All About Royal Families

My Happy Weekend picture was taken in 2015 during a visit to Bruges. Bruges is the capital of the Province of West Flanders, located in Belgium. It is famous for its historic center, which is listed on the World Heritage Site of UNESCO. The picture was taken from the Basilica of the Holy Blood. (in Dutch: Heilig-Bloedbasiliek, French: Basilique du Saint-Sang). This building has a great Royal History. Basilica of the Holy Blood - own picture Already in 1134 Thierry of Alsace ordered to build a private double chapel next to the Oud Steen, the first residence of the Counts of Flanders. This is now the Town Hall of Bruges. Thierry went on crusade a second time in 1147, during the Second Crusade. He returned to his capital, Bruges, on April 7th. 1150 with the relic of the Precious Blood, however the Bible never mentioned that Christ's blood was preserved. Every year there is in Bruges the Procession of the Holy Blood. This takes place each Ascension Day...

Emmanuel de Grouchy was born on October 23rd. 1766 in Paris. His parents were François-Jacques de Grouchy, 1st Marquis de Grouchy and Gilberte Fréteau de Pény. Grouchy married twice 1/ Cécile le Doulcet de Pontécoulant (1767-1827) they would have 4 children 2/ Fanny Hua (1802-1889) they would have one daughter. Despite his aristocratic birth, Grouchy always was a convinced supporter of the principles of the Revolution. Source picture: Wikipedia Timeline : 1779: Emmanuel de Grouchy entered the French artillery. 1782: he was transferred to the cavalry. 1786: he entered the Gardes du Corps. 1792: Grouchy became colonel of the Régiment de Condé-Dragons & Maréchal du camp. In that function he was sent to serve on  the south-eastern frontier.  1793: Grouchy distinguished himself in La Vendée and he was promoted as Général de division. 1799: he distinguished himself as a divisional commander in the campaign against the Austrians and the Russians. A...

May 28th. 1760 marks the birth of Alexandre de Beauharnais. His birth took place in Fort-de-France, Martinique. Alexandre's parents had been François de Beauharnais, marquess and Marie Henriette Pyvart de Chasstullé. On December 13th. 1779 Alexandre de Beauharnais married Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie (later she became Empress of the French Empire under the name Joséphine de Beauharnais). The couple would have 2 children. However their marriage was a bad one. He was most of the time absent due to his work, he hadn't any appreciation for the intellectual knowledge of his wife and above all he was unfaithful to her. Alexandre de Beauharnais - Source picture: Wikipedia During the American Revolutionary War, Alexandre fought in the army of King Louis XVI. He had rather an interesting professional career: * Deputy of the noblesse in the Estates-General * president of the National Constituent Assembly (1791) * Minister of war (1794) * General-...

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher was born on December 16th. 1742 in Rostock in the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in northern Germany. His family had been landowners in northern Germany since the 13th. century. At the age of 16 he joined the Swedish Army as Husar. During that time Sweden was at war with Prussia in the Seven Years' War. As Husar he gained much experience of light cavalry work. von Blücher - Source picture: Wikipedia In 1772, his spirit led him into excesses of all kinds such as an execution of a priest, suspected of supporting the Polish uprisings in 1772. Due to this action von Blücher was passed over for promotion to Major, but he sent a rude letter to King Frederick the Great and the King replied: 'Cavalry Captain von Blücher can go to the devil'. von Blücher settled down to farming. He was married twice. The first time was in 1773 to Karoline Amalie von Mehling (1756-1791) and in 1795 to Amalie von Colomb, sister...

I want to wish you all a Happy Pentecost. Pentecost - Source picture: Wikipedia Pentecost is an important feast in the Christian Liturgical Year. It became a feast to commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. Pentecost is celebrated after Easter Sunday. Pentecost Monday is in many countries a public holiday.  According to the legend King Arthur always gathered his knights at the round table for a feast on Pentecost.  

On May 19th. 2015, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and his wife Queen Máxima will visit Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (in English: Zeelandic Flanders). This region is located in the south-western part of The Netherlands and it is bordered in the south by Belgium. Location of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen - Source picture: Wikipedia In the history this region was a part of the County of Flanders, which was ruled by members of the House of Habsburg. After the Eighty Year's War this region became a part of the Dutch Republic. In 1815 it became a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. With the Belgian revolution of 1830 this region stayed with the Netherlands, so it was separated from of the Dutch Flanders (Belgium). own picture of Hulst market Square This region has a lot of beautiful cities and towns like Terneuzen, Sluis and Hulst. Hulst Town Hall - Own picture I like Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (Zeelandic Flanders) a lot, it is not far from my hometown and i...

Archduke Karl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria was born on July 30th. 1833 @ Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria - Source picture: Wikipedia His parents had been Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria. His siblings were inter alia Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico. According to many stories Karl Ludwig would marry his niece Sisi but she married Emperor Franz Joseph. Karl Ludwig married 3 times. 1/  On November 4th. 1856 in Dresden with his first cousin      Margaretha of Saxony. She died in 1858 and they had no children. 2/  On October 21st 1862 in Venice with Princess Maria Annunciata of      Bourbon-Two Sicilies. They would have 4 children inter alia      Franz Ferdinand of Austria (who was killed in Sarajevo in 1914).      Princess Maria Annunciata died in 1871. 3/  On July 23rd. 1873 in  Kleinhaubach ...

Every year I visit regularly the capital of Belgium: Brussels. During the month of August, the Royal Palace is open for public. Besides that I really like the Grand Place, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. City Hall @ the Grand Place in Brussels - Own picture In the 10th. century, Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine constructed a fort, which  was the seed for Brussels. A document from 1174 even mentioned the existence of a Lower Market. This was very well located on a busy road, who connected the wealthy Rhineland and the County of Flanders. At the beginning of the 13th. century there were 3 indoor markets and these  buildings belonged to the Duke of Brabant.  Between 1401 and 1455 the Town Hall was built. To counter this municipal power the Duke of Brabant built a large stone building across the Town Hall to show the Ducal power. This building was known as the King's House although no King really has lived there. King's Ho...

Trainworld (Schaarbeek) May 5th. 1835 marks an important historical event for Belgium. The first Rail Transport in Belgium between Brussels and Mechelen (in English: Mechlin) was opened. Railway Station in Sint-Niklaas After splitting from the Netherlands King Leopold of Belgium and his ministers decided to stimulate the industry. King Leopold I of Belgium Belgium became a railway center of the region. Nowadays Belgium still has a very good Railway connection between the major cities (although the punctuality could be better ...). The railwaystation of Brussels. Railway Station of Antwerp, Belgium

Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici was born on September 12th. 1492 in Florence (now Italy). Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici - Source picture: Wikipedia His parents had been Piero de' Medici (the Unfortunate) and Alfonsina Orsini. On June 13th. 1518 Lorenzo married Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne. They had one daughter, Catherine, who became the famous Queen of France. 21 days after the birth of his daughter, Lorenzo died from syphilis on May 4th. 1519. Lorenzo was buried in the de' Medici chapel in the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence.