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Showing posts from February, 2021

royal hobbies: coin collection

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The collection of coins for their artistic value was a development and a real royal hobby. My own modest coin collection from the royal Family of Belgium received by my co-worker History Historical records state that in Ancient Rome and medieval Mesopotamia coins were collected and catalogued by scholars and state treasuries.  Emperor Augustus sometimes presented old and exotic coins to friends and courtiers during festivals and other special occasions. More about Augustus on this link .  Coin collecting and appreciation began around the fourteenth century. During the Renaissance it became a must among the members of the priveleged classes, especially for Kings and Queens.  Many European Kings, princes and other nobility kept collections of ancient coins.  Collectors Emperor Maximilian I of Austria  (1459 - 1519) was a member of the House of Habsburg. He married to Mary of Burgundy.  Maximilian - Source picture Wikip...

Who was King Farouk of Egypt ?

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On 11 February 1920, His Sultanic Higness Farouk bin Fuad, the Hereditary Prince of Egypt and Sudan was born at the Abdeen Palace in Cairo, Egypt.  Family His parents were King Fouad I of Egypt and Nazli Sabri. He was a member of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. King Fouad I gave all of his children names starting with F after an Indian fortune-teller told him names starting with F would bring him good luck.  Early years Farouk was only allowed to see his mother once every day for one hour. He grew up in the very closeted world of the royal palaces and he never visited the Great Pyramids of Giza until he became a King.  Farouk however had a very spoiled upbringing with the servants when meeting him always getting down on their knees to first kiss the ground and then his hand.  Aside from his sisters, Farouk had no friends when growing up as Fuad would not allow any outsiders to meet him.  England In October 1935, Farouk left Egypt to settl...

The Roman Series: Roman Emperor Nero

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Most people know Roman Emperor Nero due to its bad reputation and his  role  in the Great Fire of Rome. But how did he become as he was? What's his  background? You'll read it in this post of the Roman Series.  Was Nero a bad guy?  Family Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus on 15 December 37 AD in Antium. He was the only son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahnobarbus and Agrippina the Younger. His maternal grandparents were Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder. Nero was thus a great-great grandson of Augusts and he descended from  the first Emperor's only daughter Julia.  Early Life in 40 AD Nero's father Domitius died. A few years before his death Domitius had been involved in a political scandal. The next year Nero's mother Agrippina had been caught up in a scandal on her own. She was suspected of adultery with her brother-in-law Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Agrippina and her sister Julia Livilla were banished by Calig...

Is auto racing a royal hobby?

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The noise of motors on the black asphalt ... the tension and of course  the competition. Who will win the race? Who will lose?  Car racing certainly is a nice hobby for everyone who likes cars, technique and especially speed.  But what's the history of Car racing and which royals love(d) the high speed of cars. Read it in the following paragraphs. own picture taken in 2013 in Monaco The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route took place on 30 August 1867.  On 28 April 1887, the first organized contest took place. This was organized by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vélocipède, Monsieur Fossier. It ran 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Neuilly Bridge to the Bois de Boulogne near Paris. It was won by George Bouton. He used a car constructed by Albert, the Comte de Dion.  On 22 July 1894, the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal organized the world's first motoring competition from Paris to Rouen in Fra...