All About Royal Families

Exact 100 years ago, on 28 September 1918, one of the major operations during World War I started. Battle of Flanders , picture taken @ Ypres, Belgium In the spring of 1918, the troops on both sides of the Western Front were stocked in the war in Flanders Fields. So they wanted to try to force an opening. This took place on 28 September 1918, when the Battle of Flanders began. There was a successful Anglo-Belgian attack on a 23 mile front from Diksmuide (Dixmude) to Ploegsteert. King Albert I of Belgium had the command over this military operation. The Uniform of King Albert I of Belgium from World War I The international coalition (Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Australia ...) captured the Houthulst Forest and more than 4,000 prisoners. In France, General Mangin advanced in the Champagne on the Aisne and the German army had to retire to the Ailette. But not only in Belgium or France armies were fighting against each other. The American army advance...

One of the most interesting noble families of Germany, certainly is the House of Württemberg. From their capital Stuttgart, in southwest Germany, they spread their wings across Europe. They really had lots of interesting links with many other royal families inter alia: Nassau (The Netherlands), Romanov (Russia), Bourbons, Orléans, Liechtenstein etc. Besides this enthralling links they also had a very nice royal history with some surprising facts. Royal history The House of Württemberg probably had its origins in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty. Around 1080, ancestors of the modern Württemberg, then called "Wirtemberg" settled themselves in the Stuttgart region. It was Conrad of Württemberg who became the heir of the House of Beutelsbach and built the Wirtemberg Castle. Around 1089 he received the title Count. In 1495, at the Diet of Worms, Count Eberhard V was raised to Duke, in German Herzog, by the later Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. ...

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend", Marilyn Monroe knew it already in 1953. However some royal jewelry really has a famous and very nice history on its own. In this blog post  about the jewelry Van Cleef & Arpels, I especially mentioned the former royal family of Iran because their crowns really were fantastic! Imperial Crown of Farah Pahlavi of Iran Source picture: Wikipedia On this picture, you see the Imperial Crown of Farah Pahlavi of Iran. This piece  of art was made by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1966. Some history of the company The jewelry company was founded in 1896 by Alfred van Cleef and  Salomon Arpels in Paris.  Later Alfred and two of his brothers-in-law, Charles and Julien, acquired space for Van Cleef & Arpels at 22, Place Vendôme, just across the Hôtel Ritz, where the jewelry company opened its first shop.  Place Vendôme in Paris, France own picture taken in 2017 Van Cleef & Arpels...

18 September 2009  is an important date in history for train lovers as me. Then the renewed railway station of Liège-Guillemins was officially opened with a big show by Franco Dragone. Philippe, then Crown Prince of Belgium and with a beard, attended the opening ceremony in Liège. Pictures on this link (text in Dutch) Liège-Guillemins railway station in Belgium own picture taken in 2018 Liège-Guillemins railway station is the main station of the city of Liège. This is the third largest city in Belgium. This station is used by 15,000 people every day, which makes it the eleventh busiest station in Belgium and the third in Wallonia. Waiting on a train in Liège-Guillemins own picture taken in 2018 However this futuristic railway station has a real interesting history. Some history In 1838, only three years after the first continental railway, a line linking Brussels and Ans, in the northern suburbs of Liège was opened.  The first railway station cal...

During the 2018 summer exhibition at the Royal Palace of Belgium two portraits of the late King Baudouin of Belgium, painted by his nephew Philippe, the current King of the Belgians, were shown. King Baudouin of Belgium painted by King Philippe of the Belgians Apparently King Philippe of the Belgians taught himself how to paint. The first portrait shows King Baudouin in a pensive mood with his dog and a walking stick. On this picture, people can see King Philippe of the Belgians in front of his painting of King Baudouin of Belgium. King Philippe of the Belgians in front of his painting of his uncle King Baudouin The other painting is a portrait of a smiling King Baudouin. King Baudouin painted by his nephew King Philippe of the Belgians The Paintings Though these paintings are rather modern, I must say I really like them. They display the late King Baudouin of Belgium in soft colours just the way people could remember him. The Belgian Royal fami...

On 24 Febuary 1500, the future Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V was born at Gent (in English: Ghent) in the Prinsenhof. On the picture of the painting, which is now at the STAM Museum at Gent, people can see a part of the christening procession of Charles V. The neighbourhood of the Prinsenhof is located from the Rabot to the Gravensteen. Unfortunately this huge castle was demolished in the 19th century. However this castle really has a great and even a royal history. Some royal history In 1064, Count Baldwin V of Flanders offered a swampy area for use to Burgrave Hugo II and his wife Oda. In 1323 this region came into the possession of Simon de Mirabello. Later this man was killed by the people of Gent. In 1340, Louis II, Count of Flanders was the owner. He rebuilt the place to a home that was fit for the Count of Flanders. These Counts were vazals of the King of France! Later this place was inherited by the Valois Dukes of Burgundy. In 1477 the joyous entry ...

