Tag Archives: Spanish Royalty

August 31st

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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Events:
1314 – King Haakon V Magnusson of Norway moves the capitol of the country from Bergen to Oslo, where the capitol remains today.

Birthdays:
1880 – The future Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands is born at The Hague. She was the only child of King William III and Queen Emma, and became Queen in her own right in 1890, with her mother as regent. She came to majority in 1898, and married Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1901. She would give birth to one surviving daughter, Juliana, but suffer several miscarriages. In 1948, she abdicated in favor of her daughter, Juliana, after a reign of 58 years, making Wilhelmina the longest serving Dutch monarch.

Deaths:
1158 – Sancho III of Castile died after just one year of rule. He was the eldest surviving son of King Alfonso VII of Leon and Castile and Berengaria of Barcelona. His death was sudden, while he was in his early 20’s but left a young son as his successor, Alfonso VIII of Castile.

1422 – King Henry V of England died suddenly of possibly dysentery. He was only 35 years old, and was on military campaigns in France. He is known for his military battles during the Hundred Years War, namely the Battle of Agincourt. Henry had been king since the death of his father, Henry IV, in 1413. The heir to the throne was Henry’s only child with Catherine of Valois, a nine-month-old baby boy, now Henry VI of England.

1997 – Tragedy struck in Paris, when Diana, Princess of Wales, was involved in a car crash while traveling with her companion, Dodi Fayed. Diana, Dodi, and the driver were all killed. She was 36 years old, and the former wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she divorced the previous year. She was survived by two sons, Princes William and Harry. After her divorce, she had continued her charity work, and was widely mourned by the people.

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.

August 25th

21 Thursday Nov 2013

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Birthdays:
1530 – Ivan Vasilyevich is born in Russia to Grand Prince of Moscow Vasili III and Elena Glinskya. When Ivan was just 3 years old, he succeeded his father as Grand Prince of Moscow, after Vasili’s sudden death. In 1547, he was crowned as Tsar of all the Russia’s as Ivan IV. Throughout his reign, he was able to successfully navigate political changes in his nation, however, his economic policies were disastrous for Russia. It would be his harsh nature and quick temper that helped give him the nickname “Ivan the Terrible”. At one point in 1581, his temper got the best of him, and he hit his son, also named Ivan, over the head with a staff, killing the young man. This left his younger son, Feodor, as his heir. Ivan had also been married eight times, and through his children with his first wife, Anastasia Romanovna, the Romanov family would come to rule Russia.

1707 – Louis I of Spain is born in Madrid as the son of King Phillip V and Maria Luisa of Savoy. In 1722, Louis was forced to marry the French Princess Louise Elisabeth d’Orleans. The marriage was unhappy, there would be no children, and Louise was said to be so unhappy, she would refuse to see her husband. His father abdicated in 1724, but Louis’ reign would be short lived, as he died of smallpox just 7 months later. Phillip, his father, returned to the throne.

1786 – The future Ludwig I of Bavaria is born to Maximillian I Joseph and Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. He succeeded his father in 1825 and ruled until his abdication in 1848. In 1810, he married Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and the following celebration was the first Oktoberfest. His policies got more and more repressive as time went on, until revolution struck and forced him to abdicate. His remaining years were spent on cultural projects and buildings, during the reign of his son, Maximilian II.

1845 – Ludwig II of Bavaria is born in Munich. He was the eldest son of Maximilian II of Bavaria and Marie of Prussia. He became King at age 18, after his father died suddenly in 1864. His youth and dashing good looks made him very popular. Ludwig was a great patron of the arts, including composer Richard Wagner. He also began construction on palaces throughout Bavaria, including the famed Neuschwanstein Castle, which he paid for out of his own pocket. However in 1886, he was deposed by his ministers, who had him declared insane by doctors who never examined him. The day after he was moved, he was found dead in waist deep water, with no water in his lungs. He was 40 years old at his death, childless, and succeeded by his actually insane brother, Otto, with their uncle as regent.

Deaths:
1270 – King Louis IX of France died in Africa while fighting on the Eighth Crusade. He was the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile, and became King in 1226. Louis was later canonized by the Catholic church and he is he only French king to be Sainted. Because of his veneration, he is pictured as the quintessential Christian monarch, and many cities, including the American city of Saint Louis, Missouri.

