Tag Archives: Yugoslavian monarchy

August 16th

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

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Events:
1513 – The Battle of Guinegate takes place in France between the French and the English forces led by King Henry VIII. The French were caught off-guard, and England would win the day. However, it was joked that when the French sounded the retreat, all the English could see was glare from their spurs, leading to the English calling it, “The Battle of the Spurs.”

1858 – Queen Victoria of Great Britain and American President James Buchanan communicate through the first transatlantic telegraph cable, in its first communication.

1859 – The National Assembly of Tuscany formally deposes the House of Hapsburg-Lorraine from its standing as Grand Dukes of Tuscany.

Birthdays:
1573 – Anne of Austria was born to Charles II, Archduke of Austria and Anne of Bohemia. She was a granddaughter to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and a member of the mighty Habsburg family. In 1592, she married Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland and Sweden. She didn’t spend much time in Sweden, as she believed them to be heretics, but she agreed to respect their beliefs in exchange for properties. Between 1593 and 1598, she had five children, but only one lived to adult hood as Vladislaus IV Vasa of Poland. Her last pregnancy would claim her life. Anne was only 24 years old. Later, her husband married her sister, Constance.

1682 – Louis de France, Duke of Burgundy is born at Versailles to Louis, the Dauphin. Versailles was the court of his grandfather, Louis XIV. As he grew up, he was known as the Petit Dauphin, and his father the Grand Dauphin, until 1711, when the Grand Dauphin died. When he was twenty, he began to take a role in politics and was a part of his grandfathers council. At age 15, he had married Marie-Adelaide of Savoy, by which he had two children. However, sadly, in 1712, both he and his wife died from the measles, leaving their only son, the future Louis XV, an orphan.

Deaths:
1419 – Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia died in Prague. He had been King of Germany since 1376, and King of Bohemia since 1378. He spent most of his time in Bohemia, and because of his lack of time in Germany, he was deposed as King in 1400, but remained King of Bohemia. He had married twice, but no children.

1445 – Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France died of a fever at approximately age 20. She was the eldest child of James I, and the sister of the future James II. When she was about 11 years old, she was sent to France to marry the Dauphin, the future Louis IX. The marriage was a political alliance, and they would have no children. She was popular at court for her grace and beauty.

1921 – King Peter I of Serbia died at age 77. Born in 1844 he became King of Serbia in 1903, and attempted to make Serbia like other modern constitutional monarchies. He became very popular for his leadership during the Balkan Wars, and despite being somewhat inactive during World War I, he still visited the front lines. During the war, his health began to fail, so his son, Prince Alexander, took on most of his duties. In 1918, the Kingdom of Serbia became the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Even after his death, he remained popular as a hero and father of the Serbian and Yugoslavian nations.

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!

June 22nd

22 Saturday Jun 2013

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Events:
1377 – Richard II is declared King of England, following the death of his grandfather, Edward III, the previous day.
Richard was the son of Edward, the Black Prince, and would rule until his overthrow at the hands of his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke.

1906 – Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of the United Kingdom are crowned as King and Queen in Trondheim’s Nidaros Cathedral.

1911 – The coronation of King George V of the United Kingdom, the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, along with his wife, Queen Mary, took place at Westminster Abbey in London. The Festival of the Empire started the following day at the Crystal Palace, as part of the celebrations.

1958 – Olav V of Norway is consecrated as King of Norway. He was widely popular and called “The People’s King”.

Birthdays:
1912 – Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born today in Coburg, Germany. She was the younger daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, through her son, Prince Leopold. She was married three times throughout her life, but after the war, her family was decimated. She lived out her days in Germany, dying in 1983.

Deaths:
1961 – Queen Maria of Yugoslavia died in London, in exile. She was the daughter of Ferdinand I and Maria of Romania, and married Alexander I of Yugoslavia. Her husband was assassinated in France in 1934, and her son became Peter II. Recently in 2013, her body was allowed to be moved from its burial place in London, to her home in Serbia, where she was always very popular.

Have a great day!

February 5th

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Events:
1576 – Henry II of Navarre publicly renounces Catholicism and continues to assist the Hugenots. However in 1589 upon his accession to the French throne as Henry IV, he would convert to Catholicism saying that “Paris was worth a mass.”

