All About Royal Families

St. Rumbold's Cathedral, in Mechelen, is one of the most iconic buildings of Belgium. The cathedral also has a great history and even a huge art collection. St. rumbold's Cathedral - Mechelen - Belgium History The construction of St. Rumbold's started shortly after 1200 and it was used as a church around 1312. In 1342, a fire broke out and Jean d'Oisy managed the repairs in High Gothic Style. St. Rumbold's Cathedral wit Maria of Austria Statue in Mechelen Between 1452-1520 the tower was built. Pilgrims financed it and later the city of Mechelen did. In 1559 the church became a cathedral. The interior has a Baroque high altar and choir, as well as paintings made by inter alia: Anthony van Dyck and Michiel Coxie. Choir St. Rumbold's Cathedral Some facts The unfinished Tower of the St. Rumbold's Cathedral is now a World Heritage monument. It is 97,28 meters high and it counts 514 steps. The carillon's set con...

Anne of Cleves was born on September 22nd. 1515 in Düsseldorf, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire, now located in Germany. Family Her parents were John III, Duke of Cleves and Maria of Jülich-Berg. Anne of Cleves grow up at Schloss Berg near Solingen. Love and Marriage On January 6th. 1540, King Henry VIII of England married Anne of Cleves. When the King met his wife for the first time he didn't like her at all! Their marriage didn't last long. In July 1540, King Henry VIII asked for a divorce. Anne received a lot of money and she could live in some mansions like: Hever Castle; Richmond Castle ... Anne received the title: "Sister of the King". She was a welcome guest at the Royal Court. Death On July 16th 1557, Anne of Cleves died in England at the age of 41. She was buried in Westminster Abbey. Source picture: Wikipedia

Louis I, Duke of Anjou was born on July 23rd. 1339 at the Château de Vincennes, near Paris in France. Family Louis I, Duke of Anjou was the second son of King John II of France and Bonne of Bohemia. Love and Marriage In 1360, Louis married Marie of Blois, a daughter of Charles, Duke of Brittany and Joanna of Dreux. Louis and Marie would have 3 children. Louis founded the Angevin branch of the French Royal House. Duty Louis was present at the Battle of Poitiers (1356) although he lost the fight. Together with his elder brother, Charles, he escaped and avoided to be taken captive by the English. From 1380 till 1382, Louis served as regent for France. In 1382, Louis left France to claim the throne of Naples. He was adopted by Queen Joanna of Naples, as she was childless. However there were force oppositions against him. Death Louis I, Duke of Anjou died suddenly on September 20th. 1384 in Bisceglie, Italy. Source picture: Wikipedia

Margrethe Françoise Louise Helene was born on September 17th. 1895 at Bernstorff Palace in Denmark. Family ties Her parents were Prince Valdemar of Denmark and Princess Marie of Orléans. Princess Margaret was thus a granddaughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel (through her father). Princess Margaret was raised as a Roman Catholic, the faith of her mother. Love and Marriage On June 9th. 1921, Princess Margaret married in Copenhagen, Prince René of Bourbon Parma. Prince René of Bourbon Parma was the brother of Empress Zita of Austria and of Felix, the Consort of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg as well. Prince René and Princess Margaret would have 4 children. One of them, Anne, would marry King Michael I of Romania. World War II Most of the time, Princess Margaret and her husband lived in France. However with the outbreak of World War II, they fled for the Nazi's. Death After the war, the couple settled i...

September 15th. 1864 marks the birth of Prince Sigismund of Prussia. He was born at the New Palace in Potsdam, Germany. Family Prince Sigismund of Prussia was the fourth child and third son of Crown Prince William Frederick of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal. He was thus a grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (through his mother) and from Wilhelm I, German Emperor (through his father). Death Prince Sigismund of Prussia died from meningitis on June 18th. 1866. He was the first grandchild of Queen Victoria, who died. Prince Sigismund was buried in the Royal Mausoleum of the Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Potsdam. Source picture: Wikipedia

Frederick Charles of Württemberg-Winnental was born on September 12th. 1652 in Stuttgart (now Germany). Family His parents were Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental and Anna Catharina von Salm-Kyrburg. Love and Marriage On October 31st. 1682, Frederick Charles of Württemberg-Winnental married Eleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach. They would have 7 children. Duty On November 26th. 1677 Frederick Charles of Württemberg-Winnental acted as regent over Württemberg. This ended on January 16th. 1693, when his nephew, Eberhard Louis reached his majority. After his regency Frederick Charles of Württemberg-Winnental received an amount of money and he was appointed as Generalfeldmarschall of the Kaiser. Frederick Charles fought against the French on the Rhine during the Nine Years' War. He lost and he had to withdraw his army. Several hundred men were killed or captured by the French. Death In 1696 he fell ill of Syphilis. On December 20th. 1697 Fre...

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, really has a hidden gem. This is not the Royal Palace, but without any doubts: the Coudenberg Palace. The Coudenberg Palace certainly must have been a spectacular place during the reign of the Dukes of Burgundy. The Coudenberg Palace - How it once was - Source picture: Wikipedia Maquette of the Coudenberg Palace - Own Picture Philip the Good, gave the order to build new wings for this palace, he also stipulated that the Palace Park should be redecorated. He even built the Aula Magna, a gigantic room for Royal Receptions and other festivities. Aula Magna - Palace Coudenberg - Brussels - Own Picture One of the first regular meetings of the States General of the Burgundian Netherlands were held at the Coudenberg Palace Coudenberg Palace - Brussels - Own picture Many important events of the Low Countries took place here. For example: In 1515, Margaret of Austria released her duty of governor of the Netherlands. ...

September 7th. 1683 marks the birth of Maria Anna of Austria. This took place in Linz. Family Her parents were Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg. Maria Anna was the sister of Joseph I and Charles VI, both Holy Roman Emperors. She also was an aunt of Maria Theresa, Austria's first Queen regnant. Love and Marriage On October 27th. 1708, Maria Anna of Austria married John V, King of Portugal. They would have 6 children. Duty She was Queen Consort till July 31st. 1750, when her husband died. Maria Anna even was regent during the illness of her husband. As Queen Consort and regent, she had great influence. She liked to hold big parties and invited the nobility for a magnificent festival. Death Maria Anna died in the Palace of Belém on August 11th. 1754. Her body was buried in Lisbon while her heart returned to the imperial crypt in Vienna. Source picture: Wikipedia

September 2nd. 1883 marks the birth of Archduchess Elisabeth Maria Henriette Stephanie Gisela of Austria. This event took place at Schloss Laxenburg. Elisabeth, with her mother Stéphanie Family Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria was the daughter of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Princess Stéphanie of Belgium. Her grandparents were Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also called Sisi.  Her maternal grandparents were King Leopold II of Belgium and his wife, Marie Henriette of Austria.  Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria received the name Erzsi from her family. She was Franz Joseph's favorite granddaughter. Erzsi was only five years old, when her father and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, died in the Mayerling drama. After the death of her father, Franz Joseph took the guardianship over Erzsi.  She could not leave Austria with her mother. In 1900 Stéphanie married the younger Hungar...