1482 – Margaret of Anjou dies in France at age 52. She would be married to Henry VI of England in 1445. The would have one son, called Edward of Westminster. Margaret also became one of the principal figures in the War of the Roses, when she acted as regent for her husband during his bouts of mental instability. She helped to lead the Lancastrian forces before her husband’s overthrow, and after his restoration in 1470. However, after the defeat of the Lancasters in 1471. She was captured and later ransomed back to France. She was vilified throughout most of history and even referred to as a “She-wolf of France” by Shakespeare in the plays about her husband.

1699 – Christian V of Denmark died in Copenhagen.He was the son of Frederick III and Queen Sophie Amalie and the father of the future Frederick IV. He was quite popular with the common people for allowing them into state service. Christian is considered to be one of the more poorly educated Danish kings, a title which he seemed to be okay with. He lists his primary interests in his memoirs as “hunting, love-making, war and maritime affairs”.

1942 – Prince George, Duke of Kent is killed in battle during World War II. He was the son of King George V and Queen Mary. He was the younger brother to Edward VIII and George VI, and thus the paternal uncle to Queen Elizabeth II. He was given the title Duke of Kent in 1934, and it would pass to his son, Prince Edward, at his death.

August 22nd

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Events:
1485 – The Battle of Bosworth Field takes place in England, as one of the last battles of the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor, a Lancastrian claimant the throne, landed earlier in the month, and met the forces fighting for King Richard III, who took the crown 2 years earlier. Henry was descended from Edward III, but through an illegitimate line. However the battle would go in favor for the Lancastrians, and Richard was killed in battle. Henry was given the crown Richard wore during battle after the fighting, and crowned in London in October. He would also then marry Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, and niece to Richard III, uniting the Lancasters and Yorks under the House of Tudor.

1642 – Charles I raised the Royal standard above the town of Nottingham in England. This was essentially his call-to-arms against the Parliamentarians, who had already taken London. His wife and children had already been sent to France. Charles would be defeated in the English Civil War, and the monarchy replaced with the Protectorate. Charles was executed in 1649.

Births:
1854 – The future Milan I of Serbia is born as a member of the noble House of Obrenovic. At age 14, he succeeded his uncle as Sovereign Prince of Serbia with a regency. He became of age in 1872, and showed himself to be a capable and fair ruler. In 1882, he was declared as the first king of Serbia until his sudden abdication in favor of his young son, Alexander, in 1889. Milan renounced his titles and citizenship, but as the political situation with Russia grew tense over the years, he was reinstated as a member of the royal family and returned as an advisor and military leader under his son. He died suddenly in 1901, after he resigned his posts, following his son’s marriage.

Deaths:
1188 – Ferdinand II of Leon dies in Spain at about age 50. His father, Alfonso VII was king of Castile and Leon, so at his death, Ferdinand received rule of Leon, and his brother became Sancho III of Castile. His reign was marred with wars with other Spanish nations and the Muslims of Southern Spain. He would be married three times, with the first ending in annulment, and the second in her death. Only one of his six children would live into adulthood.

1350 – Phillip VI of France died after 22 years of rule. He was of the House of Valois, and a cousin to King Charles IV, who died childless in 1328. France observed Salic law, so Charles’ nephew, Edward III of England could not technically inherit the throne. However, Edward invaded anyway, starting what we know as the Hundred Years War. All in all, his reign was marred with crises. Phillip would be succeeded by his son, John II, or John the Good.

1358 – Isabella of France, passed away in England while in her early 60’s. She was the only surviving daughter of Phillip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre. At about age 12, she was married to the new English King, Edward II. They would have four children, including the future Edward III. The marriage was happy, but Edward’s reign was married by disputes with his barons, and he and Isabella were eventually estranged. In 1326, she led an invasion of England, that ultimately deposed her husband in favor of her son. She acted as unofficial regent for four years, until Edward took rule himself. She lived as an advisor and grandmother until her death.

1485 – Richard III died during the Battle of Bosworth Field. The details are discussed above in Events.

