All About Royal Families

Own picture - taken in november 2013 On the picture, you can see the Railway station and the harbour of Ostend. Those places had much importance in Belgian history. 1838: first opening of the Ostend Railway station during the reign of  King Leopold I of Belgium 1913: re-opening during the reign of King Albert I of Belgium It was constructed in the classical style : King Louis XVI style. Own picture - taken in 2012 Anyway, so far the history, I wish you all a very happy Sunday!

In Saint Petersburg a noble girl was born on August 30th. 1842. She was called: Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna of Russia. Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna of Russia - Source picture: wikipedia Her parents Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine   were happy with her birth and nicknamed her tenderly 'Lina' or 'Sashenka'. Even Alexandra's father wanted her company during his study.    When, on July 10th. 1849, Grand Duchess Alexandra died at the age of 6, from infant meningitis, her parents were devastated. Her father placed a dried flower from the funeral mass in his diary and marked the page in black. Her mother cried if people mentioned Grand Duchess Alexandra. In the late 19th. century the name Alexandra was considered to be unlucky. None of the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II (Alexandra's brother) was called in her honor although their mother had the name Alexandra, but that's another story

In Dresden a girl was born on August 29th. 1728. Her very long name, Maria Anna Sophia Sabina Angela Franciska Xaveria betrayed her noble descent. Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony - Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were King Augustus III of Poland and Maria Josepha of Austria. The Princess had siblings like:  Queen Maria Amalia of Spain, Maria Josepha of France. In 1747 Princess Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony married Maximilian III Joseph, Bavarian elector. Unfortunately they had no children together. This caused a lot of trouble after the death of her husband (who was a son of Emperor Charles VII) The new elector Charles Theodore didn't like Bavaria at all, he wanted to exchange Bavaria against the Austrian Netherlands. Princess Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony asked Frederick II of Prussia for help. The Prussian King wanted to help her and the Holy Roman Emperor (then Jospeph II) had to store his plans. Charles II August, Duke of Zweibrücken and

The eldest daughter of Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen was born on August 28th. 1691. The girl was called Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel - Source picture: Wikipedia At the age of 13! she became engaged to the future Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor,after a lot of negotiations between her grandfather and Charles's sister-in-law, Empress Wilhelmina. Initially she refused to marry a catholic Prince but finally she agreed under pressure of her family. The wedding took place on May 1st. 1707 . In 1711 her husband took possession of the Imperial Crown in Vienna and she became Empress, but during that time Elisabeth Christine was appointed by her husband as General Governor of Catalonia, which she wisely ruled until 1713. Then the Empress joined her husband in Austria.  Elisabeth Christine was described as accomplished in music, d