Tag Archives: War of the Roses

August 25th

21 Thursday Nov 2013

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No major events.

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.

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 10th

16 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Events:
1460 – The Battle of Northhampton took place in England as part of the Wars of the Roses. The battle was decisive victory for the Yorkists, and the Lancastrian King, Henry VI, was captured. Henry would be formally deposed the following year in favor of Edward IV.

1553 – Lady Jane Grey, cousin to Edward VI of England accepts the throne of England. She was put forth as an alternative heir to the Protestant Edward’s Catholic half sister, Mary. Jane would only be Queen for nine days.

1778 – Louis XVI signs the Declaration of War against Britain to assist the American colonies during their rebellion.

Birthdays:
1451 – James III of Scotland was possibly born today. He became King in 1460 after the death of his father, James II. He ruled through regents until 1469. Also that year, he married Margaret of Denmark, by whom he had three sons, who included the future James IV. In the early 1480’s he was at war with England, and was briefly unseated, regaining power in 1482. He died in 1488, while fighting with his son and heir. He was widely an unpopular and ineffective ruler.

1711 – Princess Amelia of Great Britain is born in Hanover, Germany. She was the daughter of King George II. Amelia Island in Florida is named in her honor. She moved to England with her family after her grandfather’s accession to the British throne and remained in England, never marrying.

1736 – Maria Walpole is born in London. She was the granddaughter of Robert Walpole, who is considered to be the first Prime Minister of Britain. She had three daughters by her first husband, but in 1766, she was thrust into fame, when she married Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, son of George III. She was illegitimate and the marriage was not consented to by the monarch, and because of this marriage, the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 was passed, which forbade any marriage by a descendant of George III without Royal approval.

1867 – Prince Maximilian of Baden is born in Germany as the heir to the Grand Duchy of Baden. He served in the military during World War I. For a brief time in 1918, he served as Chancellor of Germany and Ministerial offices in Prussia. He was helping to oversee to governmental change from a monarchy to a parliamentary system.

1965 – Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark is born in Greece to Constantine II of Greece and Queen Anne-Marie. She was heir apparent until her father’s deposition. She is currently living in the Canary Islands with her husband and children.

Deaths:
1290 – Ladislaus IV of Hungary was assassinated at age 27. The country was in chaos due to religious differences and strife over his advisors. He was the son of Stephen V of Hungary and Elizabeth the Cuman. Ladislaus was married to Elizabeth of Anjou but they were childless so his successor was a cousin from another branch.

1480 – Rene of Anjou, King of Naples, died in Aix-en-Provence at age 71. He became King of Naples in 1435 until 1442, and after he used the title only nominally. He was a key player in the Hundred Years War, and he aided the French forces, out of dislike for the Burgundians. After 1453, he installed his elder son with Duchy of Lorraine, and all but retired from public life in 1466. He was called “Good King Rene”.

1584 – William of Orange, or William the Silent, was assassinated by a Catholic Frenchman. William had been one of the leaders of the Dutch Revolts against Spanish rule, and was considered to be a traitor by many. William is still considered to be a national hero of the Netherlands, with the following Dutch monarchs to be his descendants, the current national anthem is based on a propaganda song of his, and the flag, arms, and motto of the countries are based on William’s.

Have a great day!

June 29th

29 Saturday Jun 2013

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Events:
1644 – The Battle of Cropredy Bridge takes place between the Royalist forces led by King Charles I and the forces of the Parliamentarians. It was a victory in favor of the Royalists, and one of the few.

Birthdays:
1136 – Petronilla of Aragon is born in Spain to Ramiro II of Aragon and his wife, Agnes of Aquitaine. She became Queen when just one year old at the abdication of her father. She was also married when a baby, but did not consummate the marriage until she was 15. They had five children, and in 1164, after her husband’s death, she abdicated in favor of her eldest son, Alfonso, who was just seven. She lived out her days in Barcelona until her death in 1173 at age 37.

