All About Royal Families

November 23rd. 1221 marks the birth of Alfonso X of Castile in Toledo, Spain. His parents were King Ferdinand III of Castile and Elisabeth of Swabia. His mother was the paternal cousin of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who looked very well like Alfonso X of Castille. In January 1249 Alfonso X of Castile married Violant of Aragon. Due to Violant's age, she was unable to get pregnant for several years. He almost annulled their marriage. However they went on and they would have 11 children. He would also have children with his mistresses. In 1252 Alfonso succeeded his father as King of Castile. The next year he invaded Portugal.He made an agreement that his daughter Beatrice would marry King Alfonso III of Portugal and another daughter Eleanor should marry Edward I of England. King Alfonso X had many works translated from Arabic and Latin to Castilian in his court. He encouraged the use of the Castilian language instead of Latin! The Alfonsine tables which pr

Johann VI, also called John VI or John the Elder was born on November 22nd. 1536 at Dillenburg Castle. His parents were William I, Count of Nassau- Dillenburg and Juliane of Stolberg-Wernigerode. Johann or John was the younger brother of William the Silent. Johan VI was married 3 times and he had 24 children. 1/ Countess Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg. Their marriage took place on June 6th. 1559. They would have 13 children. Elisabeth died in 1579. 2/ Kunigunde Jakobaä of Simmern on September 13th. 1580. They would have 4 children. She died on January 26th. 1586. 3/ Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein on June 14th. 1586. She bore him 7 children. Johann VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg was the principal author of the Union of Utrecht. This Treaty was signed on January 23rd. 1579. It founded the Republic of the Seven United Provinces. In 1581 a formal declaration of independence was signed. Johann VI or John the Elder died on October 8th. 1606. Source pictures: Wiki

Several years ago, I had the chance to visit the Austrian Parliament in Vienna during a public tour. After the security check, a sympathetic and well informed guide told my husband and I and others the story of this magnificent building. Parliament in Vienna Austria In 1861 plans were formed to create a new building for the Imperial Council. The original plans contained two separate buildings: one for the House of Lords and one for the House of Representatives. Parliament in Vienna Austria In 1867 the Austro-Hungarian Compromise founded a dual monarchy, the Kingdom of Hungary received its own legislative body and the plans for the two buildings were dropped. On the site of the new building there were during that time ancient fortifications and walls. It was Emperor Franz Joseph himself who wanted a large new boulevard called the 'Ringstrasse'. The parliament building had to be near the Hofburg and the Vienna City Hall. The ground was broken in Jun

On November 19th. 1779 a very noble girl was born in the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in Germany. She received the names Louise Charlotte. Her parents were Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg- Schwerin and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1795 Louise Charlotte was engaged to King Gustaf IV Adolf of Sweden, however he broke off the engagement in 1796. On October 21st. 1797 she married Augustus, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. He was through her mother a second cousin. This marriage was against the will of Duchess Louise Charlotte and it became an unhappy one: her spouse abused her and she wanted to leave him but her family forced Duchess Louise Charlotte to stay with her husband. On December 21st. 1800 Duchess Louise Charlotte gave birth to her child, it was a daughter and she received the name Louise. This Louise would became the mother of Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. On January 4th. 18