All About Royal Families

On December 31st. 335, Pope Sylvester I died in Rome (Italy). Sylvester I became pope in 314. Pope Sylvester I and Emperor Constantine  Source painting: Wikipedia Pope Sylvester & History Emperor Constantine didn't like the Pope. The Emperor wanted more Power but the Pope prevented this.  According to a legend, Emperor Constantine once had leprosy. He only could survive by bathing in blood of Children. But in a night two Apostles (Petrus & Paulus) appeared before Emperor Constantine. They dictated that he would survive if the Pope would come to his palace. When the Pope came, Emperor Constantine healed immediately. As thanks he offered the Pope a Palace.  Pope Sylvester I Source picture: Wikipedia Pope Sylvester & New Year's Eve Due to his death in 335 on December 31st., New Year's Eve sometimes is called Sylvester. I remember something from my childhood. At home at the last day of the year there was...

Thermae Palace Hotel can be listed as Historical Hotel but it also is a Royal Destination on its own. Thermae Palace Hotel Ostend  Thermae Palace Hotel Ostend, Belgium Royal Galeries in Ostend, Belgium King Leopold II of Belgium wanted a lot for Ostend. He wished a Thermal Center. In 1856, Mineral Water was discovered in the Leopold Park in Ostend. King Leopold II of Belgium Source picture: Wikipedia Not until 1933, his plans were achieved. On June 28th. 1933 the opening of the Thermae Palace Hotel was celebrated. King Albert I of Belgium and his wife Queen Elisabeth were present at the opening. From 1940 till 1980, the hotel and the thermale source were not exploited. In 2002, the hotel was listed as 'Protected Monument' and 'Cultural Heritage'. Nowadays it is still a hotel after a strong renovation process. There are 10 suites and 149 other rooms.There also are a lot of conference rooms. The conference rooms are all named...

On December 30th. 1662, Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria died in Kaltern. Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria Source picture: Wikipedia Ferdinand Charles was born on May 17th. 1628. His parents were Archduke Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici. In 1632, Ferdinand Charles became Archduke after his father's death. Ferdinand Charles married his first cousin Anna de' Medici (born in 1616). Painting of the Marriage of Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria and Anna de'Medici Source: Wikipedia She became a patron of art. He loved music. The Italian Opera was performed on his court.

Elizabeth, also known as Elizaveta Petrovna, was born on December 29th. 1709 in Moscow (Russia). Elizabeth of Russia Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Peter I and Catherine I of Russia.  On December 6th. 1741 she became Empress of Russia.  On January 5th. 1762, Empress Elizabeth died in Saint Petersburg. Empress Elizabeth of Russia Source picture: Wikipedia

Margaret of Parma was born on 5 July 1522 in Oudenaarde (now Belgium). Margaret of Parma Source picture: Wikipedia She was the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Charles V and Johanna Maria van der Gheynst. In 1529, Margaret was acknowledged by her father, Charles V. She recieved the title Margaret of Austria. The young woman grew up with her great-aunt Margaret of Austria and Mary of Austria. They were both governors of The Netherlands. Later she grew up in Italy. In 1536, she married Alesandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence. He was murdered in 1537. Allesandro de' Medici Source picture: Wikipedia In 1538, Margaret married Ottavio Farnesse, Duke of Parma. Ottavio Farnesse Source picture: Wikipedia In 1555, she left Italy. Margaret was appointed by her (half) brother Philips II of Spain, as governor of the Netherlands (like her aunts). In 1583, she returned to Italy. Margaret died in 1586 in Ortona.

On December 26th. 1737, Prince Frederick Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was born in Ehrenburg Palace in Coburg (Germany). Prince Frederick Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Duke Francis Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Anne-Sophie, Princess of Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt.  He became a military general in Austrian Service. Prince Josisias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was the great-uncle of King Leopold I of Belgium. The Prince retired in Coburg where he died later in 1815. Own picture taken in Coburg (Germany)

On December 25th. 1584, Margaret of Austria was born in Graz. Margaret of Austria Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Charles II (son of Ferdinand I) of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria. Her elder brother was Archduke Ferdinand who became in 1619 Emperor of Austria. Two of her sisters became Queen of Poland. Margaret married her first cousin Philip (III & II), King of Spain and Portugal. Philip, King of Spain and Portugal Source picture: Wikipedia They had a close relationship and she became an influential figure at her  husband's Court. Margaret was an important patron of the arts.

