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OTD 14 July 1874 Abbas II of Egypt

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Abbas II Hilmi Bey, also known as Abbãs Hilmi Pasha was born on 14 July 1874 at Alexandria, in the Khedivate of Egypt. Family His parents were Tewfik Pasha, a Khedive of Egypt and Sudan between 1879 and 1892, and Emina Ilhamy, an Ottoman Princess. Abbas II of Egypt was thus a member of the Muhammad Ali dynasty. Early life Abbas II of Egypt visited as boy the United Kingdom and he had a number of British tutors in Cairo and a governess who taught him English. An American officer in the Egyptian army took charge of his military training. He attended school at Lausanne in Switzerland and later in Geneva, also located in Switzerland. Later he entered the Theresianum in Vienna. Abbas II of Egypt had a good knowledge of Turkish and a good conversational knowledge of English, French and German. Reign On 8 January 1892, King Abbas II of Egypt succeeded his father as Khedive (Ottoman viceroy) of Egypt and Sudan. He surrounded himself with European advisers,

OTD 10 July 1638 Royal painter David Teniers III

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On 10 July 1638, David Teniers III was baptized in Antwerp (now located in Belgium). Then it was a part of the Spanish Empire as the Habsburg Netherlands. David Teniers III learned to draw from his father Family David Teniers III was a member of a famous family of painters. He was the son of David Teniers the younger and a grandson of David Teniers the elder. David Teniers the younger and his children inter alia  David Teniers III  On 4 April 1671 he married to Anna Maria Bonnarens. The couple had 5 children and one of the boys became a painter too. Around 1675 the family moved to Brussels. He died in 1685. The Family of David Teniers III Royal Link Between 1661 and 1663, David Teniers III traveled to Madrid, where he worked for King Philip IV of Spain. Works David Teniers III had many works who are spread around the wide world. There are many works of him in Madrid, Museo Del Prado and in the Louvre in Paris, France. Landscape of Dav

Dom Hotel in Cologne Germany

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Near the Dom in Cologne, Germany, there is a very striking landmark: the Dom-Hotel. The Dom-Hotel is one of the eldest Grand Hotels in Europe. Dom Hotel Cologne, Germany - own picture taken in 2004 History The first Hotel du Dome was established by Ignace Theodor Metz (1819-1880) and it was opened in 1866. The current building dates from 1893. During World War II it was heavily destroyed and afterwards it was rebuilt. The Dom-Hotel was a member of the Méridien-Hotels for many years, in 2012 it was sold. At the moment it is a member of the Althoff hotel chain. Royal links Before the first Hotel du Dome was established, there was a big ballroom in the building. There a huge ball was held for the Swedish Crown Prince (who became later King Charles XIV John of Sweden). He had his headquarters nearby. In 1880, Theodor Metz died and his son Friedrich August Metz inherited the Hotel du Dome. Between 1890 and 1893 a big renovation took place. The re-opening of t

OTD 30 June 1470 King Charles VIII of France

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King Charles VIII of France was born on 30 June 1470 at the Château d'Amboise in France. Family Charles was the only surviving son of King Louis XI and his second wife, Charlotte of Savoy. His godparents were: Charles II, Duke of Bourbon - where King Charles was named after; Joan of Valois, Duchess of Bourbon; Edward of Westminster, son of King Henry VI of England, who lived in France after his father was disposed. Love and Marriage On 22 July 1483, Charles was betrothed to the 3-year-old Margaret of Austria, daughter of Archduke Maximilian of Austria (who became later Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I) and Mary, Duchess of Burgundy. This arrangement was a part of the Peace of Arras of 1482 between France and the Duchy of Burgundy. However, things turned out different. In 1488, Francis II, Duke of Brittany died. He had a heiress: a daughter, Anne, who was 11 years old. Anne had arranged a wedding between her and Maximilian of Austria in 1490. But then th