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Part of the
A LL A B O U T
HISTORY
CONTENTS
— House of —
TU D O R
Adding England and Ireland to the
England's longest-lasting family Henry Tudor won the crown in
Kingdom of Scotland in a union of crowns,
that saw the nation invaded,
reconquered and unified » battle, with his dynasty reigning
for over one hundred years $ A the later Stuarts never quite managed to
bridge the gap between their three realms
>
\-------------------------------------t, \____________________________________ /
— —
The influential Swedish dynasty The dynasty that saw France rise
that endured over a century to the dizzying height of Europe's
of religious and political turmoil most powerful nation before its
in Scandinavia spectacular downfall into revolution
House of — House of —
GRIMALDI ORANGE-NASSAU
The glamourous and
The long line of the Dutch royal
controversial dynasty
I
S
that turned Monaco into a
glittering principality
^
family is no stranger to scandal
and controversy
lasties
©Getty Images
Wessex
^ stor*c House of Wessex Saxon ships. He had little time to adjust to a force led by King Arthur) could not blunt the
^ - also known as the House his new surroundings, for according to the Saxon expansion permanently.
of Cerdic in honour of its Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, his host was forced to With Sussex, Kent, East Anglia and swathes
Germanic founder - has its do battle with a horde of natives, who in turn of Yorkshire falling to the Saxons, Cerdic left
roots in the ambitions of a were duly routed. behind an imposing realm when he died in 534
Saxon who would one day wage a relentless While it is safe to assume that both father CE. Succeeded b y an impressive line of kings,
war across Britain with the aid of his son in and son will have been confronted with fierce the ferocious father of the House of Wessex
a ruthless quest for territory and plunder, a opposition, they managed to expand their established a line that would last for centuries
conflict that some believe pitted him against sphere of influence before solidifying their new and included men such as Egbert (who would
none other than King Arthur. kingdom of Wessex. In fact, so formidable were forge a kingdom so influential that it eventually
It's believed that the fearsome Cerdic landed they that it is written that they scythed down a brought about the unification of England) and
on the coast of Hampshire in what is today king by the name of Natanleod and slew 5,0 0 0 of course the most famous name from all of
southern England with his equally ambitious of his men in 508 CE. Even defeat at the Battle Saxon Britain: Alfred the Great, king of Wessex
son Cynric in 495 CE aboard one of five of Mount Badon eight years later (allegedly to and the Anglo-Saxons.
The
P F.n ir.RFF,
Uncover the lineage o f the first m onarchs o f a united England *
- 839-858 -
Judith
ll
yEthehvulf
>0 b.843-d.870
Unknown-d.858 Turn to page 12
W 0
Orderof Marriage
succession
& -
In actuality, the House
Alfred the of Wessex found its roots
Ealhswith Great much earlier, under
Unknown-d.905 © < b.849-d.899
Turn to page 12
Cerdic, King of Wessex,
between 519 and 534
^Ethelflaed
b.870-d.918 Edward
Turn to page 13 the Elder
< b.871-d.924
Edgiva As a young man, Ecgwynn
b.896-d.968
0 Edward helped defeat Unknown
the final Viking invasion
of his father's reign. As
Saint Elgiva king, he reconquered *
the Danelaw with the
Unknown-d.944 help of his sister.
■It
Edred
b.923-d.955
Killing for
the crown
|g g g ^ g ||r |s here's only one English king called 'the
‘i l i d I k i j f ^ reat:anc* s Alfred. But when Alfred
■ was growing up, he would never have
expected to become king: he had four
older brothers. However, when the
Vikings landed in East Anglia in 865, intent on conquest,
being king would prove to be a shortcut to an early death.
With three of his brothers dead, Alfred lined up
alongside his last remaining brother. King TEthelred, to
inflict the first significant defeat on the Great Heathen
Army at the Battle of Ashdown on 8 January 871. But by
April, TEthelred was dead - possibly from wounds suffered
- and Alfred was king. In this year of battles, Alfred fought
nine major engagements against the Vikings, losing most
of them, but managing to salvage his men and his life. For
the Vikings, who fought for profit, Alfred's resistance was
cutting too deeply into their margins. They cut a deal.
If Alfred thought he'd bought peace, he was disabused
of this notion five years later when the Vikings launched
renewed attacks. By 876, Wessex was the last kingdom
of the Anglo-Saxons: the Vikings had conquered
Judith Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia. Alfred fought them
b .8 4 3 -d .8 7 0 to a treaty but, as he settled down to celebrate Christmas
and the New Year of 878, the Vikings launched a surprise
The queen who attack on his estate at Chippenham and Alfred had to flee
for his life.
------------------------ -----------------------------
^thelstan
b .8 9 4 -d .9 3 9 & 1 7 6 0 -1 8 2 0
©Topfoto
Elfrida
b .9 4 5 -d .l0 0 0
r k1
One chronicler tells of how King Edgar, Edward came to visit his stepmother and half- w
hearing of Elfrida's beauty, sent a retainer to brother at Corfe Castle, their stronghold in
1 H:
see if she was quite as beautiful as people said. Dorset, the young king was pulled from his horse
The retainer, smitten, married Elfrida himself and murdered. The earliest accounts are sparse Elfrida hands Edward a cup after his
journey, while her m en approach,
while telling the king that the reports of her in their detail, although all agree Edward was
knife to the ready, from behind
beauty were greatly exaggerated. But when hurriedly buried, without any royal honours.
word reached Edgar that Elfrida was indeed the Did Elfrida plot the death of the king? than implicate the king. But there is one telling
beauty she was reputed to be, he announced he Certainly /Ethelred was too young to have been detail that points to Elfrida's guilt: she had legal
would visit. Elfrida's husband asked her to make involved. The chroniclers who accused Elfrida authority over the case, yet no one was ever tried
herself ugly, but Elfrida did no such thing and of the crime wrote many years later, but with for Edward's murder.
the king was besotted in turn, arranging for the Edward dead, /Ethelred was the only possible So it is likely /Ethelred came to the throne
husband to meet with a convenient accident monarch. For contemporaries, it must have by murder. The blood guilt of this crime was
during a hunt. Widowed, Elfrida was free to seemed the lesser of two evils to draw a veil over played out through the following generations,
marry the king. Elfrida's possible involvement in regicide, rather culminating in the conquest of 1066.
Wessex
England’s worst
ldng... probably
he nickname that has applied to
TEthelred for centuries comes from the
Old English, Unraed, and means not that
he was unprepared, but that he was ill-
advised, and is a play on his Chiistian
name, which means 'noble counsel'. The people always
preferred to place the blame for the calamities that befell
them through TEthelred's long reign on the men around
the king rather than the king himself. TEthelred, ever
one to pass the buck, was likely all too happy to allow his
councillors to take the blame. He even managed to escape
the blame for how he came to the throne in the first place.
On the death of his father, Edgar the Peaceful, in 975,
TEthelred's elder half brother, Edward, took the throne.
Edward reigned for three years until he made the mistake
of visiting his half-brother and step-mother, Elfrida, at
Corfe Castle. When Edward arrived, he was greeted by
TEthelred's men but then, before the king could dismount,
they grabbed his arms, immobilising him, and stabbed
Edward to death. TEthelred was only ten, so could not
have been responsible for Edward's murder. Besides, there
weren't any other alternatives. TEthelred became king, first
ruling with the support of a council of leading men and his
formidable mother.
The early years of kEthelred's reign saw considerable
reform and, indeed, if left in peace he might have gone
down in history as a good king save for the circumstances
of his taking the throne. But this was not to be the case.
After a hundred years of peace, the Vikings were back. *4r
Following small raids in the 9 8 0 s, a major fleet appeared
in 991 and defeated an English army near Maldon. “ One defeat was enough,
Showing that the English, even then, liked nothing
better than glorifying a valiant defeat, the battle was fllielred paid off the Vikings”
commemorated in the Old English poem The Battle of
Maldon, which tells how the liege men of Byrhtnoth made
the decision to fight to the death alongside their fallen lord. recently widowed kEthelred married the duke's sister,
One defeat was enough. TEthelred paid off the Vikings. Emma, starting the relationship with Normandy that
This first time, the cost of peace was 10,000 pounds. The would play out, two generations later, in the second
Danes took the money and then returned for more next conquest of England.
year and the year after. Second time round, the cost had The second, because by 1013, the English were a
risen to 22,000 pounds The third time, it was 24,0 0 0 . The thoroughly demoralised people, ripe for invasion, and
fourth, 36,0 0 0 . The fifth, 4 8 ,0 0 0 . TEthelred had inherited King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark duly obliged. TEthelred
the most efficient tax-gathering government in Europe, fled into exile. But then, on 3 February 1014, Sweyn
and he milked the realm to pay the Danes. But where Forkbeard, with the country beneath his whiskers, died.
others before him had paid Vikings to buy time, Aithelred /Ethelred returned, promising to rule better, but the
appeared to have no other strategy: ^Ethelred never faced murder of two earls by his favoured councillor, Eadric
the Vikings in battle. Streona, showed nothing had changed. Sweyn's son, Cnut,
What he did do was enter an alliance with Duke returned at the head of a new invasion fleet and kEthelred
Richard of Normandy to try to deny Viking fleets safe finally did something for his country: he died, leaving his
harbour across the Channel: to cement the alliance, the son, Edmund Ironside to lead the fight.
