All About Royal Families

The Ponte Vecchio, one of Florence’s most iconic landmarks, holds a fascinating royal history that is deeply intertwined with the powerful de' Medici family, who ruled Florence for centuries. This medieval bridge, spanning the Arno River, is not just a testament to architectural ingenuity but also to the grandeur and influence of Florence’s rulers. A Bridge with Ancient Origins The Ponte Vecchio, which means “Old Bridge,” was built in 1345 to replace a series of earlier wooden bridges that had been repeatedly destroyed by floods. Unlike its predecessors, this iteration was constructed in stone, ensuring greater durability. However, its significance goes beyond its longevity—its royal connections transformed it into a symbol of power and prestige. The de' Medici Family and the Vasari Corridor During the Renaissance, the de' Medici family solidified their control over Florence, and under the rule of  Cosimo I de’ Medic i, Grand Duke of Tuscany ,  the Ponte Vecchio took on an ...

The Basilica San Lorenzo in Florence is situated in the heart of the city, near the main market.  However the Basilica San Lorenzo was the parish church of the de' Medici family. So, let's take a look at the very interesting royal history of this amazing royal destination. It is surrounded by excellent restaurants with the nicest food and beverages. Royal History The Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the oldest churches in Florence, originally consecrated in 393 AD. Over centuries, it underwent multiple reconstructions, with the most significant transformation beginning in 1419, under the direction of Filippo Brunelleschi, a pioneer of Renaissance architecture.  Commissioned by Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici , the rebuilding of San Lorenzo marked the start of a centuries-long relationship between the church and the Medici family. The Medici family, renowned patrons of art and politics, played a pivot...

 As we are with the royal destination blogposts in Florence with the de' Medicis, we can't go on,  without some family history.  The founder of the de Medici bank and thus the one who laid the fa'mily's wealth and influence in Florence was: Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici. Who was Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici? Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici was born in Florence, Italy. He was the son of Averardo de' Medici and Jacopa Spini. His father, Averardo died in 1363 with a respectable amount of wealth. This inheritance was divided among Giovanni and his four brothers, leaving Giovanni with very little. However, his uncle, Vieri de' Medici, was still a prominent banker in Florence. Vieri helped Giovanni begin his career in the Florentine banking system. He worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming a junior partner in the branch located in Rome. Vieri de' Medici retired in 1393 leaving the...

First of all, I want to wish you all a very happy 2025! I hope the year started well for you. A new year gives new expectations, wishes and the most important: new energy. In November and December it became so busy, that I did not get around to writing and blogging, but I do not want to break my promise I've made last year. So let's resume the trip to Florence and discover more about the de' Medici family.  My fifth castle visit of 2024 took place in Florence and it was a fantastic one. There, I visited the Palazzo Pitti, the main residence of the de' Medici family.  The Palazzo Pitti some royal history At the beginning the building of Palazzo Pitti was ordered by banker, Luca Pitti , a friend and supporter of Cosimo de' Medici. However the building works stopped, when Luca Pitti suffered financial losses after the death of Cosimo de' Medici. Luca Pitti died in 1472, while the Palazzo still was unfinished. Luca Pitti, source picture: Wikipedi...

In June 2024, we had the chance to travel to Florence in Italy (Firenze). We expected a lot from this amazing city but it more than lived up to the high expectations. We "knew" Florence a bit because of the royal family de' Medici, but the city offered much more royal destinations and royal history. I will tell about this in the coming weeks and months on this blog. In Firenze we saw interesting portraits and we "met" important figures in royal history. I'm still sorting out the many pictures we took. So, I hope you will enjoy my coming posts and video's!  By the way, let's hope the summer will last a bit longer. 

12 May 1879 marks the birth of Princess Feodora of Saxe Meiningen. Princess Feodora was the only child of Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen, and his wife Princess Charlotte of Prussia, herself the eldest daughter of German Crown Prince Frederick William and Crown Princess Victoria. The new baby was the first grandchild of the Crown Prince and Princess, and through her mother was also the first great-grandchild of the British Queen Victoria. See also descendants of Queen Victoria (2) on this link .  Queen Victoria was fond of her eldest great-grandchild. In June 1887, the young Feodora and her parents attended the queen's Golden Jubilee in London. While her parents stayed at Buckingham Palace, Feodora stayed with her young cousin Princess Alice of Battenberg at the home of the Dowager Duchess of Buccleuch at Whitehall, allowing the girls to watch the royal procession as it made its way to Westminster Abbey.  Que...