with the Plantagenets of England. He is cited as one of the more successful French monarchs because of his popularity and reorganization of the government.

1704 – Sophia Alekseyevna died in a Russian convent at age 46. She was a daughter of Tsar Alexis I, and a sister to Feodor III, and a sister/regent to Ivan IV and Peter I. She was actually Peter’s half sister. In 1682, at Feodor’s death, she was propelled forward in politics to be regent for the mentally incapacitated Ivan and the 10-year old Peter. Sophia was a tough ruler, and did not hesitate to use harsh and violent tactics to reach her goals. Her power waned as Peter grew older, and when he was 17, she was overthrown and forced to enter a convent. There was a plot to free and reinstate her, however it failed, and the conspirators were hung within view of her windows as a deterrent any future involvement in plotting on her part.

July 12th

18 Thursday Jul 2013

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Events:
1191 – Saladin’s troops in Acre surrendered to Phillip II of France, ending a two year siege of the city.

1543 – King Henry VIII of England and Ireland married his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, the recently widowed Lady Latimer. The marriage would last until Henry’s death in 1547.

1690 – The Battle of the Boyne took place in Ireland between the forces of the deposed James II and VII and his son in law, William III. The battle was a victory for the Williamites and James would never regain the British crowns.

1806 – Sixteen German states and Liechtenstein form the Confederation of the Rhine after leaving the Holy Roman Empire.

Birthdays:
1596 – The future Michael I of Russia is born in Moscow. He was the nephew of Ivan the Terrible’s wife, Anastasia, and was offered the throne in 1613. It was the first Tsar from the House of Romanov, who would rule Russia until the abolition of the monarch in 1918. He was said to have a good personality, and left the government to his councilors most of the time. His son would succeed him as Alexei I. Michael died also on this day in 1645.

1870 – Prince Louis II of Monaco is born in Baden, Germany as the son of Albert I and Lady Mary Hamilton. He became Sovereign in 1922, following the death of his father. Under his rule, Monaco formed its first Football Club and the first Grand Prix of Monaco took place as well. He attempted to remain neutral during World War II, but Monaco was occupied by the Nazis. He would do his best to help Jews who were about to be arrested escape capture. His grandson and successor, Rainier thought Louis to hesitant to fight the Nazis, which caused a rift between them.

No additional deaths.

Have a great day!

June 26th

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

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Events:
1483 – Richard III accepts the crown of England, after testimony is brought forward that Richard’s elder brother, Edward IV’s marriage to his Queen, was invalid. Edward’s two sons, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, were living in the Tower, awaiting the boy’s coronation.

Birthdays:
1575 – Anne Catherine of Brandenburg is born in Germany to the Margrave of Brandenburg. In 1597, she married Christian IV of Denmark and Norway, making her Queen consort. She didn’t seem to have much political influence, but they had six children, who include Frederick III of Denmark, who introduced the absolute monarchy to the country. Anne died in 1612, at age 36.

1681 – Princess Hedvig Sophia of Sweden is born in Stockholm to Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrika Eleanora. In 1698 she married Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. They had one son, Charles Frederick, who became Duke upon his father’s death in 1702. Hedvig was regent for him, however she was also the heir to the Swedish throne, so she resided there. She was close to her brother, the future Karl XII, who refused to believe the news of her sudden death in 1708, at age 27.

1899 – A third daughter is born to Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra, named Maria Nikolaevna. Maria was said to be very pretty, vivacious, and a flirt even from a young age. She developed crushes on soldiers that she encountered at events and gatherings, and was said to want a large family one day. On the outbreak of World War I, she was too young to become a nurse like her mother and older sisters, but with her younger sister Anastasia, they visited and spent time with wounded soldiers. When the family was arrested after the 1917 Revolution, Maria attempted to befriend the workers and soldiers in the house where they stayed, and was admonished by her mother for being too friendly with them. She was killed in 1918, along with the rest of her family. Like her other sister, there were imposters that came forward as the Grand Duchess, but the remains of the entire Romanov family have been found, as of 2007.

2005 – In not so dead royalty, Princess Alexia of the Netherlands is born in The Hague to now King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. She is currently second in line of succession, behind her elder sister.

Deaths:

1718 – Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia died at age 28. He was the eldest son and heir of Peter the Great of Russia and his first wife, Eudoxia Lopukkhina. There was bad blood between his parents, stemming from their divorce, and Alexei held on to resentment against his father. As a teenager, he began serving in the military, where the father/son relationship soured further. He married Princess Charlotte of Brunswick-Luneburg, with whom he would have two children, which included the future Peter II. The elder Peter then began to demand Alexei’s further involvement in state matters and sent for him to join him at the front lines. Alexei fled to Austria instead, and eventually only agreed to return to Russia if his father gave him a pardon. However, Peter found a reason to renounce the pardon, and Alexei was arrested, sentenced to death and tortured. The sentence was never carried out, as the Prince died from being tortured, just two days later.