R oyal D ynasties
Emma of Normandy
b.985-d.l052
Edmund Ironside
b .9 9 3 -d .l0 1 6 t i / 1016
©Getty Images
Tudor
TUDOR 1485-1603
The obscure Henry Tudor won the crown in battle, with his
dynasty reigning for over one hundred tumultuous years
Words ELIZABETII NORTON
he -House Tudor is in 1509. Henry is the most well-known of to leave the crown to his equally Protestant
remembered as the most any British monarch, famous for breaking the cousin, Lady Jane Grey. He failed to account
colourful dynasty ever to English church from Rome and instigating the for the popularity of his half-sister, Mary, who
rule in England. It also had Reformation and infamous for his succession swept to the throne on a wave of popular
one of the shakiest claims of six luckless wives. His reign also saw a support. Her attempts to return England to
to the throne, with the obscure Welsh exile, number of well-known figures - including Catholicism soon proved less popular and
Henry Tudor, winning a lucky victory on the Cardinal Wolsey, the son of an Ipswich butcher bonfires were lit to celebrate her death in 1558.
battlefield in August 1485. He took the throne - virtually running England for years. Thomas The last Tudor monarch was arguably the
as Henry VII, cementing his position through Cromwell, a Putney blacksmith's son, presided greatest. Elizabeth I, who declined to marry
marriage to Princess Elizabeth of York. The over the dissolution of the monasteries. and produce an heir, presided over a period
couple founded a dynasty that would rule for Henry believed that he had left the dynasty of exploration and culture, as well as bringing
nearly 120 years. secure in the person of his nine-year-old son, a measure of religious stability with her
Although Henry VII hoped to leave the Edward VI, but the boy king died only a few Protestant religious settlement. The dynasty,
crown to his eldest son, Prince Arthur, it was years after his ascent to the throne. Edward which was born on the battlefield in 1485,
his second son, Henry VIII, who succeeded had been a fanatical Protestant and hoped ended with Elizabeth's death in March 1603.
PEDIGREE
i he rise and dem ise of E n glan d ’s m ost notorious royal fam ily
Margaret Beaufort
bx.1443-d.1509
W © Henry VII's mother was descended from f=
Order of Marriage Edward III, providing her son with his claim Edmund Tudor
succession
to the English crown. Married four times, she b,1430-d.l456
gave birth to her only child when she was 13. = ft
Margaret worked to win the crown for her
son. She was pious and learned, founding
two Cambridge colleges.
Elizabeth of Yoik
b.l466-d.l503
As Edward ITS eldest daughter, many
H enry VII considered Elizabeth to be heir to the
throne when her brothers - the Princes
b,1457-d.l509 in the Tower - disappeared. Henry
Turn to page 22 Tudor promised to many her if he won
the English crown. The couple united
the Houses of Lancaster and York, but
Elizabeth played little role in government.
f tr — y,
(1) Janies IV (3) Henry Stewart. Mary Tudor, (1) Louis XII
of Scotland Lord M ethven Queen of France of Fiance
b.l473-d.l513 b.i495-d.i552 b.I496-d.l533
J ^ ft Henry VIII married his beautiful younger ^ b.l462-d.l515 ft
sister to the aged Louis XII of France.
When Louis died less than three months ----------
Arthur, Prince later, Mary feared another arranged (2) Charles
Catherine of (2) Archibald Douglas, maniage. Within weeks she had secretly Brandon, Duke
of W ales Aragon Earl of Angus wed the lowborn Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk
b,1486-d.l502 of Suffolk, who had been sent to bring
Turn to page 22 b,1485-d.l536 b,1489-d.l557 b.C.I484-d.l545
her home to England.
^ r
r^=
(1) Catherine of Aragon (3) Jane Seymour (6) Catherine Parr
b.l485-d.l536 b.c.i508-d.i537 (4) Anne of b.l512-d.l548
Catherine, a Spanish princess, was The daughter of Sir John Cleves Catherine had been widowed twice
briefly married to Prince Arthur. She Seymour of Wolf Hall, Jane was b.l515-d.l557 before becoming Henry VIII’s sixth
later married her husband’s younger the lowliest of all Henry VIII's wife. A devout Protestant, she was
brother, Henry VIII. Only her wives. Religiously conservative the first Englishwoman to publish
(2) Anne Boleyn
daughter, Princess Mary, survived and considered rather plain, she a book under her own name. She
infancy. Catherine staunchly
resisted Henry's attempts to annul
their marriage. She died nearly three
il
bx.1501-d.1536
Turn to page 25
was a surprising choice. She
was the only one of Henry's six
wives to bear a surviving son,
(5) Catherine
Howard
bx.1523-d.1542
also undertook the upbringing of
Princess Elizabeth. She married a
fourth husband soon after Henry's
years after her divorce, still insisting dying 12 days after the birth. death and died in childbirth the
that she was queen. following year.
Edw ard V I
< b,1537-d.l553
Turn to page 26
Henry VII
b .l4 5 7 -d .l5 0 9 a*/ 1 4 8 5 -1509
A ii upstart Welshman
hen Henry Tudor was born at mother, he suddenly became the leading
Pembroke in 1457, the chances Lancastrian claimant to the throne, although
of him becoming king would he had little support. This changed in 1483,
have seemed laughable. While when Edward IV died suddenly. His two sons
his father, Edmund Tudor, Earl were both declared illegitimate and his brother
of Richmond, was the maternal half-brother took the crown as Richard III. Many former
of the Lancastrian King Henry VI, Edmund's Yorkists switched their support to Henry,
father had been an obscure Welsh squire. particularly when he promised to marry
Henry's father had died of the plague three Edward IV's eldest daughter.
months before the birth, leaving a 13-year-old Henry sailed to England with an army of
widow who, as a descendant of Edward III, had mercenaries in August 1485. Gathering support,
a small drop of royal blood. he met Richard in battle near Market Bosworth
(IS When Henry VI was replaced by the Yorkist on 22 August. Amidst fierce fighting, Richard
king, Edward IV, in 1461, Henry Tudor's was killed and Henry took the crown as Henry
wardship was granted to William, Lord Herbert, VII - the first Tudor monarch.
who raised him in Wales. With Herbert's Throughout his 25-year reign, Henry was
execution in 1469 and the brief reinstatement determined to hold on to his throne. He
of Henry VI in 1470, the later years of Henry's faced several conspiracies, while he was also
childhood were tumultuous. He escaped to unpopular with much of his nobility due to
Brittany with his uncle, Jasper Tudor, in 1471. his financial demands. He had a reputation
After years in exile in Brittany and The murder of Henry VI and the death in for avarice, but also for shrewd political sense.
then France, the first Tudor king w as battle of his only son dramatically increased Henry died in April 1509, leaving the crown to
determined to hold onto his throne
Henry Tudor's prominence. Through his his 17-year-old son, Henry VIII.
Prince Arthur
b ,1 4 8 6 -d .l5 0 2
A much-
married tyrant
ew English kings have proved as
memorable as Henry VIII. He was, however,
never intended to be king, being bom the
second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of
York in 1491. Immediately after his birth he
was sent to be raised with his elder sister, Margaret.
Henry's life changed suddenly in 1502 with the death of
his elder brother, Prince Arthur. As prince of Wales, he was
kept closely watched by his father, who was anxious for
the safety of his only surviving son. He threw himself into
his independence when his father died in April 1509.
Determined to prove himself as an adult monarch, one
of Henry's first acts was to m arry his brother's widow,
Catherine of Aragon. The young couple presided over
a glittering court, delighting in masques, feasting and
entertainments. Henry, who stood at over six feet tall, was
notably handsome, being described as having a face that
would be pretty on a woman. He was also athletic, taking
part in jousts and wrestling matches, as well as regularly
spending days hunting in his parks.
While he enjoyed the pleasures of kingship, the young
Henry VIII was less eager to carry out the day-to-day
affairs of government. He therefore relied heavily on his
Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, who was soon regarded
as having more authority than the king.
Henry and Catherine were initially happy, but the loss
of all but one of their children soured the relationship.
Catherine, who was more than five years older than Henry,
failed to become pregnant after 1518. Only a few months
later, in the summer of 1519, Henry proved that he could
father a healthy son with the birth of Henry Fitzroy to “ It took the king some time
his mistress, Bessie Blount. By 1527 Henry had become
infatuated with Anne Boleyn, who was a member of his to find a fourth wife”
wife's household, and he resolved to end his marriage.
Unfortunately, a papal annulment was not forthcoming in childbirth the following year. Unsurprisingly, given
due to the opposition of Catherine's powerful nephew, his reputation as a husband, it took the king some time to
the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. As the years passed, find a fourth wife, marrying the German princess Anne of
Henry began to look for other solutions. He became Cleves in 1540. Henry took an instant dislike to his bride on
increasingly anti-papal and, in 1533, broke the English meeting her and annulled the marriage after six months.
church away from Rome, having already declared himself His next bride was Catherine Howard, one of Anne's waiting
Supreme Head of the Church of England. Although far women, who was later found not to have been a virgin at
from a Protestant, Henry's religious policy was at times her marriage. Even more damagingly, she was strongly
radical, moving the English church away from Roman suspected of adultery. After her beheading, Henry married
Catholicism. He also dissolved the English monasteries, his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, but even she came close to
something which filled the royal coffers but also sparked a arrest for heresy in 1546.
northern rebellion in 1536. As his reign progressed Henry, who suffered from a
Henry's second marriage to Anne Boleyn proved no painfully ulcered leg, became increasingly obese and
more successful than his first and, in May 1536, he had her immobile. His temper suffered and he is remembered now
executed on trumped-up charges of adultery. Within days largely for tyranny. He died in January 1547, leaving the
he had married Jane Seymour, with this third wife dying crown to his nine-year-old son by Jane Seymour.
R oyal D ynasties
Elizabeth 1
b .l5 3 3 -d .l6 0 3 \*J 1558-1603
------------------------------------------------------
Anne Boleyn
b x .1 5 0 1 -d .1 5 3 6
A controversial queen
he daughter of a diplomat Although Henry had waited for Anne
and courtier, Anne Boleyn for more than six years, their honeymoon
spent her teenaged years period proved brief. The birth of a daughter,
serving in the royal courts rather than the desired son in September
of the Netherlands and 1533 was a blow, while pregnancies in 1534
France. She was not considered beautiful, and 1536 ended in failure. The couple also
but she seemed quick witted, graceful and quarrelled over Henry's infidelities, which
exotic in England. By 1526 Henry VIII was Anne was not prepared to ignore as her
begging her to become his mistress, as her predecessor had done.
sister had previously been. Anne, however, Anne was never popular either at court
having seen how her sister had been or with the people of England and many
discarded by Henry, refused to become were working to bring about her fall. By the
his lover. This rejection only increased the early months of 1536 Henry had resolved
king's interest. Finally, in 1527, he proposed to rid himself of Anne and take a new wife,
marriage. That year he began his long ordering her arrest on trumped-up charges
campaign to annul his first marriage. of adultery and incest.
