Tag Archives: Spanish Royalty

August 5th

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1100 – Henry I of England was crowned King in Westminster Abbey, just days after the mysterious death of his brother, William II.

1305 – William Wallace, one of the rebel leaders of the Scots in their war for independence against England, was captured by the English and sent to London for trial.

Birthdays:
1461 – Alexander Jagiellon is born in Krakow to Casimir IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth Habsburg of Hungary. In 1492 he was elected Grand Duke of Lithuania, and in 1501, he succeeded his brother as King of Poland. He principally favored his Lithuanian courtiers, and spent most of his time there, until his death in 1506.

1828 – Louise of the Netherlands is born in The Hague as a granddaughter of William I. In 1850, she was married to the future Charles XV of Sweden and Norway. The marriage was unhappy, and Charles had many public mistresses. They would have two children, despite their arranged marriage. As Queen, she did not intervene in politics but was active with charity works, although she avoided ceremonial duties. She died early at age 42 of pneumonia.

1833 – Carola of Vasa is born in Vienna to the deposed Swedish Royal Family. She was born Lutheran, but to the chagrin of her father, she converted to Catholicism. In 1853, she married Albert, Crown Prince of Saxony. She was popular and supported the building of new hospitals, and entertained soldiers. Albert became King of Saxony in 1873, and they ruled until 1902, when he died. She died in Dresden just five years later.

1939 – Princess Irene of the Netherlands is born to Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard. She is the younger sister of the former Queen Beatrix and the aunt of the current Dutch King, Willem Alexander. In 1963, she secretly converted to Catholicism and married the Spanish Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, and pretender to the Spanish crown. They had four children before their divorce in 1981, and she returned to the Netherlands, where she resides today.

Deaths:
1877 – Gustav, Prince of Vasa died in Austria. He was the one time Crown Prince of Sweden, until his family was deposed when he was ten. He had also spent time in the military of Austria, under the Habsburg family, receiving grants and titles in appreciation. He would be buried in Stockholm, by his father.

1901 – Victoria, German Empress and Princess Royal died in Germany under the reign of her son, Wilhelm II. She was the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and was in close communication with her mother for all her life. She was actually only German Empress for only 3 months, as her husband, Fredrick III, was already terminally ill at his accession. Vicky had a very strained relationship with her son, who suspected her of supporting liberal policies.

Have a good one!

July 31st

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1423 – The Battle of Cravant takes place in France as part of the Hundred Years War. It would be a victory for the English/Burgundian alliance against the French. It would be one of the few times the allies would fight together.

1492 – The Alhambra Decree takes affect in Spain, expelling Jews from all Spanish lands and territories. It would not be revoked until 1968.

1588 – The Spanish Armada is spotted off the English coast. Troops would be assembled on the ground, but the fleet would never make it to English shores.

Birthdays:
1527 – The future Maximilian II was born in Vienna. He became Holy Roman Emperor in 1564 after the death of his father, Ferdinand I. He married his cousin Maria of Spain, with whom he had sixteen children. Only nine would survive into adulthood. He was said to be very tolerant of the Protestants, despite previous tensions and opposition from his Spanish cousins. Two of his sons would later become Emperors and Rudolf II and Matthias I. His daughters Anna and Elizabeth would be Queen consort of Spain and Queen consort of France.

1737 – Princess Augusta of Great Britain is born in London to the Prince of Wales, Frederick, son of King George II, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. In 1764, she married Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, with whom she would have seven children, despite the unhappiness of the arranged marriage. One of their daughters, Caroline, would later marry the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. In 1807, after the death of her husband, she moved back to London, while her brother, George III was king.

Deaths:
1750 – John V of Portugal died in Lisbon at age 60. He had been King since 1706, at the death of his father, Peter II. In 1707, he married Austrian Archduchess Maria Anna, and they would have 3 surviving children, who include Joseph I and Peter III. He was known as a great patron of the arts, and amassed one of the greatest art collections in all of Europe. He overhauled the economic system of Portugal, which at first worked, but were unpopular with the nobility, but later they were shown to be ineffective.