1398 – John II of Aragon is born to Ferdinand I and Queen Eleanor. He married Blanche I of Navarre in 1425, and was this king by marriage. In 1458 he succeeded to the throne of Aragon. He would later fight his son by Blanche for the Navarrese crown. His daughter later became Queen as Eleanor I. He lived until 1479 when he died at age 81. His son by his second marriage, Ferdinand became ruler of Aragon, and with his wife, Isabella, the united Spain.

1482 – A daughter is born to Isabella of Aragon and Ferdinand of Castile. Maria of Aragon, was actually a twin, but the other girl was stillborn. She was the sisters of Catherine of Aragon, and Juana of Castile. In 1500, she married Manuel of Portugal, who was married to her sister Isabella, until Isabella’s death in 1498. They had eight children to survive into adulthood. Her eldest son went on to be John III of Portugal, and her daughter Isabella, was Holy Roman Empress as the wife of Charles V. She died in 1517 at age 34.

1844 – King Peter I of Serbia is born in Belgrade. He spent much of his youth in exile, in Romania and Geneva. After a coup d’état, he was offered the crown of Serbia in 1903. He was a hands off ruler, especially during World War I, But after the war, the name of the kingdom was changed to the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. This made him the last king of Serbia and the first king of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. His son succeeded him as Alexander I.

1911 – Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld was born in Germany. He met Princess Juliana of the Netherlands in 1936, and they married in 1937. He was the father of the future Queen Beatrix. He fought alongside the Dutch during World War II, and when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, he did not want to leave in exile with his wife and daughters. He would work closely with the British and fly planes with the RAF. He became Prince Consort in 1948 when Juliana became Queen. His post war years were unfortunately marred with scandal.

Deaths:
1509 – Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby died in London. She outlived her son, Henry VII of England by just two months. She was a descendant of Edward III, through his son, John of Gaunt and his legitimized children. When she was 12, she was married to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who was a half brother to King Henry VI. She became pregnant, and while very pregnant, Edmund was killed. The birth was very difficult, but mother and baby survived. Despite further marriages, the baby, Henry, would be her only child. While her son was abroad in France, for his protection, she arranged his future marriage to Elizabeth of York, once he successfully claimed the crown, which he did, in 1485. She was devoted and protective of her son, and was a major influence on him, even after he was king. She was known to be extremely pious, and endowed and created schools.

1875 – Ferdinand I of Austria died in Prague at age 82. He was the son of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa of the Two Sicilies. He was burdened with mental illness and several disorders. He was severely epileptic, and had five seizures trying to consummate his marriage to Maria Anna of Sardinia. In 1848, the people revolted, and Ferdinand would abdicate in favor of his cousin Franz Joseph I, who ruled the Austrian Empire for 68 years. He lived out his days in the Bohemian lands where he was popular and the people were sympathetic.

Have a great day!

June 28th

28 Friday Jun 2013

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Events:
1461 – Edward IV of England is crowned as king at Westminster Abbey. He was the Duke of York, and had successfully taken the throne from his cousin, Henry VI, during what is called the Wars of the Roses. He would rule until 1470 when Henry took the throne back from Edward until 1471, when the Yorkists took it back once again.

1519 – Charles I of Spain was elected to succeed his grandfather as Holy Roman Emperor, becoming known as Charles V. He was 19 years old. Between his succession as Emperor, and inheriting the Habsburg lands of father, and the Trastamara lands of his mother, Charles ruled an intimidatingly large portion of Europe. He ruled Spain until 1555, when he abdicated in favor of his son, Phillip II, and then abdicated as Emperor in 1556, in favor of his brother, Ferdinand. However Ferdinand would not be confirmed for another 2 years.

1709 – The Battle of Poltava takes place in modern day Ukraine. It was part of the Great Northern War, and fought between the Swedish forces of Charles XII and the Russian forces led by Peter I, or Peter the Great. The fight was a decisive victory for the Russians, and we saw the decline of Swedish as a European power.

1838 – The 19 year old Victoria was crowned as Queen of Great Britain. She went on to have the longest reign of any British Monarch and became an icon.