Finally in January 1533, when Anne Anne defended herself well during her
was already a few weeks pregnant, the trial, but the result was never in question.
couple married. The wedding was kept The night before her execution, she joked
a secret for some months while Henry's that she would be known as 'Queen Anne
new Archbishop of Canterbury, the former Lack-Head'. She was, in fact, no longer
Boleyn chaplain, Thomas Cranmer, queen, since Henry had annulled their
pronounced on his annulment. Once this marriage. On 19 May 1536 Henry VIII's
was done, Anne was crowned in June 1533 second wife was beheaded by sword in the
in a grand ceremony. Tower of London.
R oyal D ynasties
Edward VI
b .l5 3 7 -d .l5 5 3 1547-1553
Nine-day queen
ane was the eldest of the Jane's accession was greeted with surprise in
three daughters born to England, with people immediately flocking to
Henry VIII's niece, Frances support Maty Tudor, who had declared herself
Brandon, by Henry Grey, queen. When Northumberland left London
Duke of Suffolk. Like her with an army to confront Mary, Jane had to
cousin, Edward VI, who was a similar age to order the Tower to be locked to stop members
her, she was given an outstanding education. of her council from fleeing. On 19 July 1553 her
When, in early 1553, it was clear that the own father entered the room in which she
15-year-old Edward VI was dying, both was dining to pull down the doth of estate
Edward and his chief minister, John Dudley, from above her head, signifying that she was
Duke of Northumberland, looked around no longer queen. She was shortly afterwards
for a Protestant candidate. To precipitate moved from the royal apartments to a prison.
her succession, Jane was married to Jane was still a teenager and the new queen
Northumberland's son, Guildford, on recognised that she been Northumberland's
25 May 1553. puppet. Northumberland was executed,
Jane was declared queen by but Mary let it be known that she intended
Northumberland following Edward Vi's death to spare Jane and Guildford. Unfortunately
in July 1553 and immediately taken to the for the young couple, Jane's father became
Tower to await her coronation. While there, she involved in a rebellion the following February.
Jane's royal blood w as her was given the royal crown to try on for size, Amid rumours that he had attempted to
downfall. She reigned for only surprising everyone when she refused to allow re-proclaim Jane, it became dangerous for the
nine days after being declared
another crown to be made for her husband. queen to allow her to live. Jane and Guildford
queen on Edward V i s death
She would, she said, make him a duke, instead. were both executed on 12 Februaty 1554.
Mary I
b .l5 1 6 -d .l5 5 8 VG 1553-1558
Bloody M ary
pretty, intelligent child, Mary fell on her cousin. Prince Philip of Spain, but
was beloved by both her patents this proved unpopular. Mary pushed ahead,
in her youth. When Henry VIII defeating a rebellion, led by Sir Thomas Wyatt,
first challenged his marriage in which reached London in February 1554.
1527, Mary sided with Catherine Mary immediately fell in love with Philip, but
of Aragon, with mother and daughter kept apart. he found her rather older than expected. By late
The princess only returned to court after being 1554, she was believed to be pregnant. With the
forced to acknowledge the invalidity of her queen showing all the signs of an impending
parents' marriage and her own illegitimacy. birth, she retired to her chamber in April 1555.
Mary was eventually returned to the As the weeks passed, there was no sign of a
succession and became heir to the throne on royal baby and, finally, the queen was forced to
Henry's death. A staunch Catholic, she became admit that she had been mistaken. On learning
increasingly estranged from her half-brother, the news Philip left England. He would return
Edward VI, and his government. Although only once, for a brief visit.
attempts were made to frustrate her succession The loss of Philip and her phantom
in July 1553, she swept to the throne on a wave pregnancy convinced Mary to increase her
of popular support. Mary was the first reigning attempts to return England to Catholicism.
queen of England to be crowned. She is remembered today for the Protestants
Mary saw her accession as miraculous and burned during her reign, earning her the
was determined to return the English church to nickname 'Bloody Mary'. Mary's reign was, in
©Getty Images
Catholicism. At 37, she was also eager to marry any event, a brief one. She died on 17 November
quickly and provide a Catholic heir. Her choice 1558 at the age of 42.
Stuart
STUART
---------------------------- 1603-1714----------------------------
Adding England and Ireland to the Kingdom of Scotland in a union of crowns,
the later Stuarts never quite managed to bridge the gap between their three realms
Words KATHARINE MARSH & HARRY CUNNINGHAM
hen Elizabeth I of England his daughter, Mary, as his successor. However, also a time when the arts flourished, scientific
died in 1603, the throne passed the line was far from extinct - Mary, Queen of discoveries paved the way for the Age of
to the man who became James Scots had a son, the future James VI & I, and Enlightenment, and the crowns of England and
I - but he was already king of it was this monarch who would usher in the Scotland were finally brought together to create
Scotland and his royal lineage Stuart era in England after the death of the the United Kingdom in 1707.
went back hundreds of years to 11th-century last Tudor queen. The year of 1714 saw the end of a once-great
Brittany. It was there that the Stuarts were With differing religious tolerances and an dynasty as Queen Anne, the last monarch
stewards to the counts of Dol, before moving absolute belief in their divine right to the from the House of Stuart, passed away. With
across the Channel to England then finding rule, the Stuarts had a hard time ruling over no surviving children, the crown moved to the
their way north to Scotland under David I. England. The last 100 years of the dynasty German House of Hanover, the next Protestants
The first Stuart king, rising to the crown in w as plagued by rebellion, war and political in the line of succession. But the Stuarts
1371, was Robert II, whose maternal grandfather infighting that saw the country become a still lived on, and some of them, like Bonnie
was the famed Robert the Bruce, and the republic for 11 years after the execution of a Prince Charlie, fought to reclaim the throne -
dynasty continued with a direct male line for king - the only time this has happened in unfortunately, they never quite managed to get
around 150 years until James V died, leaving English history. However, the Stuart era was their grip on their prize.
P F.n ir.RFF,
D espite their hundred-year reign, the Stu art era w as
b y far the m ost turbulent in English history
Charles I on his w a y from St * m
Jam es's Palace to Whitehall to
be executed in 16 49
W
Order of Marriage
© - 1488-1513 -
succession Jr
Jam es IV. King Archibald
Margaret Tudor Douglas. Eari of
of Scots ^ 0 0 Angus
b.l489-d.l541
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Lady Margaret M atthew Stuart.
Douglas Earl of Lennox
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Mary of Guise Jam es V,K ing
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^--------------------------- rj b,1512-d.l542
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IT--------------------1 M ary, Queen Henry Stuart, Charles Stuart.
F ia n d sIIo f
France o f Scots Lord Dam ley Earl of Lennox
©
b-1544-d.l560 b.l542-d.l587 b.l545-d.l567 b.l555-d.l576
Briefly Queen Consort of France and
the heiress presumptive to the English
throne, she was forced to flee to England,
where she was implicated in a plot
against Elizabeth I and was later executed
at Fothringay Castle. Lady Arbella
Stuart
b,1575-d.l615
Turn to page 32
Jr
Anne of Denmark
Jam es V I & I 0 b,1574-d.l619
b.l566-d.l625
Turn to page 32
Henry, Prince of W ales
b.l594-d.!612
The prodigal son of King James VI & I, 1
Henry was very much a Renaissance Henrietta Maria IT Frederick V of Elizabeth
prince. It is interesting to consider whether Charles I of France the Palatine b,1596-d.l662
he would have been a more effective mler < b.l600-d.l649 > 0 b.l609-d.l669 b.!596-d.l632
than his younger brother had he not died of Turn to page 33 Turn to page 34 =J
typhoid in 1612.
% ^
Jr Jr Jr
Elizabeth Philippe, Due Henrietta of
Jr d'Orleans 0 England
b.I635-d.!680
Catherine of v= J b,1640-d.l701 b,1644-d.l670
^ 0 Braganza
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"V Henry, Duke of Gloucester
dr b .l640-d.l660
W illiam n Mary
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9 b.l626-d,1650
William HI Jr
b.l650-d.l702 James Frauds Maria
Uneasy about Louis XIV Edward Clementina
of France’s dominance of George of b,1688-d.l766 Sobieska
the continent, William III M aryn Denmark Turn to page 36 b.l702-d.l735
was encouraged to invade ^ © 4, b.l662-d.l694 Anne b.!6S3-d.l708
Britain by the government Turn to page 35
when it became dear
b.l665-d,1714
Turn to page 36
that James - one of Louis'
biggest allies - had a
healthy male heir he
intended to raise Catholic.
___ # Jr
Henry Stuart, Cardinal York
W illiam. Duke
Charles Edward b,1725-d.l807
of Gloucester The last of the Jacobite pretenders, he
Stuart
b.!689-d.I700 styled himself Duke of York before
b.l720-d.l788 assuming the name Henry IX. While
Turn to page 37 his brother turned to alcoholism, Henry
became a cardinal.
Stuart
R oyal D ynasties
Queen Anne
b .l6 6 5 -d .l7 1 4 vjp1702-1714
The unifier
ueen Anne, Jam es II's second sizeable pension for herself once William and
daughter, was the last of the Mary had been installed.
Stuait monarchs. The greatest At one point a marriage had been suggested
achievement of her reign was between Anne and Prince Georg Ludwig of
undoubtedly the unification of Brunswick-Liineburg, the future George I, and
England and Scotland into the single kingdom the two seemed to get a long, but these plans
of Great Britain in 1707, an ambition of James VI fell through and she instead married another
& I, who 100 years earlier had failed to convince Prrnce George, the brother of the King of
either his subjects or his parliaments of the Denmark, in 1683.
merit of a union. When she succeeded to the throne in 1702,
Like her sister, Mary II, Anne was raised Anne was immensely popular. She described
a Protestant, much to the displeasure of her herself as an English Queen and was crowned
father. When he ascended the throne, they fell on St George's day, which was important
out, with Anne denouncing James' Catholic because the Stuarts were Scottish and had
tendencies and making almost treasonous always been viewed with scepticism by their
statements. It was most probable that Anne English subjects. Despite supporting William
was behind the rumour that James' son was an and Mary, Anne also heavily supported the
imposter, brought in on a bedpan, since she and Tories and this helped to cement her position
her sister Mary, whom she was very close with, as a moderate, given the natural Tory allegiance
had the most to lose by the birth of a male heir. for the Jacobite cause. She died with no heirs on
It was no surprise, then, that Anne supported 1 August 1714 and the throne passed as planned
William of Orange's invasion. On the day her to her former suitor, the Protestant Hanoverian,
father absconded, she remained in London and who now became George I.
proudly wore orange colours, able to secure a
The Bonnie prince by a local woman called Flora MacDonald. When he caught wind
of British troops searching for him, she disguised him as an Irish
maid and sailed him in a boat to the island of Skye. According
^ar'es Edward Louis John Casimir Silvester to the legend, Charles presented Flora with a locket containing
jiM f Severino Maria Stuart was bom at the Palazzo a portrait of himself. She was held in the Tower of London but
H ) Muti in Rome, the first pretender not to have been eventually released.
born into royalty. Both his name and his place In later life Charles Edward married a lowly German princess,
of birth reveal that, like his father before him, fathered an illegitimate daughter, Charlotte, and turned to
his chances of gaining back the throne were remote. Availed of alcoholism, embarking on wild schemes to overthrow the
the clandestine Catholicism that Charles II and James II had been Hanoverian monarchy which had no realistic chance of getting
forced to endure, the Stuart pretenders were now out and proud. off the ground. He died of a stroke, aged 68.