On 11 September 1364 Christine de Pizan was born at Venice. Family Christine was the daughter of Tommasso di Benvenuto da Pizzano. Her father worked as a physician, court astrologer and Councillor of the Republic of Venice. Later, Christine's father accepted an appointment to the court of Charles V of France as the king's astrologer. In 1368 the family moved to Paris. In 1378 Christine de Pizan married Etienne du Castel, who was a notary and royal secretary. In 1389 Christine's husband died of the plague. Her father had died a year before. In order to support herself and her family Christine started writing. Christine de Pizan offered a book to Margaret of Burgundy A great career Around 1394 she wrote love ballads, which caught the attention of some wealthy patrons within the court. Pizan expressed a fervent love for France and its culture. She gifted or dedicated her early ballades to members of the royal family such as Isabeau of Bavari...

Recently I read an article in a German magazine about the noble family Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. It immediately took my attention because I'm very interested in the former royal families of Germany. See also my blog page on top of the blog or on this link . The article mentioned the quarrel in the family about the succession of the chief of the family Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. After the death of Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who was married to Princess Benedikte of Denmark, a succession war broke out in this noble house. Author picture: Holger Motzkau Two candidates wanted to be the head of the family. 1/ Prince Gustav zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (the son of Prince Richard); 2/ Prince Ludwig-Ferdinand zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. (nephew of Prince Richard), who claimed his rights from an old testament dating from 1943. However it was not this quarrel who took my attention. No, I wanted to  know more about the family's hi...

On 8 September 1831, there was a very important diner at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium. The Book with the diners' guest list of the royal palace in Brussels, Belgium That day, King Leopold I of Belgium held his opening speech before the first meeting of the brand new Belgian Parliament. This was just elected on 29 August 1831. 1831 really had lots of major changes for the recent founded country. That year, on 3 June 1831,  King Leopold I of Belgium (who was the widower of Princess Charlotte of Wales) was chosen as King of the Belgians by the National Congress. King Leopold I of Belgium own picture The 2018 summer exhibition of the royal palace in Brussels displays this remarkable document. On the first picture you can see that the table arrangement was written in French. At that time this was the most spoken language at the royal courts in Europe. Diner at the royal palace in Brussels, Belgium own picture  Lally Brown asked me on Twit...

Napoleon Bonaparte Satue own picture taken in 2017 Most people thought: Napoleon Bonaparte was the first Emperor of France, which is of course true. However his family, the Bonapartes did have a very important Italian Link. Museo Napoleonico in Rome, Italy own picture taken in 2017 Nowadays, the art collection of the Italian Link of the Bonaparte Family is shown at the Museo Napoleonico in Rome, Italy. Founder This museum displays the collection of Giuseppe Primoli, who was the great-grandson of Charles-Lucien Bonaparte. Giuseppe Primoli was the son of Princess Charlotte Bonaparte and the Count Primoli di Foglia. This Guiseppe belonged to the Roman branch of the Imperial Family. Museo Napoleonico in Rome, Italy own picture taken in 2017 The building This wonderful museum about the Bonaparte family is located at the Primoli palace (built in the 16th. century). In 1927, Giuseppe Primoli donated the palace to the city of Rome. The collection The...

During the summer exhibition of 2018 at the royal palace in Brussels, Belgium, two new amazing beautiful paintings were shown on the wall of the entrance hall. It immediately attracked the attention of all visitors.  King Philippe of Belgium - portrait own picture taken in September 2018 The first portrait is one of King Philippe of the Belgians. It was painted by Osvaldo Leite (from Uruguay). Queen Mathilde of Belgium own picture taken in september 2018 The second portrait is one of Queen Mathilde of the Belgians also painted by Osvaldo Leite. According to Modekoningin Mathilde, the Queen wore a dress designed by Giorgio Armani, to know more, check this link (text in Dutch).  About the painter Osvaldo Leite was born on 12 August 1943 in Departemento de Rivera in Uruguay. The paintings As an art lover, I really like these portraits. I hope that the royal couple of Belgium will acquire more of such paintings. So, the public will en...

Hans Axel von Fersen was born on 4 September 1755 at Stockholm in Sweden. Family His parents were Field Marshal Axel von Fersen the Elder and Countess Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie. The young Axel von Fersen was influenced by French culture, due to his father's services to King Louis XV of France. He learned French, Latin, English, German and Italian. He also had a military education. Languages Axel von Fersen spoke French, German, Italian and English. The Grand Tour In those days it was common that young members of noble families made their Grand Tour in Europe. On 3 July 1770, von Fersen made his first journey abroad. He visited Brunswick, Turin, Strasbourg and Lüneburg. In November 1772 von Fersen continued on to Turin in Italy. There he paid a visit to King Charles Emmanuel III. In January 1774 his travels took him to France where he met the reigning monarch King Louis XI of France and his mistress Madame du Barry. Then he also met Marie-Anto...

One of the most important noble families of Belgium certainly is the noble House de Merode. The de Merode family really has a long, interesting and even a royal history, which started already in the Middle Ages. Since a long time, their coat of arms had yellow and red colours and their motto is: "Plus d'honneur que d'honneur". Coat of Arms of de Merode Family Source picture: Wikipedia Some Royal History of the family de Merode came from a village located in Germany, in the city of Düren, which lies between Aachen and Köln. In the Middle Ages it was a part of the Duchy of Julich. Nowadays it is a part of the state: North Rhine-Westphalia. At the beginning de Merode family had the rank of Freiherr of the Holy Roman Empire, the family had possessions and influence in Köln and in the Rhineland. It was from the sons of  Werner III von Merode (born in 1278), that the two branches of the noble house descended. From the 14th century onwards...