On December 23rd. 1777,  Alexander I of Russia was born in Saint Petersburg (Russia). Alexander I of Russia Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Paul I of Russia and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. Alexander I of Russia married Louise of Baden. She took the name: Elizabeth Alexeievna. They had 2 daughters. Alexander I of Russia was well known for his wars against Napoleon of France. He died on December 1st. 1825 (O.S. = November 19th.) What does O.S. & N.S. mean? This means the use of the Julian calendar or the Gregorian Calendar. Catholic Countries like, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Italy were the first countries to change to the Gregorian Calendar (N.S.). Other countries like Imperial Russia used the Julian Calendar (O.S).

On December 21st./22nd. 1603, Mehmed III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire died. He was born on May 26th. 1566 at the Manisa Palace (now located in Turkey). Mehmed III Source picture: Wikipedia He was a member of the House of Osman. Coat of Arms: House of Osman Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Murad III, Emperor of Ottoman and Safiye Sultan, a Venetian noblewoman.

Amalia of Oldenburg was born on December 21st. 1818. Amalia of Oldenburg Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg and Princess Adelheid of Anhalt- Bernburg-Schaumburg - Hoym. In 1836, Amalia of Oldenburg married Prince Otto of Bavaria (son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria). Prince Otto of Bavaria was appointed as King of Greece. So, Amalia of Oldenburg became Queen Consort of Greece. King Otto and Queen Consort Amalia in Athens Source painting: Wikipedia Amalia of Oldenburg and her husband were unable to produce an heir. That caused political tensions. Besides that, she stayed protestant in an Orthodox country. Amalia of Oldenburg had influence on fashion in Greece. She created a romantic folk dress, which became the traditional Greek Costume or the Amalia dress. Amalia of Oldenburg Source picture: Wikipedia In 1862, there was a new coup in Greece. Otto I and Amalia of Oldenburg returned to Bavaria. Amali...

John III of Sweden was born on December 20th. 1537. Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Gustav I of Sweden and Margaret Leijonhufvud. In 1568, John became King of Sweden. He reigned till his death in 1592.

On December 19th. 1916, King Thibaw Min died in Ratnagiri, India. Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were King Mindon and the Princess of Laungshe. In 1878 Thibaw Min became the last King of Burma (now Myanmar).  In 1885 he abdicated. He and his family exiled to India.  Source painting: Wikipedia

On December 18th. 1878, the foundation of the state Qatar took place. Today it is the National Day of Qatar. Qatar is located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Penisula and it is  bordered by Saudi Arabia (South) and the Persian Gulf. The Persian Gulf separates Qatar from Bahrain. After the Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British Protectorate until 1971.However Qatar is ruled by members of the House of Thani since the 19th. century. Nowadays Qatar is a hereditary constitutional monarchy and the head of state is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He has the title 'Emir'. Happy National Day, Qatar! Flag of Qatar: picture: Wikipedia

King Alfonso II of Naples died on December 18th. 1495 in Messina (Sicily). He was born on November 4th. 1448 in Naples (Italy). King Alfonso II of Naples Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Ferdinand I of Naples and Isabella of Taranto. Alfonso II married Ippolita Maria Sforza (member of a powerful family in Milan). Together they had 3 children.  In 1494 he became King of Naples. He also was a Duke of Calabria. 

Well, Hotel Adlon in Berlin (Germany) certainly is a hotel that can be listed as 'Historical Hotel'. The back of Hotel Adlon and the Holocaust Memorial Berlin - Own picture On its opening on October 23rd. 1907, the Kaiser, Wilhelm (William) II of Germany and his wife were present. The Kaiser was proud of Hotel Adlon. He invited important guests like Tsar Nicholas II of Russia who stayed at the hotel. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany Source picture: Wikipedia During the 'roaring twenties', Hotel Adlon stayed the place-to-be. It hosted a lot of important guests like Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, Josephine Baker,  Marlene Dietrich and Franklin Roosevelt.  During World War II, hotel Adlon continued to operate 'normally'. It even made a bomb shelter for its guests. Parts of the hotel were transformed to an hospital at the end of the War.  In 1945, the hotel was hit by a fire.  In 1984, the old building of Hotel Adlon wa...

Readers of this blog know that I like Austria and its Royal History of the House of Habsburg very much. If you are interested into this Royal family, check the page  House of Habsburg on top of my blog or on this link .  Besides its History, Austria offers an amazing landscape of mountains, waterfalls, lakes and trees. Krimml Waterfalls Austria The Krimml Waterfalls have an height of 380 meters, they are the highest in Austria. It is a glacial stream and it joins the Salzach, then it flow into the Inn, the Danube and finally in the Black Sea. The Krimml Waterfalls really fascinated me and I hope to discover more  of this nice places. 

On December 17th. 1267, Emperor Go-Uda of Japan was born. Emperor Go-Uda Source picture: Wikipedia Go-Uda became the 91st. Emperor of Japan in 1274. He reigned till 1287.  He died in 1324.