1830 – George IV of the United Kingdom died at Windsor Castle at age 67. He had only been King officially since 1820, after succeeding his father, George III. He had also served as Prince Regent from 1811, due to his father’s mental illness. He was notorious for his bad relations with his wife, Caroline of Brunswick, whom he had attempted to divorce, although he was ultimately unsuccessful. He did not allow Caroline to attend his coronation though. They had one daughter, Charlotte, who died in 1817, during childbirth. While he was said to be charming, with good manners, he was also lazy, and prone to gluttony. He was not popular at the end of his reign, due to his lifestyle and lack of leadership during the Wars going on in Europe. He was succeeded by his younger brother, William IV.

1922 – Prince Albert I of Monaco died in Paris. He was 73 years old, and had ruled since 1889, after the death of his father, Charles III. He was almost overthrown in 1910, but he acquiesced and gave Monaco a Constitution. He also laid led his country during World War I. Despite Monaco’s official neutrality, Albert heavily assisted the Allies with supplies, hospitals, and troops.

Have an awesome day!

June 18th

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Events:
1429 – The Battle of Patay took place between the French and English, as part of the Hundred Years War. It was a decisive victory for the French, with the teenaged Joan of Arc as one of its leaders. Its been compared as important to the French as Agincourt was to the English.

1633 – Charles I is crowned as King of Scotland. He had been crowned as King of England in London in 1626. It was his first visit to the country since his father’s accession as the English king in 1603.

Birthdays:
1264 – Eleanor of England is born at Windsor Castle as the eldest daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. She stayed in England while her parents were away on Crusade. In 1293, she married Henry III, Count of Bar, to secure and alliance between England and the province of Bar against the French. She died in 1298, at age 29. Eleanor of buried in Westminster Abbey.

1318 – A girl is also born in England, to Edward II and Isabella of France, to also be christened Eleanor. In 1332, she married the Count of Guelders. She had two children, but it was not a happy marriage. Her husband sent her from court, and tried to have the marriage annulled by saying she had leprosy. However, it was found that she wasn’t, and he was forced to keep her. She would serve as a regent for her eldest son for a short time, but spent her last days at a convent in her adopted homeland.

1901 – A fourth daughter is born to Russian Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra, christened Anastasia Nikolaevna. She was said to be happy and mischievous child, playing pranks on her siblings and household members. She was also close with her sister, Maria, and together they were known as the “Little Pair” by their parents. Anastasia was also close with her hemophiliac brother, Tsarevitch Alexei. During World War I, she wasn’t old enough to be a Nurse, like her two eldest sisters, but still worked in the hospital, spending time trying to cheer wounded soldiers up. She was killed in 1918, along with the rest of her immediate family, following her father’s abdication and their captivity. There were several people to come forward later, claiming to be Anastasia, but the family’s remains were found and identified through DNA, thus putting to rest any claims that she lived.

Deaths:
1291 – Alfonso III of Aragon died at age 27 in Barcelona. He had been king since 1287, at the death of his father Peter III. He would conquer the islands of Majorca and Minorca, and give Aragon its own version of the Magna Carta, but the document would continually undermine royal authority long after his death. He had been betrothed the Eleanor, daughter of Edward I of England, but he died before the marriage could take place.

1866 – Prince Sigismund of Prussia, fourth child of future Emperor Frederick III and Empress Victoria, died of meningitis. He had not yet reached his second birthday. The young Prince was the first of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom’s grandchildren to pass away.

Have a great day!

June 13th

13 Thursday Jun 2013

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Events:
1381 – A group of rebels marched into London, opposing the minor King Richard II’s government. The rebellion started in Southern England, then moved across the country. Richard was being held for his safety within the Tower of London, but came out to meet with the rebels. The negotiations failed. The Peasant’s Revolt, as its called, then proceeded to ransack the city, and burned Savoy Palace, an opulent residence belonging to Richard’s uncle, John of Gaunt.

1625 – Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland and Princess Henrietta Maria of France were married in Canterbury. Henrietta would not ever be crowned as Queen, because she refused to be crowned in an Anglican service, and having a Catholic perform hers was unacceptable to Charles. The marriage was frigid at first, but warmed up after a couple years.

1981 – A teenager, Marcus Sarjeant, fires six blank shots at Queen Elizabeth II during the Trooping the Colour ceremony. He was detained, tried, and spent time in prison.

Birthdays:
1965 – In not so dead royalty, Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca is born in Madrid to the future King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia. She is currently seventh in line for the throne and is active in many charitable organizations.

Deaths:
1886 – The deposed King Ludwig II of Bavaria was found dead on the shores of Lake Starnberg in his home country. Three days before, a document was delivered to him declaring him incapable of ruling due to paranoia and mental illness. The document was signed off by four doctors who had never examined him. His cause of death remains a mystery. The official cause of death was suicide by drowning, but the autopsy said he had no water in his lungs. There were later reports of him being shot and strangled. He is most famous for his buildings in Bavaria, which include the famous castle of Neuschwanstein.

1918 – Russian Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich is killed by Bolshevik forces after the Revolution of 1917. He was the younger brother of the overthrown Nicholas II, and when Nicholas formally abdicated, he did so in favour of Michael, instead of his young son, Alexei, the hemophiliac. Michael refused to take the throne until his Tsardom was confirmed by the Duma. Of course he was never confirmed, and was arrested like the rest of his family. He is not generally counted in the line of Tsars.

Have an awesome day!