1993 – King Baudouin of Belgium died at age 62 of heart failure, while in Spain. He had been King since 1951, when he was age 20. Under his reign, the Belgian Congo became independent, and he attended the ceremony. In 1990, he was actually declared unable to rule for a day, due to his refusal to give Royal Assent to a bill he disagreed with for religious reasons. On the day he did not rule the bill was signed into effect by the other members of the government, and he was declared capable of ruling again the following day. He was childless, and was succeeded by his brother, Albert II.

Have a great day!

July 30th

09 Friday Aug 2013

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Events:
1635 – The Siege of Schenkenschans began as part of the Eighty Years War. The fortress was being held by Spanish Imperial forces, but the Dutch rebels, being led by the Stadtholder, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, were successful, nine months later, in capturing the important fort.

1656 – The Battle of Warsaw takes place as part of the Second Northern War. The belligerents were the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, with back up from Germany. It would be a victory for the Swedish, but it would not affect the overall outcome of the war.

Birthdays:
1872 – Princess Clementine of Belgium is born to King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette. In 1910, she would marry Prince Napoleon Victor Bonaparte, heir to the Bonaparte claim to the French throne. Unlike her sisters, she married older, and chose her spouse for love. They would have a daughter and a son within the first five years of their marriage. Clementine was widowed in 1926, and would never remarry. She lived to her 82nd year, dying in France.

1936 – In not so dead royalty, Spanish Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz is born in France. Her father was Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Maria-Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The Spanish royal family was exiled at the time, but years later, her brother was restored and is the current King, Juan Carlos I.

Deaths:
1683 – Maria Theresa of Spain died at Versailles. She was the Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis XIV. She stayed out of politics and handled Louis’ numerous affairs, giving him six children. However, only one child would survive into adulthood, a son also named Louis. Her grandson through the younger Louis would go on to be King Phillip V of Spain.

1900 – Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburg, and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, died in Coburg, Germany. He was the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He spent his youth in the Royal Navy, and in 1866, was created Duke of Edinburgh. Alfred also became the first member of the royal family to visit Australia. In 1874, he married Russian Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II. They would have five children survive adulthood, who include Queen Marie of Romania. Finally in 1893, he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha after his brother, the future Edward VII renounced his claim.

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July 27th

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1214 – The Battle of the Bouvines took place between the forces of Phillip II of France and King John of England. The battle took place in the County of Flanders. The forces against the French consisted of English, Angevin French, German, and Flemish men. The battle was a decisive victory in favor of Phillip II to the point that Emperor Otto IV was deposed after and King John would sign the Magna Carta later that year.

1689 – The Battle of Killiecrankie took place in Scotland between Highland forces supporting the deposed King James VII and II, and forces of the newly installed King William III and Mary II. The battle would be a rout in favor of the Jacobites, but their leader was killed, which would lead to future losses in the future.

No major birthdays.

Deaths:
1101 – 27 year old Conrad II of Italy dies in Florence after being deposed as King of Italy and Germany, by his father Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. He had been crowned in Germany in 1087, and in Italy 1091. He had been at odds with his father, since the death of his mother, shortly before his German coronation. Conrad spent the rest of his life warring with the Emperor.

1276 – James I of Aragon died at age 68 in Valencia, Spain. He had been King of Spain since the death of his father, Peter II, in 1213, when James was just five years old. In 1231 he would become King of the island of Majorca, and King of Valencia in 1238. These annexations earned him the nickname “the Conqueror”. He attempted a Crusade in 1269, but was deterred by bad weather. James is also known for his patronage of Catalan writers, and wrote in Catalan himself, being one of the first proponents of the language.

1382 – Queen Joanna of Naples was assassinated in her bed at age 56. It is believed that she was killed on the orders of her niece’s husband, because of her support for the Avignon Papacy. Joanna was an effective ruler for her time, and every proclamation and edict from her rule, was signed and sealed by her, despite how insignificant. She also insisted on free medical treatment for the poor and her nation was said to be ahead of its time in terms of healthcare.