Charles Edward's upbringing was particularly traumatic
and, according to Murray Pittock, it permanently scarred him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Both the Pope and King Philip V of Spain disapproved of his
tutor, fearing Charles Edward was being brought up by
someone who was anti-Catholic. However, James Francis' papal
“ The uprising failed but Charles
pension was halved as a result and the marriage of Charles
Edward escaped with his life”
©Getty Images
VASA
-------------------------- 1523-1654 --------------------------
The influential Swedish dynasty that endured over a century
of religious and political turmoil in Scandinavia
Words CHARLIE GINGER & JACK GRIFFITHS
s with many of history's great encouraged others to follow Gustav in his quest Sweden, after the victory of the previous
dynasties, the House of Vasa to remove a king who had previously put many months of fighting had triggered the
was born in the crucible of war. of Sweden's nobility to death in the 'Stockholm dissolution of the Kalmar Union. Secure in his
This particular conflict erupted Bloodbath' the year before. position as sovereign, Gustav ruled until his
in 1521 with the rise of Gustav A series of battles followed, but by the death in 1560, at which point he was succeeded
Vasa in central Sweden. year of 1523, Gustav had Stockholm - then a by his son Eric XIV, who was in turn toppled
Seeking to oust the thoroughly unpopular Danish stronghold - surrounded. With a siege by his younger brother John III.
King Christian II, who ruled as head of the of the city failing to achieve a breakthrough, In 1587 Gustav's grandson Sigismund III Vasa
Kalmar Union, a network that incorporated negotiations began. These talks concluded in was appointed king of Poland, a nation the
Norway (and its overseas territories), Denmark Gustav granting Stockholm's defenders safe family would rule until 1668. As for Sweden
and Sweden, Gustav - recently appointed as passage out of the city. The war was over, but itself, the House of Vasa's reign would last until
commander of the region of Dalarna - marched Gustav's rule had only just begun. 1818, during which time the previously minor
a force south to Kopparberg and ransacked The greatest spoil of the war was Gustav's power would become a major continental force
its mines. This sudden show of aggression coronation as king of a newly independent under the legendary 'Lion of the North'.
Christina of
HolsteinG ottorp
Jr b,1573-d.l625 Chailes IX
Catherine A headstrong queen,
she ruled in her father's b.l550-d.l611
Jagiellonof T u rn to n a s e 45
Poland stead as regent. Her
John in husband regularly asked
b.l526-d.l583 her for political advice
A former duchess of b.l537-d.l592
Turn to page 44 and she became queen
Finland, when her Gunilla Bielke dowager advising her
husband John was © < > © b.l568-d,1597 son, Gustavus, before he
imprisoned by Eric XIV, =J* was Icing.
she stayed with him
rather than go free. Her
and John enjoyed a
very happy relationship
and she had some say
in state affairs. She was
a devout Catholic who
tried to introduce the
Counter-Reformation rJT
into Sweden. Johan, Duke of Maria Elisabeth Charles Philip
*
Osteigotland b,1596-d.l618 b.l601-d.l622
b.l589-d.l618 1 t
^ if
Gustavus
Anna of Austria Adolphus
b.l573-d.l598 b.l594-d,1632 Maria Eleonora
A Habsburg by Despite the death of his of Brandenburg-
birth, Anna married Sigism und m Prussia
Sigismund, uniting the b.l566-d.l632 lather, Gustavus roused b.l599-d,1655
house with the Vasa's in Turn to page 44 his people to rebellion Turn to page 47
1592. The wedding was © <
opposed by many nobles and won independence
in the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth, but it
no doubt strengthened
ties between the houses.
She was never keen on
being queen of Sweden,
barely engaging in public
life. She died aged 24. Christina
b.l626-d.l689
Turn to page 47
Vasa
R oyal D ynasties
Gustav I
b ,1 4 9 6 -d .l5 6 0 \*J 1523-1560
Father o f a dynasty
n 1523, the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Sweden
and Norway came to an end after 126 years.
The Swedish elite were dissatisfied with the
increasing Danish influence and decided to
become an independent state. The movement
was led by Sten Sture, the regent of Sweden and was assisted by
Erik Vasa and his son, Gustav. Gustav was captured during the
uprising in 1516 and confined to Kalo, an island fortress off the
coast of Denmark.
He escaped back to Sweden by 1520 and took leadership of
the Nationalists after the death of his father in the 'Stockholm
Bloodbath'. Their murderer was Christian II of Denmark, who
now had control over all of Sweden except its capital, Stockholm.
Despite the death of his father at the hands of Christian, Gustav
roused his people to rebellion and won independence. He
became regent and then the first king of the newly formed
House of Vasa on 6 June 1523 as Sweden entered a new era.
Gustav I inherited a nation torn apart by the wars. The nobility
had been decimated and the country owed huge debts. He
oversaw a series of sweeping reforms in the now in the new
sovereign nation. In line with the Reformation, Lutheranism
was adopted as the Christian branch of choice and the economy
was built up, partly using plunder from Catholic churches.
Gustav wasn't a devout Protestant and his attempts to join the
Schmalkaldic League were motivated by military and political
gains rather than religious reasons.
To ensure the best chances of prosperity, the nation was
centralised to Stockholm and the power of the nobility was
curbed. A selection of appointed sheriffs would scour the land
collecting taxes and any rebels not willing to pay were first
written a personal yet threatening letter from the king and if
they still didn't comply, they would be killed. Peace was made
with Denmark as Gustav allied himself with the new Danish
king, Frederick I, and the Hanseatic League.
The mostly peaceful foreign policy was interrupted by
involvement in the Count's Feud (1534-36) and the Russo-
Swedish War (1554-57), which both aimed at completely © Alamy
liberating Sweden from external foreign influences. Even though
Gustav I forced the Danes from his land, he was more than --------------------------- ---------------------------
happy to allow intellectuals from the continent into his realm. To
combat a shortage of trained Swedes in the 1540s, he sanctioned
an influx of German administrators to benefit the economy.
“ Despite his despotic tendencies,
The reforms sowed the seeds for a Swedish Empire in the
Baltic to rival that of the Kalmar Union. Some call Gustav's
lie was a shrewd ruler”
measures tyrannical and his ideology of a centralised Protestant
state was by no means instantly popular. Revolts were the European continent. He gave the country its first modern
commonplace with the last only ending in 1543. standing army and created the Swedish Navy.
Despite his despotic tendencies, he was a shrewd ruler and A hereditary monarchy rather than an elective one was set up,
certainly changed the landscape of Sweden as the nation went confirming the House of Vasa's undisputed rule over Sweden
on the road to empire. The results of Gustav I's kingship were for many years. Gustav I ruled for 37 years and his descendants
increased relations with the rest of Europe both politically continued to reign until 1818. He is described b y historians as one
and culturally and the arrival of Sweden as a minor power on of Europe's 'newmonarchs' who helped the continent progress.
Vasa
Eric XIV
b .l5 3 3 -d .l5 7 7 vk 1523-1560
Cecilia
b ,1 5 4 0 -d .l6 2 7
> <3
‘Johan III' b y Dutch artist
Johan Baptista van Uther
Sigismund III
painted in 1582 b .l5 6 6 -d .l6 3 2
\ k P olan d : 1587-1632. S w ed en : 1592-1599
The joiner
o f nations
he king of Poland since 1587
■ -% M : Sigismund III acceded to the Swedish
throne after the death of his father
John in 1592. Maximilian of Austria
was also a candidate for the throne
but Sigismund III won out due to his mother Catherine
Jagiellon's Polish heritage. B y all accounts Sigismund was
a war monger and Poland was embroiled in no fewer than
four wars during his reign, but he did have reason to hold
Sweden in disdain.
Sigismund was born in Gripsholm Castle while his
parents were imprisoned there, suffering under Eric's iron
fist. He was brought up as a Catholic in a Lutheran country
and he left Sweden when he got the chance, winning the
Polish royal election in 1587 after the death of his uncle,
King Stephen Bathory. He married Austrian archduchess
Anna in 1592, the same year as the death of his father
John. He returned to Sweden promptly and was officially
crowned king, uniting the Vasa and Jagiellon dynasties.
John III
b .l5 3 7 -d .l5 9 2 1568-1592
-------------------------------------------
Charles IX
“ His uncle lost faith in b .l5 5 0 -d .l6 1 1 v*/ 1604-1611
Gustavus Adolphus
b .l5 9 4 -d .l6 3 2 1611-1632
The Lion of
the North
ittle more than an unknown 17-year-old prince
when he became king, Gustav II Adolf, known
as Gustavus Adolphus, would die a hero and
his nation's greatest ever king. The eldest son of
Charles IX and Christina of Holstein, he would
inherit a fractured kingdom that had almost constant pressure
on its borders from other powers.
Being a 17-year-old in power was no easy task, but Gustavus
was far from a pushover and had intelligence to match. He
was educated by scholar Johan Skytte in classics, law, history
and theology and was fluent in several languages. In 1611, the
king signed the Accession Charter that forced him to outline
all policies in line with the Riksrad council of nobility. This
resulted in a harmonious relationship between monarch and
aristocracy. With Sweden united, Gustavus turned his attention
to a holy war.
