All About Royal Families

June 2nd. 1737 marks the birth of Ernest Augustus II Constantine. This took place in Weimar, Germany. Family Ernest Augustus II was the eldest and only surviving son of Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Youth When Ernest Augustus II was 11 years old, in 1748, his father died. Duke Frederick III of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg and Duke Franz Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld were regents of the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. The young Duke, Ernest Augustus II moved to Duke Frederick in Gotha. Duke Frederick made sure that Ernest Augustus II received a proper education. Reign At the age of 18, in 1755 Ernest Augustus II started to reign. However chancellors advised him to marry quickly to pronounce an heir for his Duchy. This was due to his illness as a child. Love and Marriage On March 16th. 1756 Ernest Augustus II married Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They would have 2 sons. Death Ern...

Adalbert, Margrave of Austria was born around 985 as the third son of Leopold I, Margrave of Austria and Richardis of Sualafeldgau. Love and Marriage Adalbert married twice. The first time he married Glismod of West-Saxony. They had no children. The second time Adalbert married Frozza Orseolo, a daughter of Otto Orseolo (Doge of Venice) and Grimelda of Hungary. Frozza was a sister of Peter, King of Hungary. Adalbert and Frozza would have one son together, called Ernest. Their son became Margrave of Austria too. Reign When Henri I, Margrave of Austria died in 1018, Adalbert succeeded his older brother. As Margrave he supported Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III with his battles against Hungary and Bohemia. Residence Adalbert lived in the Lower Austrian Babenberg in the Castle of Melk. Later the Melk Abbey was developed there. Death Adalbert died on May 26th. 1055 at Melk, Austria. Source pictures: Wikipedia

May 22nd. 1770 marks the birth of Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom. This happy event took place at Buckingham House, (now Buckingham Palace) in London. Family Her parents were King George III and his wife, Queen Charlotte, née Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. On June 17th. 1770 Princess Elizabeth was christened in the Great Council Chamber at the St. James's Palace in London. Her godparents were inter alia: - The Hereditary Prince of Hesse-Cassel; - The Princess of Nassau-Weilburg; - The Crown Princess of Sweden. Queen Victoria Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom was thus an aunt of the later Queen Victoria. The two had a correspondence with each other. Love and Marriage It is supposed that Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom had a secret marriage. She married George Ramus, a son of Nicholas Ramus, who had been a page of King George III. Princess Elizabeth would have a daughter with George, called Eliza. However this m...

Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi was born on May 20th. 1885 in Mecca, then a part of the Ottoman Empire. Family His parents were Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca and Abdiyah bint Abdullah. Faisal I was a member of the Hashemite dynasty. Duty Faisal I learned a lot of leadership from his father and in 1913 he was elected as representative for the city of Jeddah for the Ottoman parliament. Lawrence of Arabia On October 23rd. 1916, Faisal I met Captain T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. This captain wanted a large post-war Arabian state and he was looking for the right man to lead the Arab forces to achieve this aim. Between 1916-1918 Faisal led the army of rebellion and he confronted the Turks in what's now Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria. Faisal also worked together with the Allies during World War I. and with the capture of Damascus. Faisal's role in the Arab revolution was written in the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a book by ...

May 17th. 1891 marks the birth of Princess Alexandra. This took place at East Sheen Lodge in Richmond, England. Princess Louise and her children: Princess Maud and Princess Alexandra Family Princess Alexander was the daughter of Alexander Duff, 1st. Duke of Fife and Princess Louise of Wales. Duke of Fife is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.  Through her mother, Princess Alexander was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Love & Marriage First Princess Alexandra was secretly engaged with Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark, a son of King George I of the Hellenes. However this engagement was terminated. Instead Princess Alexandra married on October 15th. 1913, Prince Arthur of Connaught (a grandson of Queen Victoria). They would have one son. Duties Princess Alexandra (after her marriage styled as Princess Arthur of Connaught) did a lot of Royal Duties for her uncle King George V and later for her c...