August 21st

28 Monday Oct 2013

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Events:
1810 – Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of France and renowned military leader is elected to be Crown Prince of Sweden, to succeed the childless Charles XIII. He is the founder of the current reigning House of Bernadotte in Sweden.

Birthdays:
1165 – Phillip Augustus is born in France as the son of Louis VII of France. In 1179, he was crowned as co-ruler with his father, and then became King in his own right in 1180. He was Phillip II, King of France, and the first to use that title, as his predecessors are called King of the Franks. He went on the Third Crusade with Richard the Lionheart and Frederick Barbarossa, and after Richard’s death, he successfully dismantled the Angevin Empire of France, now led by King John of England. He was popular with the commons, for taking power from the nobles, and is known as one of the more successful medieval monarchs.

1643- Afonso IV of Portugal is born as a younger son of John IV and Luisa of Medina-Sidonia. An illness as a toddler left his mentally unstable and partially paralyzed. He succeeded his father at age 13, with his mother acting as regent for six years. Despite his mental instability Portugal scored some major military victories under him, but in 1668, his brother Peter was appointed Prince Regent and ruled on Afonso’s behalf until his death in 1683.

1765 – The future William IV of the United Kingdom is born in Britain. He would become King in 1830, after the death of his elder brother, George IV. Like the other British Hanoverian kings, he was also ruler of the German province of Hanover, which he never visited as King. He had spent time in his youth in the Royal Navy, and later was active in the House of Lords. He enacted several reforms during his short reign, including restrictions on child labor, the abolition of slavery in the majority of the colonies, and gave Hanover a constitution. Although he had several illegitimate children, he had none with his wife, Queen Adelaide, when he passed. So the Crown of Britain went to his niece, Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, now Queen Victoria. Hanover observed Salic law, so his brother, Ernest Augustus, became King there.

1858 – Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf is born as the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. Despite being groomed from an early age to be Emperor, he was quite different politically from his father. He married Princess Stephanie of Belgium and had a daughter. However he was unfaithful. In 1889, he was found dead from an apparent murder-suicide, next to a mistress of his. His mother wore black for mourning for the rest of her life.

Deaths:
1157 – Alfonso VII of Leon and Castile died at age 52. He was the son of Urraca of Castile and Raymond of Burgundy, and in 1111, as a child, he was named King of Galicia by his mother. In 1126, she died, leaving Alfonso as King of Leon and Castile. He called himself Emperor of All Spain. He also participated in the Reconquista of lower Spain, attempting to expel the Muslims. Before his death, he split his lands between his two elder sons, and his daughters would go on to be Queens of France, Navarre, and Aragon.

August 18th

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Events:
1572 – Henry III of Navarre married Margaret of Valois in Paris. The bride was the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici, as well as the sister of the French Kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. Henry of Navarre was the heir to the French throne and would become Henry IV of France later on. Six days later, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre occurred.

Birthdays:
1606 – Maria Anna of Spain is born in Spain to King Phillip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. In 1631, she was married to Ferdinand III, titular King of Hungary and future Holy Roman Emperor. Their relationship was a good one, and she served as regent for her husband during his absences. They would have six children, including a future Queen of Spain, and a Holy Roman Emperor. She died at age 39, while in Austria, from complications during the birth of her sixth child, who also died shortly after birth.

1611 – Marie Louise Gonzaga is born in France to a noble family. In 1646, she married Wladyslaw IV of Poland. Within two years, he died leaving her a widow. His brother, John Casimir was elected as the next King of Poland, and Marie was married to him in 1649. She was active politically, much to the scandal of the Polish nobility. She founded the first Polish newspaper and was a patron of the literary salons. Marie died in her adopted homeland, in 1667.

1819 – Russian Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna is born as a daughter of Tsar Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra. She grew up close with her family, including her parents, who doted on their children. She was known to have a strong personality, and was active with the arts. Despite the animosity from her family, she married the German Duke of Leuchtenberg, Maximilian, nephew of Ludwig I of Bavaria. The couple remained in Russia, where she became the President of the Academy of the Arts. Her husband died in 1852, and she remarried morganatically in 1856. She eventually moved to Italy and continued to collect art until her death in 1876.