1914 – Austrian Archduke and heir to the Austro-Hungarian Imperial throne, Franz Ferdinand, was shot and killed, alongside his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo, Serbia. Franz was the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph I and was not expected to succeed until 1889, when he cousin, Crown Prince Rudolf committed suicide, and then his father renounced his place in the line. This was the spark that set off World War I, though fueled by several other issues.

1921 – The Vidovdan Constitution is proclaimed as the first constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes by King Alexander I.

Birthdays:
1491 – The future Henry VIII is born at Greenwich Palace to King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He was a second son, and not initially set to be king, but with the sudden death of his elder brother, Arthur, in 1502, Henry was thrust forward. He succeeded his father in 1509, just before he turned 18. He would then marry his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, the widow of his brother. They had one daughter to survive, Mary, who later became the first undisputed Queen regnant of England. Henry would then be married five more times after he had his marriage to Catherine was annulled. Anne Boleyn was next, with whom he had a daughter, later Elizabeth I. Anne was executed in 1536 and shortly after he married Jane Seymour, with whom he had the future Edward VI. Jane died shortly after the birth of their child. The German Anne of Cleves was next; their marriage was also annulled. Then Catherine Howard, who was also executed, the finally, Catherine Parr, who outlived Henry. He was also responsible for the separation of England from the Roman Catholic Church, and is one of the founder of the English Navy. Henry was also known to be very intelligent, despite his later behavior, and was an accomplished composer.

No additional major deaths.

June 26th

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

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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 16th

16 Sunday Jun 2013

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Events:
1487 – Today in 1487 marks the last battle of the Wars of the Roses. The relatively new King, Henry VII was still trying to secure his place on the throne. The Earl of Lincoln, John de la Pole, who had been named by Richard III to be his successor, was putting forth a boy, Lambert Simnel as a pretender to the throne. The battle was bloody, but was a final victory for the Lancastrian forces.

Birthdays:
1332 – A daughter named Isabella is born to Edward III and Philippa of Hainault at Woodstock Palace. She was said to be her father’s favourite, and was overindulged as a child. Edward tried to marry her into a powerful alliance, but remained unmarried until she was 33 years old, when she was permitted to marry the Lord de Coucy, later the Count of Soissons and Earl of Bedford. She lived just into the reign of her nephew, Richard II, but her death date is disputed.

1644 – The youngest child of Charles I and Henrietta Maria was born in England, to also be named Henrietta. When she was three years old, she fled England with the rest of her family, and was just five when her father was executed. She would live in the court of her cousin, Louis XIV, and marry Phillippe, Louis’ brother, and also her first cousin, in 1660, after her brother’s restoration as King Charles II. She had two daughters with him, who went on to be Queen consorts of Spain and Sardinia, and was a key player in the secret Treaty of Dover, which attempted to reconcile France and England. She died suddenly at age 26, in France, in 1670.

1937 – In not so dead royalty, Bulgarian Tsar Simeon II is born as the son of Boris III and Tsaritsa Giovanna. In 1943, he became Tsar after the death of his father at age 6. He ruled with his uncle as a regent, but the country was invaded but the Soviets, and in 1946, the monarchy was dissolved and the family was sent into exile. Simeon would live in Spain until the collapse of the Soviet Union, when he returned to Bulgaria, and in 2001, he was elected to the office of Prime Minister until 2005. He never renounced his title, but hasn’t spoke out about his views on possible restoration.

No major deaths.

Have an awesome day!

June 12th

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

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Events:
1429 – French forces led by Joan of Arc laid siege to the city of Jargeau, and English stronghold. The English took heavy losses and after two days, the Duke of Suffolk surrendered the city and was captured.

1492 – Elizabeth Woodville, Dowager Queen of England, is buried at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, next to her late husband, Edward IV. She married Edward in 1464, and it was her second marriage. She was then thrust into the dynastic struggle Edward’s York family was fighting against the Lancaster family, known as the War of the Roses. Elizabeth had famous children as well. Her daughter, also named Elizabeth, became Queen as the wife of Henry VII after the end of the War. Two of her sons are also known to history, Edward V, and Richard, Duke of York, as the Princes in the Tower. Her other daughters also married in the peerage.