A devout Protestant, Gustavus saw it as his mission to uphold
the reformation in Germany. The 1629 Treaty of Altmark ended
Sweden's war with Poland and by the end of the year he had
regained the Baltic Sea coast for his country and dominated sea
trade in the region. In June 1630,4,000 Swedish soldiers landed
in Pomerania, northern Germany and captured both Stettin
and Neumark. Gustavus' army waded into the already raging
Thirty Years' War and was financed by a huge grant of 1 million
livres for every year of fighting by their French allies under
Cardinal Richelieu. Their common enemy was the Holy Roman
Empire who, led by Ferdinand II, desired to restore Catholicism.
Richelieu was a Catholic but was also a pragmatic man and allied
himself with Gustavus. After the initial gains, he was concerned
his Protestant allies would side with their kin in Germany but Flem ish painter Jacob
the Catholic invasion of Protestant-stronghold Magdeburg by the Hoefnagel's 16 24 portrait,
Catholic League made it simple unite with the Golden King and Gustavus Adolphus, King of
Sw eden 1611-1632'
enact retribution.
The burning of Magdeburg by count Tilly only made the
------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Protestant cause stronger. Gustavus could now also call on the
Dutch for assistance and he marched on Berlin before engaging
Tilly in a grudge match at the Battle of Breitenfeld in September
“ Gustavus was far from a pushover
1631. Gustavus' force of 24,000 annihilated Tilly's 35,000 men
who were forced to make a hasty retreat south to Bavaria. The
and had intelligence to match”
Swedes were now the undisputed masters of Central Europe
as the invasion force occupied the cities of Mainz, Bamberg, now that the Swedes met their match as Ferdinand ordered his
Wurzburg and Prague. Gustavus dealt out his territorial earnings attack dog, Albrecht von Wallenstein, into battle. Gustavus and
to his generals as Central Europe belonged to him. B y December Waklenstein met at Lutzen in 1632. The epic battle culminated
1631, the inspirational Swedish king was back on the warpath in a defeat for Wallenstein who retreated into Bohemia but the
and aimed to conquer the remainder of the Holy Roman Empire. Swedes had lost their greatest asset of all. Gustavus Adolphus,
The Swedes defeated Tilly in the Battle of Ram in March 1632 the Lion of the North, was dead, the victim of a mass melee
with Augsburg and Munich now under Swedish influence. on the battlefield. This put the Protestant forces into disarray
Gustavus' plan was to now establish two Protestant leagues and by 1635 the Swedes had all retreated. Both Sweden and the
in Germany, one for military and one for administration, and Protestant cause in Europe had lost a leader who had changed
would ensure Sweden's future as a major nation. However, it was the course of religious and political history.
Vasa
Maria Eleonora
b .l5 9 9 -d .l6 5 5
Christina
b .l6 2 6 -d .l6 8 9 vJG 1604-1611
and literature. She threw money behind the Rome and with no heirs. The Vasa line ended
arts, sponsoring hundreds of theatres and on 19 April 1689.
Bourbon
---------------------------- 1589-1792----------------------------
The dynasty that saw France rise to the dizzying height of Europe’s most
powerful nation before its spectacular downfall into revolution
Words KATHARINE MARSH & JESSICA LEGGETT
he Bourbons were used to the line, their reign came to an and, and Henry themselves caught up in the bloody French
being sidelined, but they would IV ushered in the rule of the Bourbons in Revolution, losing their riches and their heads
make sure that they had their France, while simultaneously governing the in the name of democracy.
time in the sun. kingdom of Navarre to the south. While his rise Today, the French Bourbons are remembered
Starting life as mere dukes, hadn't been smooth - he had barely won the for their vivacious court and extravagant
the dynasty - one offshoot branch of the House War of the Three Henrys, as three nobles with lifestyles, and millions of people still flock to
of Capet - found itself second best to the House the same first name battled it out for the top the Palace of Versailles every year to see the
of Valois. While the Valois ran the kingdom, the spot - the Bourbons eventualy ruled France splendour of the Hall of Mirrors and the Gallery
rule was that the line of succession must go until the early 1800s. of Great Battles first-hand. The royal dynasty
through males according to primogeniture, The House of Bourbon has bequeathed to is also known today for reaching thrones
and this worked in their favour - at least for a history some of the most famous monarchs of elsewhere in Europe. Until 1861, Francis II wore
few centuries. all time. Louis XIV, known by his nickname of the crown of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,
In 1589, luck finally ran out for the ruling the Sun King, introduced absolute monarchy while Spain is still ruled today by a cadet
Valois dynasty. With no male heir to continue to France, while some of his successors found branch, the House of Bourbon-Anjou.
W © Gaston, Duke of
Order of Marriage Orleans
succession
b.I608-d.!660
Henrietta Maria Charles 1 of
b.l609-d.l669 England
Anne of Austria
Louis x m Turn to page 53 b .l600-d.l649
b.l601-d.l666 Anne Marie Louise
Just like her predecessor, Anne acted as regent b.l601-d.l643 » of Orleans
for her son Louis XIV, who was only four when Turn to page 53
he ascended the throne. Her reliance on her b.l627-d.l693
own Italian favourite, Cardinal Mazarin, led to a Turn to page 54
series of noble rebellions known as La Fronde
that questioned royal authority.
Philippe I, Henrietta
Duke of Orleans of England
b,1640-d.l701 b.l644-d.l670
Louis XIV Bom in 1640, Philippe was Louis XIV’s
b.l638-d.l715 younger brother. In order to prevent
Turn to page 54 a conflict for power between the two,
Anne and Mazarin raised Philippe to
■ v be dependent on the crown, and his
mother even encouraged him to dress
in a feminine manner, a habit that Elizabeth
Louis, Grand Maria Anna Victoria of continued into his adult life. The Icing’s Charlotte of the
Dauphin Bavaria brother was known for his blatant Palatinate
b.l661-d,1711 b.!660-d.l690 homosexuality and infidelities at the
= 'T French court, although he did m any
b.l652-d.l722
V . ..............-
twice and produce heirs.
^ -------- e
Philip V.
King of Spain
b.l683-d,1746 Philippe n, Francoise Marie
Philip was the first Spanish long from the House of Bourbon. His Duke of Orleans of Bourbon
J = % claim came through his paternal grandmother, Maria Theresa, b.l674-d,1723 b.l677-d.l749
Louis, Duke of Marie Adelaide whose younger half-brother, Charles II, had died without an heir.
Burgundy of Savoy Although named by Charles as his successor, another potential
© heir, Archduke Charles, challenged Philip, leading to the War of
b.l682-d.l712 b.l685-d.l712 the Spanish Succession.
R oyal D ynasties
rightful place. There was just one glaring issue: Henry was
a Protestant.
France was Roman Catholic, and a number of leading nobles
were outraged that a Protestant held the royal seat of power.
Henry had already experienced the bloody conflict that religion
had brought to France back in 1572 when he arrived in Paris to
marry Margaret of Valois, daughter of Henry II and Catherine de'
Medici. The marriage was supposed to symbolise peace between
the two denominations - but disaster struck just four days later.
Thousands of Protestants, who had arrived in Paris for the
wedding, were slaughtered in a bloodbath that triggered carnage
throughout the country. Known as the Saint Bartholomew’s
Day Massacre, Henry would have been killed too if it wasn't
for his new wife's protection and a false promise to convert to
Catholicism. Eventually, the marriage itself proved unhappy and
childless and the couple separated before Henry became king.
Now it was time for Henry to confront this gory conflict
once more. Determined to overthrow the man they deemed a
heretic, the nobles formed the Catholic League and threw their
support behind Henry's Catholic uncle, Cardinal Charles, as the
rightful king. Foreseeing this, Henry III had already previously
imprisoned the cardinal to prevent interference with the
succession. This did not deter the rebels, though, who sought to
release Charles and place him on the throne.
The ensuing civil war caused political chaos and uncertainty
in Franee. The embattled king needed to win to remain on the
throne and he was not going down without a fight. The tide
appeared to turn in his favour when his uncle passed away
in 1590 and the League could not agree on another suitable
candidate who was both Catholic and male. He also gained the
support of the Parlement of Paris, who believed that upholding
Salic Law was more important for the stability of the monarchy
than religion. Despite this, Henry struggled to gain control of
Henry IV Paris and was in a stalemate against the League.
b .l5 5 3 -d .l6 1 0 \*/ 1589-1610 By 1593, enough was enough. Henry had fallen in love with
a beautiful duchess, Gabrielle d’Estrees, who stood by his side
Trailblazer for during his battle with the Catholic League. Knowing that Henry's
only chance of winning was by renouncing his Protestant faith,
Louis XIII
b .l6 0 1 -d .l6 4 3 vfc 1610-1643
A rising power
ouis was the miracle child of miscarriages. Two years later, a second son
that France had been waiting arrived, Philippe, Duke of Anjou, providing a
for. The country had gone spare for the heir. Despite this, the marriage was
through decades of uncertainty not a success, particularly with his mother's
as the previous reigning Valois domineering presence in the early years.
dynasty had failed to provide healthy male After Marie's exile, relations between the king
/
th' iV
%
heirs. As a result, Louis' birth in 1601 was met with and queen improved for a short time, before the
heavy celebrations and joy - Franee could breathe rise of Cardinal Richelieu as first minister. Louis'
freely once again. heavy reliance on Richelieu caused further
Tragedy was to strike early in Louis' life. He distance between him and Anne, who could not
was barely nine years old when he became king find a place by his side. It was rumoured that the
following his father's assassination. Louis' mother, only reason his wife fell pregnant after such a long
Marie de’ Medici, acted as his regent, but her time was that circumstances forced the king to
reign proved destructive when coupled with her spend the night in her room.
reluctance to relinquish control, even after Louis Of course, family issues were not the only
reached his majority in 1614. In 1617, Louis finally important factor of Louis' reign. A series of
removed his mother from power in a coup and victories against the Habsburg Empire precipitated
exiled her to Blois, executing her favourites at the the rise of France as the dominant power in
same time. Europe under his son. Unfortunately, he did
Two years earlier, Louis had married the not live to see France's victory at the Battle of
Louis' reign w as dominated Spanish infanta Anne of Austria, with whom he Rocroi against the Spanish as he succumbed
b y his reliance on his favourites at
would eventually have his own miracle son, the to tuberculosis just days before on the 33rd
court, particularly Cardinal Richelieu
future Louis XIV, after 22 years and a number anniversary of his father's death.