1830 – The future Franz Joseph of Austria is born in Vienna. He became Emperor in 1848, after the abdication if his uncle, Ferdinand I. He would reign for a tumultuous 68 years, through years of wars with the Italians, the Germans, and increasing nationalism in all the Austro-Hungarian lands. In 1854, he had married the young and beautiful Elisabeth of Bavaria, with whom he was very in love with, but she was not suited for Imperial court life. They had four children, the eldest daughter died in childhood, and their only son, Rudolf, committed suicide in 1889, after killing his mistress. Empress Elisabeth was herself stabbed in 1898 while traveling. In 1914, Franz’s heir, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed in Sarajevo, an event which not only kicked off a succession crisis in Austria-Hungary, but World War I. The Emperor did not survive the war, and died in 1916.

Deaths:
1645 – Eudoxia Streshneva, wife of Tsar Michael I, died in Moscow. She was his second wife, and married him in 1626. She was not active in politics and was overshadowed by her mother in law. In 19 years of marriage, she gave birth to ten children. Michael died in 1645, and Eudoxia followed him just over a month later.

1765 – Holy Roman Emperor Francis I died in Austria at age 56. He was born in the Duchy of Lorraine, but in 1736, after Lorraine had been surrendered to France, he married Maria Theresa of Austria, heir to the Habsburg dominions. In 1745, he was elected as Holy Roman Emperor, however he did not wield much power. Maria Theresa was the true ruler of the Empire. Francis did not outwardly seem to have a problem with his wife being the one in power. They had sixteen children, who included 2 Holy Roman Emperors, a Queen of Naples, and a famous Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.

Have a great day!

August 15th

27 Tuesday Aug 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have an awesome day!

August 13th

24 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1704 – The Battle of Blenheim takes place in Bavaria, Germany, as part of the War of Spanish Succession. The British were fighting on the side of the Holy Roman Empire and the Dutch, against French and German forces. Although the French would be ultimately successful, the Alliance would be victorious today.

1792 – French King Louis XVI was arrested and declared an enemy of the State. He was jailed and the following month, France was officially declared a Republic, with Louis being stripped of all titles. He was formally referred to as “Citizen Louis Capet”. The former King was executed the following January.

Birthdays:
1311 – Alfonso XI of Castile is born in modern day Spain as the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and Constance of Portugal. He became king in 1312 after the death of his father, and ruled under regents until 1325. He continued the Reconquista of Granada from the Moors. He would become known for his ruthless and sometimes bloody methods. He ruled until 1350 when he passed away at age 38. Two of his sons would later become Kings and Peter I and Henry II.

1752 – Another daughter is born in Austria to Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. She is named Maria Carolina. As a child, she was said to be close to her younger sister, Maria Antonia, the ill-fated Marie Antoinette of France. In 1768, she married Ferdinand IV of Naples, and despite the marriage being a duty to both parties, she bore eighteen children, with seven becoming adults. Like her mother, she was active politically and instituted many policies. In early 1799, she and her husband would be overthrown in Naples, only to be restored again that year, ruling until 1806, when they would be deposed again. She died in 1814, in her native Austria. Among her children, she numbers a King of the Two Sicilies, a Holy Roman Empress, a Queen of France, a Queen of Sardinia, and a Princess of Spain.

1792 – Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen is born in Germany. In 1818, she married Prince William, Duke of Clarence in a double ceremony, alongside William’s brother Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld. The younger sons of George III were trying to secure the succession after Princess Charlotte, daughter of the future George IV died. She would become pregnant several times, but she would either miscarry, or the baby would die early. In 1830, after the death of George IV, Adelaide became Queen consort. She was well loved by the people for her kindness and generosity, and got along well with her niece and future Queen, Victoria. William died in 1837, and she would not follow until 1849, well into the reign of Victoria.

Deaths:
1382 – Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile died giving birth to her third child, a daughter named for her, that died young as well. Eleanor was the daughter of Peter IV of Aragon and Eleanor of Sicily. In 1375, she married John I of Castile. They also had two sons, Henry who became king of Castile, and Ferdinand, who became King of Aragon. She was only 24 at her death.

Have an awesome day!