1997 – William Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre is officially reopened by Queen Elizabeth II.

No major birthdays.

Deaths:
918 – Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians and daughter of Alfred the Great, died in Staffordshire, England. She was married off the the Earl of Mercia by her father, and assumed the title Lady of the Mercians after her husbands death in 910. She ruled their lands in her own right for eight years and was said to be a formidable military commander and administrator.

1758 – Prussian Prince Augustus William died at age 35 of a brain tumor. He was the younger brother of Frederick the Great and served in the military under his brother, who was said to be harsh to Augustus for his believed incompetence. His son would go on the succeed Frederick the Great as King Frederick William II.

Have a great day!

June 11th

11 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Events:
1509 – The new king of England, Henry VIII, marries his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was the wife of his deceased brother, Arthur, who died some years before. The marriage would last until 1533, when Henry had it annulled, so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

1917 – Alexander I of Greece assumes the throne after the forced abdication of his father, Constantine I, by the Triple Entente powers of Britain, France, and Russia.

Birthdays:
1456 – A girl named Anne was born into the powerful Neville family of England. She was born into a world of turmoil, namely, the Wars of the Roses, which her father, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was a key player. In 1470, she was married to Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, who was the son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. The marriage only lasted a year, when Edward was killed in battle. In 1472, she married Richard of Gloucester, and became Queen consort in 1483, when Richard was named king after the death of his brother, Edward IV died, and his nephews, the Princes in the Tower were declared illegitimate. Their only child died in 1484, and Anne herself died in 1485, at age 28.

1726 – Maria Theresa Rafaela of Spain is born in Madrid to King Phillip V and Elizabeth Farnese. In 1744 she was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France, Louis, son of Louis XV. In early 1745, she arrived in France, and the official marriage took place at Versailles. Her wedding was a diplomatic alliance which was supposed to cool tensions between France and Spain. Sadly when she was only 20 years old, she died just three days after giving birth to a girl, who would not see her second birthday.

1928 – In not so dead royalty, Queen Fabiola of Belgium is born today in Spain to an aristocratic family. In 1960, she married Baudouin, King of the Belgians. They had no surviving children, and her husband died in 1993, to be succeeded by his brother, Albert II. She is still active in social issues and said to be fluent in six languages.

1934 – Also in not so dead royals, Prince consort of Denmark, Henrik, is born in France. In 1967, he married the future Margrethe II of Denmark, and is the father of the heir presumptive, Crown Prince Frederik.

1968 – More not so dead royals; Alois, Hereditary Prince of Lichtenstein was born today in Zurich. He is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II and is the current heir presumptive and regent for his father.

Deaths:
1183 – Henry the Young King, eldest son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, died in France while rebelling against his father. He was 28 years old and died of dysentery. He had been crowned as joint king with his father in 1170, as was the French tradition at the time. He wanted more power and political involvement in the Angevin Empire, but his father would have none of it. This was Henry’s second rebellion against the elder Henry.

1488 – King James III of Scotland dies at the Battle of Sauchieburn. He had been king since 1460 and was highly unpopular due to his indecisiveness and his alliance with England. In 1482, the king had to defend himself against a group of English-backed nobles and was ousted from power for a short time. He was only 36 at his death, and was succeeded by his son, James IV.

1557 – John III of Portugal dies in Lisbon at age 55 of apoplexy. His parents were Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon, making him a grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. He continued to extend Portugal’s reach around the world, and under him, Portugal was the first country to make contact with China and Japan. He became king in 1521 and at his death in 1557 the Portuguese Empire spanned over 1 billion acres.

1727 – George I of the United Kingdom died of a stroke while on a trip to his native Hanover, in Germany. He had been King since 1698. He succeeded to the British throne as he was a descendant of Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James VI and I. He was Protestant as well, as Catholics were now barred from the throne. He was not popular in Britain, as he was seen as an outsider. It was believed for sometime the he never bothered to learn English, but it was found later that he did read and write in English at least. And despite being an absolute monarch in Hanover, he worked well with Parliament and his ministers.