On December 16th. 1485, Catherine of Aragon was born in Madrid (Spain). Catherine of Aragon Source picture: Wikipedia On June 11th. 1509, Catherine of Aragon married Henry VIII of England. On June 23rd 1509, Catherine's coronation was in the Westminster Abbey. The coronation banquet was in Westminster Hall. In 1516, Catherine became pregnant of a girl called Mary. Source picture: Wikipedia Henry VIII wanted a son. In 1525 he became in love with Anne Boleyn. Henry asked the pope to agree with a divorce. The pope refused. Henry VIII started his own religion. In 1533, Henry VIII divorced from Catherine. She lost her title as Queen. She moved to a castle far from the court. In 1536, Catherine died from a kind of cancer.

On December 15th. 37, Nero was born in Antium near Rome (Italy). Statue of Nero Source picture: Wikipedia From 54 til 68 he became emperor of the Roman Empire. In 64, the Great Fire of Rome took place. It was uncertain who or what caused the fire. Some sources accused the Christians to start the fire, others accused Nero himself. Painting of the Great Fire of Rome Source picture:Wikipedia Nero died on June 9th. 68. He committed suicide.  

On December 14th. 1787,  Maria Ludovika of Austria was born as a daughter of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este. They were members of the House of Austria-Este, a branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. Maria Ludovika of Austria - Source picture: Wikipedia She was the third wife of Emperor Francis of Austria. Emperor Francis of Austria Source picture:  Wikipedia In 1816, she died from tuberculosis. Maria Ludovika of Austria was only 28 years old. She is buried in the Royal Crypt in Vienna. 

On December 13th. 1553, Henry IV of France was born. Henry IV of France Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Queen Jeanne III of Navarre and Antoine de Bourbon. First Henry married Margaret of Valois (daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici). Margaret of Valois painted by Rubens Source picture: Wikipedia Their wedding took place on August  18th. 1572 in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. On August 24th. 1572, Saint Bartholomew's  Day Massacre started in Paris. Several thousand Protestants who came to the wedding were killed.  Henry could escape.  Henry's first marriage was not a happy one. It remained childless.  They seperated. In 1600 he married Marie de Medici. Marie de Medici Source picture: Wikipedia Henry IV became King of France in 1589. He died on May 14th. 1610. 

On December 12th. 1574, Anne of Denmark was born at Skanderborg Castle in Denmark. Anne of Denmark Source picture: Wikipedia Anne was born on 12 December 1574 at the castle of Skanderborg on the Jutland Peninsula in the Kingdom of Denmark to Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and King Frederick II of Denmark.  In need of a male heir the King had been hoping for a son, and Sophie gave birth to a son, Christian IV of Denmark, three years later. With her older sister, Elizabeth, Anne was sent to be raised at Güstrow by her maternal grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg. Christian was also sent to be brought up at Güstrow but two years later, in 1579, his father the King wrote to his parents-in-law, to request the return of his sons, Christian and Ulrich, (probably, at the urging of the Rigsråd, the Danish Privy Council), and Anne and Elizabeth returned with him. Anne enjoyed a close, happy family upbringing in Denmark, thanks largely to Queen Sophie, who nursed the c...

On December 11th. 1792, King Louis XVI of France was brought to the Temple to stand before the convention and hear his indictment: an accusation of high treason and crimes against the state. @ the picture: King Louis XVI in the Temple. Source: Wikipedia The Temple was a medieval fortress in Paris (France). Source picture: Wikipedia In 1806, it became a place of pilgrimage for royalists. Napoleon gave the order to demolish the fortress.

My TreeTuesday picture is from Switzerland.  My husband and I stayed in a beautiful place called Kandersteg.  As you can see, it is surrounded by mountains and trees.  nature around Kandersteg Switzerland Kandersteg also is known for its International Scout Center.

On December 10th. 1865, Leopold I, the first King of Belgium died in Laeken, near Brussels. Painting of King Leopold I of Belgium  own picture Leopold I was born on December 16th. 1790 in Coburg (Germany). His parents were Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Countess Augusta Reuss-Ebersdorf. In 1795, Leopold was appointed as colonel of the Izmaylovsky Guards  Regiment in Russia. In 1815, he reached the rank of Lieutenant general. in the Imperial Russian Army. Russian Imperial Army - Source picture: Wikipedia In 1816, Leopold married Princess Charlotte of Wales. She was the second in line for the British throne. In 1817, Princess Charlotte delivered a stillborn son. She died a day later. On October 4th. 1830, Belgium became independent from The Netherlands. In June 1831, Leopold accepted to become the first King of the Belgians. On June 21th. 1831, he swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution. Brussels - ...