August 10th

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1628 – The state-of-the-art Swedish Warship, The Vasa, set sail, only to sink on her maiden voyage. The disaster is attributed to King Gustavus Adolphus’ insistence that she join the fleet as soon as possible to assist with the Thirty Years War, and his council’s reluctance to let him know that there were structural problems with the ship. In the 1960’s, she was recovered from the ocean floor, and is being stored in a museum built specifically to display the ship.

1792 – An angry mob stormed the palace of Tuileries as part of the French Revolution. The King and his family had been staying there, and six weeks later the French Monarchy was abolished.

Birthdays:
1267 – James II of Aragon is born Valencia as the son of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Sicily. He became King of Sicily in 1285, after the death of his father, and in 1291, he succeeded his brother as King of Aragon. In 1295, he began a struggle with his younger brother over the island of Sicily, and ceased to rule the island. He was given rule of Sardinia and Corsica instead. He ruled those lands until his death in 1327, and was succeeded by his son, Alfonso IV.

1296 – John of Bohemia is born in Luxembourg to Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII and Margaret of Brabant. In 1310, he became king of Bohemia and titular King of Poland, by right of his wife, Elisabeth. He eventually lost his eyesight, earning him the nickname “John the Blind”. When the Hundred Years War broke out, John sided with King Phillip VI of France, and died while fighting at the Battle of Crecy, when he was about 50 years old.

1520 – Madeleine of Valois is born in France to Francis I and Queen Claude. She typically didn’t live at court, because of her delicate health, so she spent time being raised by her aunt, Marguerite of Navarre. In 1536, she was contracted to marry the Scottish King James V, which she did in early 1537. They married in Paris, and then left for Scotland a couple months later. By the time they arrived, she was already very ill. She died in July 1537, a month after her arrival. Madeleine was just 16 years old.

Deaths:
1759 – Ferdinand VI of Spain died at age 45 in Madrid. He had succeeded his father, Phillip V, in 1746, and was one of the early Spanish Bourbon monarchs. He over saw many reforms in his short reign, and reinforced the military might of Spain after the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War. He had been married to Barbara of Portugal, but had no children. Ferdinand’s heir would be his brother, Charles, who was already King of Naples and Sicily.

Have a great day!

August 8th

19 Monday Aug 2013

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Events:
1503 – Princess Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England married King James IV of Scotland. Their son would go on to be James V, and their granddaughter is the famous Queen Mary of Scots.

1553 – Edward VI was lady to rest in Henry VII’s Lady Chapel. His grave was actually unmarked except for a marble slab until 1966. Edward was the only surviving legitimate son of Henry VIII and was about 15 when he died and had been King since age 9.

Birthdays:
1824 – Maria Alexandrovna, future Empress consort of Russia, is born today in Hesse, Germany. She was the daughter of Louis II of Hesse and Wilhelmine of Baden, however Louis was probably not her biological father. She married the future Tsar in 1841, and despite not enjoying the climate, she bore eight children, including the future Alexander III. Alexander was kind to her in public, but had numerous affairs. Maria died in 1880 at age 55, and Alexander remarried morganatically just one month later.

1920 – Prince Carol Lambrino of Romania is born in Bucharest to King Carol II and Zizi Lambrino. The marriage between his parents had been annulled before his birth, under questionable legality. He lived abroad with his mother as a child, but was in contact with his father, who recognized him as his son and heir. In 1955, after the death of his father, Carol sued and won the right to use the Royal family name, and inherited part of his father’s estate. However he would be fought every step of the way by his half-brother, the deposed Michael I of Romania, until Carol died in 2006.

1988 – In not so dead royalty, Princess Beatrice of York is born in London to Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is currently 6th in line to the British throne and the first female.

Deaths:
1303 – Castilian Infante Henry the Senator died in Spain. He was serving as regent for his grand-nephew, Ferdinand IV of Castile. Henry had grown up as the fourth son of Ferdinand III of Castile and his first wife, Beatrice of Swabia. After the death of his father, he attempted to rebel against his elder brother, now Alfonso X, but the rebellion would fail, and Henry ran to the court of his half-siser, Eleanor, who was Queen consort of England. He had also spent time on expeditions in Africa and fought in Italy.

Have an awesome day!