Henrietta Maria
b .l6 0 9 -d ,1 6 6 9
A scandalous duchess
he Duchess of who ordered the rebel arm y to fire at
Montpensier was a woman royal troops, saving the soldiers from an
who was determined to get untimely end.
what she wanted. A cousin Once again forced into exile after her
of Louis XIV and daughter involvement in the rebellions, Anne did
of his paternal uncle, Gaston, Duke of not return to court until 1657. Although
Orleans, the duchess led a very colourful the previous proposed marriages had led Louis XIV
life. Known as 'La Grande Mademoiselle', nowhere, she was still the most eligible
b .l6 3 8 -d .l7 1 5 \*J 1643-1715
she was one of the wealthiest women in heiress in Europe. Louis sought to find
around the king” cultivating for France. The death of his father
and grandfather meant that he was only five
influence over him, the most famous of
whom were Madame de Pompadour and
years old when he became king and his great later Madame du Barry.
Louis' actions had been greatly encouraged by Madame uncle, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, acted as The king took little interest in the
de Maintenon, his second wife, who he married in secret his regent until he turned 13. running of government, and attempts by his
after the queen's death in 1683. She was not publicly Louis' bride, Marie Leszczynska, was an ministers to introduce reform failed. Decades
acknowledged as the king's spouse, but she had a profound unusual choice for a king of France. The of warfare had severely weakened France,
influence on him nonetheless. A devout Roman Catholic, daughter of a deposed Polish monarch, both financially and politically. Louis lost a
she saw the Huguenots as heretics and did not believe in Marie was chosen in the hope that she lot of the land that had been gained through
religious tolerance. Maintenon is well remembered for could provide Louis with a number of various military campaigns, particularly
her piety and how this affected Louis towards the end of heirs, preferably male. Louis was by now its colonies, which further damaged the
his life. The king, perhaps regretful about the vanity of 15 years old and, after experiencing bouts country's position in Europe and caused a lot
his early years, increasingly sought religious comfort and of ill health, he needed to produce an heir of resentment towards not only the king but
appeared to remain faithful to his wife. as quickly as possible. The couple married also the system of absolute monarchy itself.
After ruling France for over 72 years and plagued with in 1725 and had a total of ten children, two The disasters of Louis' reign left his
illness towards the end, Louis died of gangrene in 1715. boys and eight girls. grandson and successor, Louis XVI, with a
He had lived for so long that he had outlived both his son Louis' constant womanising put him fragile legacy that eventually contributed to
and grandson, leaving his great-grandson to succeed him in conflict with his family and severely the downfall of the Bourbon dynasty and
as Louis XV. damaged his reputation. His children the monarchy of France.
R oyal D ynasties
The princess who However it was the king's last mistress, Madame du Barry,
who had to bear the princess's anger the most. To Adelaide, it
spoke her mind was du Barry who presented a real threat to her own position
in court. When her nephew, who succeeded as the dauphin
following Louis' death, married Marie Antoinette, Adelaide
rincess Marie Adelaide of France, often referred sought to manipulate her new niece against du Barry. She
to as Madame Adelaide, was a force to be convinced the dauphine, who was only 14 years old, to publicly
reckoned with in the French court. Born in refuse acknowledgment of du Barry's presence. The young
1732, she was the fourth daughter of Louis XV Marie was convinced to partake when Adelaide and her siblings
and Marie Leszczynska. Her father's favourite crudely explained that du Barry was simply at court to provide
daughter, Adelaide stayed close to him and spent more time with the king with 'pleasure'. Horrified, Marie Antoinette readily
him than the rest of his children. In fact, the close relationship agreed and ignored Madame du Barry, offending the king. Marie
between father and daughter led to the rise of slanderous Antoinette's mother eventually forced her to reconcile with du
gossip that their love w as incestuous and had even produced Barry to the anger of Adelaide.
an illegitimate son. As salacious as these rumours were, there Adelaide would be the first to coin Marie Antoinette's hateful
was no substance to them. They were more likely the product nickname 'the Austrian', which would tar the young dauphine
of jealous courtiers, who could not access the king on the same for the rest of her life. Adelaide continued to live at Versailles
with her sisters during the reign of their nephew Louis XVI and
------------------------------------ ^ --------------------------------------
exerted the political influence over him that she had not been
“ She hated the humiliation that able to achieve previously. Following the outbreak of the French
Revolution, Adelaide and her last remaining sister, Victoire, fled
her beloved mother had to endure” to Italy, escaping the terror that would massacre their family.
Adelaide would die in Trieste in 1800, one year after her sister,
and the last of Louis XV's children.
Bourbon
Louis XVI
b .l7 5 4 -d .l7 9 3 \* /1774-1792
of neglect and disease. It would be two years even though he was imprisoned. When her during the Revolution that was later published as
before Marie would discover their fates, and uncle failed to produce an heir, the French crown The Ruin O fA Princess.
H anover
HANOVER 1714-1901
Hailing from Germany and not necessarily the popular choice for a monarchy,
the House of Hanover loved nothing more than a good family fight
Words KATHARINE MARSH & CATHERINE CURZON
eligious upheaval was nothing While the men of the Hanover line had ruled four Georges, supposedly of increased insanity
new in England by the early an area in Germany during the 1600s - some as time went on. Next was William IV, whose
1700s; years of to-ing and of them even rising to become a prince-elector lack of surviving legitimate children (for he had
fro-ing between Roman in the Holy Roman Empire - the Kingdom of plenty of illegitimate offspring) almost caused
Catholicism and the Church of Great Britain was now added to their territory a succession crisis. It was a result of this that
England had left deep divisions. in a personal rule, and it would signal the his niece took the crown in 1837 and wore it
In 1701, it was decided: from that point on, start of England's Georgian era. This was an as Queen Victoria until her death in 1901. Due
Catholics would be excluded from the line of interesting time for British politics and society, to her marriage to Prince Albert, this would
succession, leaving the throne open only to with the introduction of prime ministers, the be the end of Hanoverian rule; the children of
Protestant royals. When Queen Anne died in Enlightenment and the loss of America as it this celebrated union belonged to the House
1714, she had no surviving children, let alone fought for independence. There was certainly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, later to be renamed
Protestant ones, and so the next Protestant no shortage of scandal during this era either, as the House of Windsor. But thanks to the
in the line of succession was called upon to with mistresses aplenty, allegations of incest matches she made for her children, Queen
become king of Great Britain. It was the end of and madness, and whispers of murder. Victoria managed to spread her family all over
the House of Stuart, and the start of the reign Six members of the House of Hanover ruled Europe, leaving Hanover blood in every royal
of the Hanoverians. Great Britain and Ireland, beginning with the corner of the continent.
a
§
©Torsten Batge licenseCC BY-SA 3.0
□ Hanover
□ Acquired from
Lauenburg
□ Acquired from
Sweden
In 1701, the A ct of Settlement changed the succession so that only
The areas of Germ any ruled b y the Hanovers Protestants could inherit the throne, m aking w a y for the Hanovers
The
PEDIGREE
Uncover the scandalous lineage o f the H ouse of Hanover
Hr Jm
H I J lK
w
rv %
W ©
Order of Marriage
succession
r i r si
Caroline of Sophia Dorothea Frederick William
Ansbach of Hanover Iof Prussia
b,1683-d.l737 b.l687-d.l757 0 b.1688-d. 1740
Turn to page 64
J V TV ^
Henry, Duke of
Cumberland
descended into madness,
she found solace in the
arms of his ambitious
© Denmark
b,1749-d.l808
doctor, Struensee. The
b,1745-d,1790 couple ruled Denmark
George HI ^ e as virtual regents but
Charlotte of
b,1738-d.l820
Turn to page 65 >© M eddenbuig-
Strelitz
when their affair was
discovered, Caroline was
imprisoned and Struensee
b.X744-d.I818 executed, putting an end
to their romance.
^ e
Augustus, Duke of
Sussex
b,1773-d.l843
Hanover
Charlotte Leopold of Saxe Albert of Saxe
b,1796-d,1817 Coburg-Saalfeld Coburg & Gotha
Turn to page 67 b.l790-d,1865 b,1819-d.l861
=^r ^ if
R oyal D ynasties
The princess
in the tower
O
f it were not for a forbidden romance,
a scheming courtier and an abiding
murder mystery, Great Britain's history
, might have looked very different. For,
as George I stepped off the boat from
Hanover and rode triumphant into London to assume his
new throne with his mistress at his side, his former wife
was locked away. She had been in captivity for 20 years
and would remain a prisoner until her lonely death more
than a decade later.
From the very beginning, Sophia Dorothea had not
wanted to marry her cousin George, the man she called
"the pig snout.” She was beautiful, wealthy and one of
the most eligible women in Europe, but the choice of
husband was not hers to make. Forced into the union by
her ambitious father, Sophia Dorothea's marriage was a
devastatingly unhappy one, even though it produced two
children. George took mistresses openly while ignoring
his lonely wife and, when she challenged him on his
mischievous behaviour, Sophia Dorothea was throttled
-------------------------- --------------------------
A son at war
eorge II was the last encouraged a reconciliation between the
British monarch to be King and his son, but the two men always
born outside of Great remained frosty with one another. It was
Britain, as well as the last under George II that the Jacobite rebellions
monarch to lead an army were defeated once and for all and he
in battle. He was also a man with a hot relished the thrill of battle, taking every
temper who could be seen drop kicking his opportunity to engage in combat.
wig around the palace during tantrums, Just as he had hated his father, George
and who enjoyed the company of multiple II came to despise his own son, Frederick,
mistresses, despite the fact that he held whom he saw as a pet of the King. Frederick
his wife, Caroline of Ansbach, as his most had remained in Hanover when the rest
trusted and long-standing advisor. of the family came to England and, under
When George II was just 11 years old, the influence of George I, he grew distant
his mother, Sophia Dorothea of Celle, was and estranged. When Frederick died in
locked away. Sadly, he never saw her again, 1751, George II showed little emotion at the
nor did he ever forgive his father and, as loss of his son, yet when his wife, Caroline,
the years passed, childish anger hardened passed away in 1737, he was left bereft.
into loathing. Caroline's influence over George II
As Prince of Wales, George did all he was no secret and, indeed, had long been
could to oppose King George I. cultivating the subject of disdain and mockery but
relationships with opposition politicians now, without her, he was completely lost.
until he was banished from court, his own When he died over 20 years later, he left
children kept from him by the furious King. instructions that the sides of their coffins
Desperate to see her youngsters again, the were to be removed, so that they might rest
Princess of Wales, Caroline of Ansbach, together once more.
