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Royal Destinations : Leuk , a special gem in Switzerland

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Leuk, located in the canton of Valais in Switzerland really is a special gem and a visit worth. This municipality really has not only a nice view, magnificent places of interest but also a great history. Leuk Switzerland, View - own picture taken in 2010 Some royal history Leuk already had a habitation in the pre-Roman era. In the 6th century it belonged to the King of Burgundy, who donated the municipality to the Abbey of Sainte-Maurice. The first church of the town dated from this period and it was originally build in Romanesque Style. Later this was rebuild a few times. Leuk Switzerland View - own picture taken in 2010 In the Early High Middle Ages, Leuk changed from owner. Then the municipality came under the supervision of the Bishop of Sion. In 1209 Leuk was given the right to have its own weights and measures. In 1227 the parish of Leuk is first documented. Leuk Switzerland centre - own picture taken in 2010 Later the decline of the feudal s...

History - OnThisDay - 23 April 1185- King Alfonso II of Portugal

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23 April 1185 marks the birth of King Alfonso II of Portugal. This happy event took place at Coimbra in the Kingdom of Portugal. Family Alfonso was the son of King Sancho I and Dulce, Infanta of Aragon. He was a member of the noble House of Burgundy. Love and Marriage In 1206 Alfonso II of Portugal married his fourth cousin, Infanta Urraca of Castile. She was a daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England. They were both descendants of King Alfonso VI of Léon. They would have 4 children together. However King Alfonso II of Portugal would have 2 illegitimate sons. Duty King Alfonso II of Portugal succeeded his father, King Sancho I of Portugal, on 27 March 1211. The first years of his reign were marked by internal disturbance between Alfonso and his brothers and sisters. Later he established the state's administration and centralized the power on himself. He designed the first set of Portuguese written laws. These were concerned about ...

Noble Families in Europe: House of Kyburg, which became extinct in 1417

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During the 12th and the 13th century the House of Kyburg ruled the County of Kyburg, this is nowadays Northeastern Switzerland . Then the House of Kyburg was one of the four most noble families in the Swiss Plateau besides the House of Habsburg , House of Zähringen and the House of Savoy . Some History The first members of the House of Kyburg which were mentioned in local politics were counts. This was in the 1020's. However the male line ended in 1078. Kyburg Castle, now in the modern canton of Zürich, passed on to the Swabian Counts of Dillingen. Through the marriage of Hartmann von Dillingen (1121) with a certain Adelheid, the House of Dillingen acquired the old Kyburg possessions. In 1180 the grandson of Hartmann von Dillingen, Hartmann III, split the Dillingen lands. Adalbart received the Swabian territories while Hartmann III von Dillingen got the Swiss lands and he became Hartmann I von Kyburg. The House of Kyburg were vassals of the Duke of Swabia...