Have an awesome day!

July 26th

05 Monday Aug 2013

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Events:
1469 – The Battle of Edgecote Moor takes place as part of the Wars of the Roses. The forces of King Edward IV and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick met and was a turning point in the war. Neville had helped Edward win the throne, but would then help Henry VI reclaim it, after being embarrassed by Edward.

1581 – The Low Countries (modern day Netherlands) issued the Act of Abjuration which declared it independence from the Spanish rule of Phillip II.

1936 – King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom performed one of his few official duties before his abdication. He unveiled the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, which commemorated Canadian soldiers killed in France during World War I. Edward would abdicate before the year was out.

Birthdays:
1678 – The future Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I is born In Vienna. He was crowned King of Hungary in 1687 at age 9, King of the Romans in 1690 at 11, and finally Emperor in 1705 at the death of his father, Leopold I. He had continued the War of Spanish Succession to install his brother as King of Spain. Instead his brother would succeed him as Emperor, becoming Charles VI. Joseph had two daughters though, the eldest becoming Queen consort of Poland, the younger eventually becoming Holy Roman Empress, when her husband, a Bavarian prince, was elected as Charles VII. He would die at age 32 of smallpox.

Deaths:
1801 – Austrian Archduke Maximilian Francis died today in Vienna. He was the youngest child of Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. He spent most of his life in the church as both a Bishop and Archbishop. He was also one of the first employers and patrons of a young Ludwig von Beethoven.

1867 – The former Greek King Otto I died in his native Bavaria at age 52. 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.

Have an awesome day!

July 25th

04 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1547 – Henry II of France is crowned King after the death of his father, Francis I. He would rule until his death in 1559.

1554 – Mary I of England married the future Phillip II of Spain, her second cousin through her mother. The marriage was wildly unpopular in England, but Mary was desperate to produce a Catholic heir, in order to disinherit her half sister , Elizabeth. She claimed to be in love with Phillip, but he told his companions he saw the marriage as “his duty” and nothing else. She was 38 years old and considered almost too old for child bearing. 4 years, 2 false pregnancies, and 200 dead Protestants later, Phillip was King of Spain and Mary would die, saying his name was carved into her heart.

1593 – Henry IV of Navarre, publicly renounced his Calvinist faith for Catholicism. He did so at the insistence of his long time mistress. It may have also been because he was the French heir to the throne, and France was still very Catholic. The move made him wildly popular when he became King of France and Navarre the following year. He was the first Bourbon king. Famously he said, “Paris is well worth a mass.”

1603 – James VI of Scotland would be crowned King of England, uniting the crowns. However England and Scotland would operate as separate nations for another 104 years.

Birthdays:
1860 – Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia is born at Potsdam. She was the daughter of Prince Friedrich Karl and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau. In 1879, she married Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, a younger son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She would live in Britain for the rest of her days, except for a few years when her husband was Governor General of Canada. She died in London in 1917, at age 56. Her daughter, Princess Margaret would go on to be Crown Princess of Sweden.

No major deaths.

Have a great day!

July 24th

03 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1148 – Louis VII of France would begin the Siege of Damascus, as part of the Second Crusade. The siege would end 5 days later, in a sound defeat for the Crusaders, and begun the collapse of that Crusade.

1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate the Scottish Crown in favor of her infant son, now James VI. She would be held at Loch Leven Castle for another year, before she escaped, attempted to regain her throne, but lost in her attempt. She then fled to England where she would be kept as a prisoner by nobles of Elizabeth I.

2001 – Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Simeon had been the last Tsar of Bulgaria as a small child and ruled under a regency. He lived in exile after the fall of Bulgaria to the Soviets and is the only monarch to return to elected office after his overthrow.

Birthdays:
1860 – Princess Charlotte of Prussia was born in Potsdam to the future Emperor Frederick III and Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. She was the younger sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was married to Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Meiningen in 1878, and in 1914, they became the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, but by the end of World War I, her husband abdicated. She was said to have a nervous personality at a young age, and had a terrible relationship with her only child, a daughter named Feodora.