Baldwin IX of Flanders, was crowned on May 16th. 1204 at the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul) as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. He 'reigned' under Baldwin I. Family Baldwin IX of Flanders was a son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut and Margaret of Flanders. Latin Empire The Latin Empire also known as the Empire of Romania or the Latin Empire of Constantinople or the Latin occupation was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the fourth crusade. It was founded in 1204 and lasted till 1261. Death In 1205 there came a huge revolt and since then Baldwin I was captured. His family didn't know what happened to him. Later, in 1206, it became clear that Baldwin I had died, although the circumstances around his death weren't known. Do you want to know more about the Counts of Flanders and their Family? Check this link . Source pictures: Wikipedia

Marie of Brabant was born on May 13th. 1254 in Leuven (now located in Belgium). Parents Her parents were Henry III, Duke of Brabant and Adelaide of Burgundy. Marie of Brabant was by birth a member of the Noble House of Reginar. Love and Marriage On August 21st. 1274 Marie of Brabant married Philip III of France. Philip III of France was a widower and his first wife Isabella already gave him three sons. Marie of Brabant and Philip III of France also had three children: - Louis d'Évreaux; - Margaret (who would marry King Edward I of England); - Blanche (who would marry Rudolf I of Bohemia). At the Royal Court Philip III of France was strongly influenced by his mother Margaret of Provence and Marie wasn't popular at all. When Marie's stepson Louis died under suspicious circumstances, she was suspected. In the later years Philip III of France did seem more agree with his mother than with his wife. In a convent From 1285 (after the death of Ki...

King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy abdicated on May 9th. 1946 in favor of his son King Umberto II. Referendum However in June 1946 a referendum was held in Italy. 52 percent of the  voters chose for a Republic and the Kingdom of Italy was no more. Once the referendum was validated all the members of the House of Savoy were requested to leave Italy.  Egypt Victor Emmanuel exiled to Egypt. There he died on December 28th. 1947 at the age of 78.  Source picture: Wikipedia

Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach was born on May 8th. 1460 in Ansbach, (now located in the German State, Bavaria). Family His parents were Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and  Anna of Saxony. Anna was the daughter of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. Love and Marriage On February 14th. 1479 Frederick I married Sophia of Poland. She was the daughter of King Casimir IV of Poland.  The Royal Couple would have seventeen children. Reign In 1486 Frederick succeeded his father as Margrave of Ansbach and his younger brother as Margrave of Bayreuth (1495). Death Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach died on April 4th. 1536. Source pictures: Wikipedia

On May 7th. 1586, Francesco IV Gonzaga was born in Mantua (now Italy). Family His parents were Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Eleanor de' Medici. Francesco was the brother of inter alia: - Ferdinand I, who became later Duke of Mantua; - Margerita, who became Duchess of Lorraine; - Vincenzo II, who became later Duke of Mantua; - Eleonora, Holy Roman Empress (wife of Ferdinand II). Love & Marriage On February 19th. 1608, Francesco IV Gonzaga married Margaret of Savoy. She was the daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy. They would have 3 children, however two of them died very young. Only one daughter survived childhood. Reign In  February 1612 Francesco IV Gonzaga became Duke of Mantua. Death On December 22nd. 1612 Francesco IV Gonzaga died without male heirs. He was succeeded by his brother Ferdinand. Source pictures: Wikipedia

On May 5th. 1950, Bhumibol was crowned King of Thailand at the Royal Palace in Bangkok. Source Picture:Wikipedia Bhumibol said: "That he would reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the  Siamese People" . On the same day Bhumibol 's consort, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, was crowned Queen of Thailand. The date of this coronation, on May 5th., is celebrated as Coronation Day in Thailand. It also is a Public Holiday. Own pictures of the Royal Palace of Thailand in Bangkok, taken with a  disposable camera. The construction of this Royal Palace started on May 6th. 1782 at the  order of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I).   Bangkok Royal Palace Thailand Bangkok Royal Palace Thailand

One of the hidden gems in Ostend is Shin Kai Tei. This is an amazing beautiful Japanese garden in Ostend (Belgium). Japenese Garden Ostend hidden in the King's Park Royal Link On July 20th. 2001 Prince Philippe of Belgium (now King Philippe of the Belgians) opened the Japanese Garden Shin Kai Tei. Entrance Japanese Garden Ostend Belgium - Own picture Opening Hours Open: Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 till 18.00 h and daily during the School Holidays. Inside the Japanese Garden in Ostend Belgium - Own picture Shin Kai Tei means: Deep, Sea and Garden. Japanese Garden Ostend - own picture This beautiful and relaxing garden is free to visit! Japanese Garden Ostend - Own picture