All About Royal Families

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: Wikipedia In 1549, the Palaz...

On 1 August 10 BC Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was born at Lugdunum (nowadays Lyon in France). own picture of Claudius Taken at the Vatican Museums in 2017 Family Claudius was the son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia. His maternal grandparents were Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, Augustus' sister. Claudius was thus the great-great grand nephew of Tiberius Claudius Nero.  Claudius had two older siblings Germanicus and Livia. His mother had two other children who died young.  Youth In 9 BC , Claudius' father Drusus unexpectedly died on campaign in Germania, possibly from illness. He was then left to be raised by his mother, who never remarried.  In 7 AD, Livy was hired as tutor of Claudius. He also took lessons  from the philosopher Athenodorus.  The guards proclaimed Claudius Emperor Source picture: Wikipedia Raise to power When Augustus died in AD 14,Claudius was 23 years old. He appealed to his uncle Tiberius, to allow him to begin the curus h...

On 31 Augustus 12 AD , Gaius Julius Caesar (named in honour of his famous relative) was born in Antium (Anzio).  Family His parents were Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, who was the daughter of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. She was the granddaughter of  Augustus.  Gaius was the nephew of Claudius, Germanicus' younger brother.  Caligula - Source picture: Wikipedia Childhood As a child of just two or three Gaius accompanied his father, Germanicus, on campaigns in the north of Germania. The soldiers were amused that Gaius  was dressed in a miniature soldier's outfit, including boots and armour. He was soon given an affectionate  nickname, Caligula, which meant little soldier boot in Latin. Gaius disliked his nickname. After the death of his father, Caligula lived with his mother until her relations with Tiberius deteriorated. Tiberius would not allow Agrippina to remarry for fear her husband would be a rival. Agrippina and Caligula's  b...