R oyal D ynasties
Caroline of Ansbach
b .l6 8 3 -d .l7 3 7
The butcher
s favourite son of George II would not be the man of the hour for long and,
and Caroline of Ansbach, the during the Seven Years' War, he went to the
Duke of Cumberland led a aid of Prussian forces under the command of
charmed life and enjoyed a Frederick the Great.
dazzling military career. It was But instead of a victory, Cumberland's forces
to Cumberland that the king turned in July 1745, were defeated and French troops marched
when Bonnie Piince Charlie arrived in Scotland into Hanover. George II was horrified that his
intending to claim the throne. But when the two ancestral lands were under occupation and
men met on the field of Culloden in April 1746, gave his son the authority to negotiate with the
the result was a crushing defeat for the Scots. French. It was a bad move and Cumberland
Following the bloody battle, Cumberland signed the Convention of Klosterzeven, which
gave the order to leave no rebel unpunished, agreed that Hanover would remain partially
whether soldier or civilian. The wounded under French occupation, offering no assistance
were slaughtered where they lay and the to Prussia.
pacification of the Highlands swept across the Frederick the Great regarded the agreement
land, with those who had not been on the field as a betrayal and Cumberland returned home
rounded up, tried and sentenced to execution in disgrace, his controversial military career
or transportation.
As a result of this, Cumberland was
brought to a sudden halt. Under his nephew,
George III, Cumberland became an advisor,
I i
Loved b y some, hated b y others,
nicknamed ‘the Butcher1b y his enemies, while yet he is remembered today as 'the Butcher', Cumberland presided over
his champions hailed him as 'Sweet William’, the man who ordered the pacification of the the bloody pacification o f the
Highlands that followed Culloden
the conquering hero. Cumberland, however, Highlands and then sat back to play cards.
H anover
George III
b .l7 3 8 -d .l8 2 0 1 7 6 0 -1 8 2 0
George IV
b .l7 6 2 -d .l8 3 0
P rin ce R egen t: 1811-1820. K ing: 1 8 2 0 -1 8 3 0
rax
H anover
he could make a much more impressive match. to a certain lady you may have heard of. Her
Yet the obstinate Charlotte persevered and name, of course, was Victoria.
'c~! i F fi
\ .j
Rom anov
---------------------------- 1613-1917-----------------------------
A re ig n c h a ra c te ris e d b y in trig u e , a m b itio n , tre a c h e r y a n d re v o lu tio n , th e R o m a n o v
shered into a basement in it’s from this family that we have some of present in Russia. Beautiful palaces stand as a
Yekaterinburg in the dead of Russia's best-known monarchs. Peter the reminder of times gone by, with the Catherine
night, the House of Romanov Great expanded the empire's borders and laid Palace looking stunning in blue, white and gold.
met its end on the Russian the groundwork for what would become the In Saint Petersburg, the Winter Palace is still
throne at the point of guns Russian Navy between 1682 and 1725. Ivan VI in use, only now it is home to the Hermitage
and bayonets. Revolution had won out, and became tsar at just two months old, but a coup State Museum. There are also a further 50 or so
the royal family was no more - those who saw him imprisoned and stripped of his crown, imperial residences in the city.
weren't murdered fled, never to return to spending the rest of his life incarcerated before The Romanovs have never been far from the
their homeland. But the Romanovs were no dying at the age of 23. Elizabeth successfully public consciousness. For decades, the mystery
strangers to conflict. led her country through two major conflicts of the fate of Grand Duchess Anastasia kept
In the crucible of civil war in 1613, Michael - namely the War of Austrian Succession and interest in the royal family alive, and it has
I took the crown, bringing an end to the the Seven Years' War. Catherine the Great, far from waned since then. Tsar Nicholas II
15-year-long Time of Troubles. His election to originally hailing from Prussia, made a point of and his family m ay have perished in the early
the throne began 3 0 0 years of uninterrupted modernising her adopted homeland. 2 0 th century, but it's unlikely that the rich
Romanov rule - although it did become the However, while the remaining Romanovs live tapestry of Russian imperial history will ever
House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov - and abroad today, the legacy of the family is still be forgotten.
P F.n ir.RFF,
1 )iseover the lineage o f the tsars and tsarinas that took Russia
from im perial autocracy to ruin and revolution
W
Order of
©
Marriage
succession Maria
M iloslavskaya A lexis I
b.l625-d.l669 b.l629-d.l676 Natalya
Second tsar of the Naryshldna
dynasty, Alexis I had b.l651-d,1694
16 children between ^ ------- e
Jr Jr
Charlotte Alexei
Christine Petrovich
b.l694-d.l715 b.l690-d.l718
% f
Charles
Frederick Elizabeth I
Anna b.I700-d.l739 b.l709-d.l762
b,1693-d.l740 Turn to page 74
Under the strict care of
her mother, Anna was
prevented development
of a personality, which
made her a cruel ruler of
the dynasty.
9
'ten
s Jr =4=.
Tatiana
Nikolaevna
b.!897-d.l918
J
Maria
Nikolaevna
b.!899-d.l918
=J
Anastasia
b-1901-d.l918
Romanov
Turn to page 77
A lexei
Nikolaevich
b.!904-d.l918
Royal Dynasties
Michael I
b.1596-d.1645 \*/ 1613-1645
The patriarch
ichael Fyodorovich (previously Fyodor Nikitich Romanov) and
Romanov was little more his mother was Xenia Shestova, who was a
than a boy when he came member of the Saltykov family. Despite his
to the throne in 1613. Since mother's very natural and rational concerns
the death of the last tsar of about the probable dangerous position
the Rurilc dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, in 1598, this now put her son in, the new ruler was
Russia had stumbled into a dark era that crowned Michael I, Tsar of All Russia, on 21
came to be known as the Time of Troubles. July 1613, in Cathedral of the Assumption in
A widespread famine added to the already the Kremlin, Moscow.
tempestuous political climate, and various With the need to secure the new
men (such as Boris Godunov, the False Romanov dynasty, the new tsar was
Dmitry, Vasily Shuisky) vied for power. strongly encouraged to marry and so
Assassinations and massacres ensued, plus beget the necessary heir - and he ended up
foreign invasions and internal uprisings such marrying twice. In late 1624, Michael wed
as the Bolotnikov Rebellion of 1606-07, made Princess Maria Vladimirovna Dolgorukova;
this time all the more treacherous. unfortunately, this marriage lasted only
Out of this terrible phase, the Romanovs four months due to Maria's sudden death.
- a fam ily related to the Rurik tsar Ivan Not long after, Michael married Eudoxia
the Terrible's first wife - were judged in a Streshnyova, and this marriage proved a
national assembly to be the best fit to rule much greater success. Eudoxia bore him ten
the country. From this family, the gentle, children, including the future Tsar Alexei I
self-effacing 16-year-old Michael Romanov of Russia. Michael died a day after his 49th
was elected. His father was Patriarch Philaret birthday in 1645.
Sophia Alekseyevna
b ,1 6 5 7 -d .l7 0 4 & R egen t: 1 6 8 2 -1 6 8 9
A female regent
ophia was the daughter of the fight against the Ottoman Empire, which
Alexei and was also the sister was one of the biggest threats facing Europe.
of Feodor III, the short-lived It was also during Sophia's regency that the
tsar whose 20-year life had first Russian-Chinese treaty - the Treaty of
been plagued by infirmities. Nerchinsk of 1689 - was signed.
At a time when women were largely withheld Sophia's downfall came about in a
from power and veiled, the fact that Sophia decidedly odd w ay Tsar Peter - now 17 - was
Alekseyevna became a regent - and therefore at Preobrazhenskoe, and there, a frantic
a ruler - of Russia was quite an achievement. attendant woke him from his sleep warning
She was regent over her two younger brothers, him that the Streltsy (Russian guards) were
tsars Ivan and Peter. on their way to him. Peter ran, got a horse and
Foreign policy under her was the major fled to the Troitsky Monastery. Although there
political achievement of her regency. Russia hadn't been any actual danger, the fact that
and Poland had long fought over Ukraine, the young tsar had taken refuge in a holy place
and especially its important city of Kiev. was enough to make many supporters flock to
Sophia's single most influential adviser was his side - including the Patriarch. Eventually,
Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn - a Westernised Sophia was forced out from her position as
statesman from one of the great aristocratic regent and was sent to the Novodevichy
houses, the Golitsyns. In the negotiations Convent, where she died on the 14 July 1704,
between Russian and Polish diplomats, a after living there for some years. Sophia
settlement was reached: Poland gave up its Alekseyevna's regency marked one of the first
claim to Kiev in return for Russia joining in instances of rule over Russia by a woman.
Rom anov
Killing for
the crown
ophie Augusta Fredericka was born on
the 21 April 1729, to Prince Christian
Augustus of Arnhalt-Zerbst and Princess
Johanna Elizabeth of Holstein-Gottorp.
Her parents had an unhappy union,
exacerbated by Johanna's belief that she'd married
beneath her to a man of inferior rank (Johanna was the
sister of Prince Charles Augustus of Holstein, who had
died shortly before he was to be married to Empress
Elizabeth of Russia). Her mother, who had wanted a
son, greeted the birth of Sophie with coldness and
disappointment. The lack of maternal warmth that
Johanna exhibited towards her daughter was not applied
to her second child, a son, Wilhelm Christian, upon whom
she lavished much affection. Despite this, Sophie was
well-educated - learning under the French Huguenot
Charles van Loo's portrait of Elizabeth Cardel and the more strict Pastor Wagner.
Peter the Great's illegitimate As an adolescent, Sophie was pragmatic when it came to
daughter emphasises her her looks. She was then rather plain, and so endeavoured
passion for arts and culture
to make up for this by developing many other qualities.