1879 – William, Prince of Orange, died in France at age 38 of a combination of exhaustion and typhus. He was the eldest son of William III of the Netherlands and Queen Sophie. He was living in Paris in a self-imposed exile after a falling out with his parents over his choice in a bride. His younger brother would also predecease their father, leaving his half-sister, Wilhelmina as the heir to the throne.

1903 – Alexander I of Serbia was assassinated alongside his wife, Draga in their palace in Belgrade. He was just 26 years old and had been king since 1889. In 1898, he threw out the constitution his father implemented in 1888, in favor of a more conservative one. His popularity had waned greatly since he had married Draga, a commoner and a widow. Also in his dealings with the Senate, and his arbitrary suspensions of the constitution in order to change laws as he saw fit, led to his assassination.

Have a great day!

May 31st

01 Saturday Jun 2013

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Events:
1578 – The first stones of the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris are laid by Henry III. It is the oldest bridge in Paris.

Birthdays:
1443 – Lady Margaret Beaufort is born in England. At age 12, she married Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Tudor was the half brother of Henry VI, through their mother, Catherine of Valois. Margaret had one child who would later become Henry VII of England. She would marry three more times, but at her death, be buried by Edmund. In 1485, her son became king, and she would live at court and be an influential member of his government. She lived two months into the reign of her grandson, Henry VIII.

1469 – Manuel I of Portugal is born. In 1495, he became King after his cousin, John II. Portugal made great strides in exploration during his reign, including the discovery of Brazil and a route to India. He also oversaw an Inquisition towards the Jews. There were many deaths and forced conversions at the time. He was married three times and among his children there are two Kings of Portugal and a Holy Roman Empress.

1557 – Feodor I of Russia is born in Moscow to Ivan IV and Anastasia Romanova. He became Tsar in 1584, but wasn’t supposed to until is elder brother died. He had no children and little, to no interest in politics. His chief minister Boris Godunov would succeed him as Tsar, and lead to a time called “The Troubles” .

1923 – The future Prince Rainier III of Monaco is born. He became Sovereign Prince in 1949, after the death of his grandfather, Louis II. In 1956, he famously married American movie star Grace Kelly, with whom he had three children, including the current ruler of Monaco, Prince Albert. He helped Monaco get a new constitution in 1962, which effectively ended autocratic rule.

Deaths:
1162 – Geza III of Hungary died in his early 30’s. He became King at age 10 after the death of his father, Bela II. He was a successful ruler for his time, both at home and militarily. The only rebellions he would see would come later in his reign from his brother and uncle. However it would be crushed quickly. Two of his sons would become king after him, as Stephen III and Bela III.

1246 – Isabella of Angouleme died at Fontevraud Abbey. She had been the second wife of John I of England, whom she had married when she was about 12, in the year 1200. In 1202, at the death of her father, she became Countess of Angouleme in her own right. Through John she would mother Henry III of England, and her daughters would become a Queen in Scotland and Holy Roman Empress. After John’s death, she went back to France, remarried (causing a scandal), and assisted in an attempt to overthrow French King Louis IX.

1495 – Cecily Neville, Duchess of York died at age 80. She was a great-granddaughter to Edward III and Queen Philippa. She married Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and in time, gave birth to three daughters, who all married into peerage, and four sons, two of whom became Kings of England as Edward IV and Richard III. “Proud Cis” lived until she was 80, and thus watched the whole of the Wars of the Roses, which her family was deeply entrenched in. She outlived all of her sons. But Cecily lived long enough to watch her granddaughter, the once illegitimatized Elizabeth, Edward IV’s daughter, become Queen consort of England. Since Henry VIII, every English monarch is somehow descended from Cecily Neville.

1740 – Frederick William I of Prussia died in Berlin. Called the Soldier King because of his time in the military and his fondness for it, he attempted to instill the same virtue in his son, the future Frederick II. His relationship with son would be difficult for a long time, and would include an exile and court martialing of the young man. As a whole, he did a lot improve the Prussian military and the country as a whole.

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