Deaths:
1568 – Carlos, Prince of Asturias died in Madrid at age 23. He was the eldest son of the future Phillip II of Spain and his first wife, Princess Maria of Portugal. His father would attempt several betrothals to various prominent houses, but none would come through. He was said to be mentally unstable. In 1567, he was angry with his father over a government position he was promised, and spoke of helping the revolts in the Netherlands, and he may have spoke of his father’s murder. Phillip had him arrested, and he died in prison.

Have a great day!

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.

Have a great day!

July 21st

29 Monday Jul 2013

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Events:
1242 – The Battle of Taillebourg takes place in France between the forces of Louis IX of France, and his vassals, Henry III of England, and Hugh X of Lusignan. The battle was a decisive victory for Louis’ forces, and would end the revolts of that time.

1403 – The Battle of Shrewsbury took place in England. Henry IV led his forces and it was the first known battle where English archers fought each other. Henry had usurped the crown himself just 4 years prior, so his situation was precarious. He was victorious when the leader of the rebels, Henry Percy, was killed in battle.

1831 – Today is National Day in Belgium, which marks the inauguration of the first Belgian King, Leopold I. He was born in Germany as part of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld, and was the husband of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of George IV of the United Kingdom. Leopold was also the maternal uncle of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and was instrumental in matchmaking the young Queen with his nephew, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Birthdays:
1858 – Maria Christina of Austria is born to an Austrian Archduke and Archduchess, and was a descendant of the once mighty house of Habsburg. In 1879, she married Alfonso XII of Spain, who left her a pregnant widow in 1885. Maria ruled as regent during the time between her husband’s death, and the birth of her son, Alfonso XIII. She was said to be a prudent and well-balanced ruler, and she gave up power in 1902, at her son’s majority.

No major deaths.

Have a great day!

July 20th

28 Sunday Jul 2013

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Events:
1304 – Edward I of England finally takes Stirling Castle as part of the Scottish War of Independence.

Birthdays:
1890 – George II of Greece is born in Athens. He lived in exile from 1917, until his father’s re-installation as king in 1920. He succeeded to the throne in 1922. However in 1924, he was asked to leave Greece while the people voted either for or against the monarchy. While he was in Romania, he was formally deposed. He 1934, he was brought back as king and ruled until his death in 1947.

1973 – In not so dead royalty, the Norwegian Crown Prince, Haakon is born in Oslo. He is the heir apparent to his father, King Harald V.

Deaths:
1454 – John III of Castile died at age 49. He had been king since 1406, when he was just a year old. He was the son of Henry III of Castile and the English Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was unfortunately a weak and ineffective ruler and was almost completely under the influence of court favourites. He was succeeded first by his son as Henry IV, then later his daughter, Isabella I.

1524 – Claude, Queen consort of France and Duchess of Brittany died at age 24 of an unverified cause. She was the eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Due to Salic Law, she was unable to inherit the French throne, but she was able to inherit Brittany. Her father then married her to the next male in line, the future Francis I. They were married in 1514, and in 1515 became King and Queen of France. In the next ten years, she would birth seven children, including the future Henry II.

1927 – Ferdinand I Romania died at age 61. German by birth, he had succeeded his uncle, Carol I. He married Princess Marie of Edinburgh, also known as the fierce Marie of Romania. He sided his nation with the Allies in World War I, and its said the German Kaiser Wilhelm II felt Ferdinand betrayed his German roots. He was rewarded after the war, as Romania’s territory was expanded. His grandson, Michael I would succeed him.

1951 – Wilhelm, the last Crown Prince of Germany, died at age 69. He became Crown Prince of the German Empire in 1882. when his father ascended after the death of his grandfather and great-grandfather in the same year. He lived in exile for a short time with his father, but returned to Germany, and was a supporter of the Nazi party. hoping that Hitler would restore the Monarchy. After the death of some of his friend and when it became apparent that Hitler would not share power, the younger Wilhelm left the public eye for his country estates. His descendants live today.

Have a great day!