1885 – Belgian king Leopold II formally established the Congo Free State under his rule, to extend Belgium’s land holdings.

Birthdays:
1515 – Rene of Chalon is born in Breda, the Netherlands. He would go on to become Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utretcht, and Gelre. He would later be mortally wounded in battle fighting alongside Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. He would have no heirs, so the Prince of Orange title would fall to his cousin William, known as William the Silent.

1972 – Mary, the current Crown Princess of Denmark is born on the island of Tasmania. She would meet her future husband Frederik in 2000 in a pub, while he was visiting Australia for the Olympics. Her husband is next in line for the crown and she will be Queen consort of Denmark.

1980 – Peter, Hereditary Prince of Yugoslavia is born in Chicago to the deposed Crown Prince Alexander. He is a grandson of King Peter II of Yugoslavia. He’s lived throughout the US and UK, and is actually in line for the British crown, albeit too far back to ever succeed to the throne.

Deaths:
1818 – Charles XIII and II of Sweden and Norway respectively dies at age 69. He had no children so the renowned French military man, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected to be his successor, and was already acting as regent due to Charles’ poor health. Jean became known as Charles XIV & III John of Sweden and Norway. His House of Bernadotte still rules Sweden, but when the union between Norway and Sweden was dissolved in 1905, they did not rule that country any longer.

January 15th

15 Tuesday Jan 2013

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Events:
1541 – French king Francis I gives a commission to explore and settle the lands called “New France” (modern day Canada) for the spread of the Catholic faith.

1559 – In Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth I of England is crowned as Queen regnant. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who was excuted when Elizabeth was still a toddler. She was a supersitious woman, and had consulted her astrologers who determined that if she was crowned today, her reign would be long and prosperous.

1991 – Elizabeth II signs letters patent, under her authority as Queen of Australia, to allow the country of Australia to begin giving its own Victoria cross medals. The medal is the highest award for Australians in “recognition to persons who in the presence of the enemy, perform acts of the most conspicuous gallantry, or daring or pre-eminent acts of valour or self-sacrifice or display extreme devotion to duty.” There have only been 4 awarded so far.

Birthdays:
1432 – The future Afonso V of Portugal is born in Sintra, Portugal as the son to King Edward of Portugal and Queen Eleanor. He would become King at age and would rule under a regency until 1448. He would also be known as “Afonso the African” because of his wars and conquests there.

1882 – Princess Margaret of Connaught is born to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, son of Queen Victoria. In 1905 she would marry Swedish Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and give him 5 children before her sudden death at age 38, while pregnant with their 6th child. According to her will, she was not buried in a church, but rather in the graveyard Haga. Her nickname “Daisy” derived from the French/one of the German words for the flower sounding similar to her name.

1902 – King Saud of Saudi Arabia is born to King Abd al-Aziz in Kuwait. He would become King in 1953, but was an ineffective ruler and would be removed from power in 1964. He would die five years later, living in exile in Greece.

1945 – A not-so-dead royal birthday today, Princess Michael of Kent, or Marie Christine, is born in Karlsbad, Sudetenland, back then part of Germany, now part of the Czech Republic. She would marry Prince Michael of Kent, first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II in 1978. She does not carry out any official duties and because she is a Roman Catholic, her husband gave up his place in the line of succession to marry her.

1982 – Prince Alexander and Prince Philip of Yugoslavia were born today to the exiled Yugoslavian royal family, living in the US. Alexander is currently living in California, and Phillip in England. They are 108th and 109th in line to the crown of the United Kingdom as well.

Deaths:
1781 – Mariana Victoria of Spain died in Portugal. She was born in Spain as a daughter of Phillip V and Elisabeth Farnese. Briefly she was engaged to Louis XV of France, but the marriage never came to be. Instead, she was married to Joseph I of Portugal, and served as Queen consort of Portugal from 1750, until 1777. Her daughter would rule next, as Maria I, with Mariana serving as Regent.

January 6th

06 Sunday Jan 2013

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Events:
1066 – Harold Godwinson is crowned as King of England in London the day after the death of Edward the Confessor. This would lead to the Norman invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy, who claimed that Edward wanted him as successor.

1492 – Ferdinand and Isabella march triumphantly into Grenada, Spain after driving out the Moors and thus completing the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula.

1540 – Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife, who was the daughter of a German Duke. Anne was not what Henry believed her to be and was looking for a way out of the marriage before it began. Six months later it would be annulled on grounds of her pre-contract and non-consummation of the marriage. Anne did not fight the annullment as was rewarded with several houses and a yearly pension.

1929 – King Alexander of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, suspends the countries constitution, in a move which is called the January 6th dictatorship today. The Constitution would not be reinstated until Alexanders assassination in 1934.

1978 – The Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen was returned to Hungary. It was being held previously in the US, since World War II. The crown had been given to the Americans for safe keeping by the Hungarian Crown Guard, from the Soviets.
It joined the rest of the surviving Hungarian coronation regalia, and they all reside on display in the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Birthdays:
1367 – The future Richard II of England is born in Aquitaine to the Prince of Wales, Edward, who was the son of Edward III. Richard would become King at 10 years old, after the deaths of his father and grandfather. Richard would be part of putting down the Peasants Revolt of 1381, but was ultimately deposed in 1399, for his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV.

1655 – Future Holy Roman Empress Eleonor Magdalene of Nueberg is born in Dusseldorf. Her husband became Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, but being that she was very pious, she initally wanted to be a nun, and her religous fervor carried over to her household and court. Her son became Joseph I of the Holy Roman Empire and her granddaughter would be the indomitable Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

1900 – Maria, Queen of Yugoslavia is born in Romania. She was the daughter Ferdinand I of Romania and Marie of Edinburgh (or Marie of Romania). Called “Mignon”, she married King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in 1922. They would have three children, including the future Peter II of Yugoslavia, the last king of that nation. Loved and respected by the people for her humanitarian work, she eventually moved to England after the death of her husband, where she died in 1961. Her remains were buried there until 2013, when her body was exhumed and moved back to Serbia.

No major deaths.

Have an awesome day!!

December 16th

16 Sunday Dec 2012

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Events:
1431 – Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at age 10. His father, Henry V, had been named heir of France by Charles VI. The younger Henry’s entire reign was disputed as the Hundred Years War waged on.

1653 – Oliver Cromwell is sworn in as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland after the dissolution of Parliament. King Charles I had been executed in 1649 and the rest of his family was in exile. Oliver would rule until his death, but the Protectorate would fall apart shortly thereafter.

Birthdays:
1485 – A daughter is born to Spain’s power couple, Isabella and Ferdinand, named Catherine. She would later be married to the Prince of Wales, Arthur Tudorm and after Arthur’s death, she married his younger brother, the future Henry VIII. She would bare him several children, only one surviving into adulthood, a daughter Mary. When Catherine could no longer have children, Henry attempted to have the marriage dissolved, but she would not budge, and it was one of the catalysts of the English Reformation.

1790 – The future Leopld I of Belgium is born in Germany. He would be elected King of Belgians after Belgium gained its independance from the Netherlands. He was the uncle of both Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert.

1888 – Alexander I of Yugoslavia is born in Montenegro. He became King after his families restoration and his fathers death in 1921. He officially had the countries name changed from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croates, and Slovenes to the Kingdom of Yugoslovia. He would be assassinated in France while on a state visit in 1934.

Deaths:
1325 – Charles, Count of Valois, died at age 55. He was a general during his nephew, Charles IV of France’s, territorial disputes with Edward II of England. His son would later become Phillip IV of France and found this House of Valois.

Have an awesome day!!

 

November 3rd

03 Saturday Nov 2012

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Today in 1935, a referendum passed by an overwhelming majority in Greece to restore the monarchy, which brought the exiled King George II back to the country and power. He would rule for another 12 years.
One birthday of note today. Coming in 1895 from Russia, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna was the first born child to Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra. During World War I, she would work as a nurse and administrator for a hospital, until her families arrest by the Bolsheviks. She would be assassinated along with the rest of her family in 1918.
And our only death today comes in 1970, as Peter II of Yugoslavia, the third and last King of Yugoslavia. Peter became King at 11 after the assassination of his father. He had a regent until he was 17 in 1941. Yugoslavia was invaded by the Nazi’s later tha year and Peter went to live and run the government resistance from England. The monarchy was abolished in 1945, and Peter moved to the US, where he died and remains today.
Have an awesome day!!!