Elizabeth When she was 14, she met King Frederick the Great of
Prussia, upon whom she made a favourable impression.
b .l7 0 9 -d .l7 6 2 v*/ 1741-1762 His meeting with her prompted him to write to Empress
Elizabeth of Russia about the young girl’s intelligence, and
An imperial Venus this paved the way for the empress to consider Sophie as a
bride for her son Peter.
lizabeth, as the illegitimate the two fell in love. They were ready to The marriage between the 17-year-old Peter and his
daughter of Peter the announce their engagement in early 1727, 16-year-old bride, Catherine (who had been given this
Great and his mistress when Elizabeth's mother sickened and died. new name when she converted to the Russian Orthodox
Catherine, was unlikely One terrible grief soon followed another, Church) was not a merry union. Unlike her husband,
to ever rule. Even though as only a month later, Elizabeth's beloved Catherine made the most of her situation and worked very
her father eventually married her mother, fiance contracted smallpox and died. hard to learn the Russian language. In 1754, Catherine
Elizabeth had been born out of wedlock in Elizabeth never officially married (although gave birth to a son, Paul Petrovich (later Tsar Paul I). His
1709. Peter loved his children and, although she was rumoured to have secretly wed her paternity is still questioned, and it was rumoured he
accounts vary, it appears that he took an lover Alexis Razumovsky - her Ukrainian was fathered by Serge Saltykov, who had been one of
active interest in their education, as far as 'Emperor of the Night’). Catherine's lovers.
time permitted. Elizabeths sister, Grand Duchess Anna In 1762, Empress Elizabeth died, leaving the unpopular
In terms of her physical attributes, Petrovna, married Charles Frederick, Duke Peter the crown. Catherine and her supporters launched
Elizabeth, with her blue eyes, blonde tresses, of Holstein-Gottorp, the brother of Prince a coup d'etat against her husband. In her memoirs, she
and vivacious personality, was considered Charles Augustus, but his boorish behaviour wrote: "Peter III renounced the empire at Oranienbaum,
very attractive. This, combined with her and the separation from her sister made her in full liberty, surrounded by 1,500 Holstein troops, and
intelligence and education was why Peter very unhappy. came to Peterhoff, accompanied by Elizabeth Voronzoff,
hoped to arrange a great marriage for her. In February of 1728, Anna gave birth to Godowitz, and Michael Ismafloff. There, as a guard, I
One match he sought for Elizabeth was with her only child, a son, but fever set in days assigned him five officers and some soldiers. This was
King Louis XV of France, but her possible later. Anna died from puerperal fever on on the 29th of June, the Feast of St Peter, at noon." Peter
illegitimacy - combined with the fact 4 March 1728, aged only 20. The loss of died shortly thereafter, possibly by murder. Catherine
that her mother had been a peasant - was her dear sister was yet another blow for became sole ruler.
enough to put an end to these aspirations. Elizabeth. When Elizabeth died in 1762, her The subject of Catherine's paramours is of importance,
In the Autumn of 1726, Elizabeth met nephew Karl Peter Ulrich, succeeded her on for she was a person who needed love and support.
Prince Charles Augustus of Holstein and the throne as Tsar Peter III. Catherine had an illegitimate son with her lover Grigori
Rom anov
“ Catherine had an
illegitimate son with her
lover Grigori Orlov”
Orlov, and her only daughter, probably fathered by
Stanislaw Poniatowski, w as born In 1757. Her most
influential affair was with Grigory Potemkin - one of the
great statesmen of 18th-century European history.
Catherine was a great lover of art and literature and she
knew how to use propaganda. There are many portraits of
her regally dressed and conveying a commanding sense of
imperial m ajesty She was a bibliophile and an intellectual,
and maintained a close correspondence with some
of the greatest minds of the Enlightenment including
Denis Diderot and Voltaire. In 1795, Catherine founded
the Imperial Public Library (now the National Library of
Russia) in Saint Petersburg.
A popularly related story about Catherine was that
she met her death by being crushed to death under the
weight of a horse with which she was copulating. This is
simply one of several malicious myths, for she died from a
cerebral haemorrhage on 17 November 1796.
Catherine's reign was a testament to her political
acumen and her Enlightenment ideals. The indelible
stamp of her reign upon Russia can be seen to this day.
Alexander I
b .l7 7 7 -d .l8 2 5 1801-1825
A tsar at war
lexander was the son This tsar had connections to Queen
of Tsar Paul I, who was Victoria of Britain. When she was born
the son of Catherine the at Kensington Palace in 1819, she was
Great and Tsar Peter III christened Alexandrina Victoria in honour
(though some continued of him, her godfather.
to speculate his father was Serge Saltykov). Tsar Alexander died from Typhus in
Empress Catherine favoured her grandson Taganrog, Russia, on 1 December 1825.
Alexander over her son Paul, and this As none of his legitimate children had
created a rather difficult dynamic. In 1793, survived, his brother became his successor
Alexander married the beautiful Princess as Tsar Nicholas I. This was by no means
Louise of Baden. This marriage began a smooth transition. On 26 December that
happily enough, but over time and with year, an uprising that came to be known
the death of their two daughters, their as the Decembrist Revolt took place in
relationship deteriorated. When Tsar Peter's Square in Saint Petersburg. Led by
Paul was assassinated in 1801, Alexander army officers at the head of some 3.000
became tsar. soldiers, these protestors were alarmed that
Best known for being the tsar of Leo Alexander's brother Constantine Pavlovich
Tolstoy's epic historical novel War And had been overlooked in favour of the
Peace set during the Napoleonic Wars, younger brother, Nicholas. The reality was
Alexander I is most known for his on/ that Constantine had no desire to become
off friendship with Napoleon Bonaparte. tsar. The uprising had been for nought, and
Alexander was present at the Battle of five of the Decembrists were hanged. The
Austerlitz in 1805, and was in power when rest were exiled to areas such as Siberia.
Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, during Nicholas's 30-year reign ended with his
which the Battle of Borodino was fought. death in the Winter Palace in 1855.
Nicholas II
b .l8 6 8 -d .l9 1 8 tAr 1894-1917
The last
Romanov
he history of Nicholas II, his wife and
his children is one of the great tragedies
of the Romanov dynasty. The family
iJLWrl line, which had ruled over Russia for
m ill over 300 years, came to a bloody end
j*. - / jj in 1918 with Nicholas at the helm, Nicholas was the son
of Tsar Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna. Alexander
was known as the 'Peacemaker' because Russia was not
involved in any major warfare during his reign.
Through his mother's side, Nicholas was closely related
to both King George V of the British Empire and the
controversial character Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. In
the 1890s, Nicholas fell in love with the German Princess
Alix of Hesse, who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
On 26 November 1894, the couple were married at the
Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg.
They went on to have five children: four daughters,
Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and one son, Alexei.
The latter suffered from
Alexander II
b .l8 1 8 -d .l8 8 1 \ i i 1855-1881
Saint Petersburg in 1998. By 2000, Tsar Nicholas II was Rumours spread widely that Anastasia has solid proof that all Romanovs were
canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church. somehow survived the horrific executions killed in 1918.
Wittelsbach
WITTELSBACH
1806-1918
The House of Wittelsbach ruled in Bavaria for just over a century, but their
legacy of scandals, palaces and personal dramas continue to captivate today
Words GREG RING
y 1806, when the Wittelsbachs ruled a small fiefdom at Pfaffenhofen. In 1180, Denmark and Norway, Bohemia, and Hungary.
came to the throne of Bavaria, Emperor Friederick Barbarossa raised Count For its first 50 years, the Kingdom of Bavaria
they already had centuries of Otto von Scheyern to the rank of duke and ranked as the third most powerful German
rule behind them as dukes bestowed Bavaria, then a sparsely populated state, after Austria and Prussia. This changed
and electors. province in southern Germany, as a reward after the 1860s, when the political wars and
Known for being brilliant and artistic, they for his military loyalty. Count Otto promptly sly machinations of Otto von Bismarck led to a
were among Europe's most prestigious Catholic moved to a grand residence, Wittelsbach Castle, Prussian-led German Empire - even so, Bavaria
families, linked by propitious marriages to most and assumed its name for his descendants. retained unique rights and a considerable degree
of the continent's other ruling houses. But In 1328, Duke Ludwig III became Holy of autonomy in the new Reich.
they also had a reputation for wild eccentricity Roman Emperor and soon went to war against As with so many other European dynasties,
and even mental illness: generations of highly the Vatican: Bavarian troops actually deposed it was discontent in the last days of World War
incestuous marriages left the last generations the Pope when he attempted to curtail I that ended Wittelsbach rule, but the family
highly strung and prey to debilitating delusions. Ludwig's power. In the years that followed, had become so beloved that they escaped the
The Wittelsbachs traced their origins to the advantageous marriages placed Wittelsbach enforced exiles or revolutionary execution that
obscure aristocratic house of Scheyern, which descendants on the thrones of Sweden, befell many of their contemporaries.
PEDIGREE
Uncover the lineage o f G erm any’s m ost loved dynasty
husband lacked the
temperament necessary
for the throne, Sophie
persuaded him
to abdicate
Jr
(1) Augusta of M axim ilian I Joseph (2) Caroline of
Baden
W
Order of
©
Marriage
Hesse-Darmstadt
b.l765-d,1796
b.l756-d,1825
Turn to page 82 b.!776-d.l841
succession
Jr
Franz Joseph I. Emperor
0
Elisabeth
of Austria-Hungary
b.l837-d.l898
b.l830-d,1916 ^ ___ e
------------------ V ------------------
^ = = — ^
(1) D uchess Marie Crown Prince Rupprecht (2) Princess Antonia
Gahridle in Bavaria b.l869-d.l955 of Luxembourg
b.l878-d.l912 Turn to page 86 b.l899-d.l954
Wittelsbach
Albrecht Countess Maria
b.l905-d.l996
Turn to page 87
© Draskovich of Trakosljan
b.!904-d.l969
Ludwig I
b .l7 8 6 ~ d .l8 6 8 \*/ 1825-1848
A scandalous
romantic
udwig I, who came to the Bavarian throne
on his father's death in 1825, embodied
many of the conflicting strains in the
Wittelsbach family. He liked to think
of himself as a liberal reformer and
walked unguarded on the Munich streets, yet after the
French Revolution of 1830, he gave in to more repressive
tendencies, imposing government censorship and ruinous
taxes, and rescinding freedom of the press.
The rise of the Ultramontane Party, backed by the
Jesuits, in 1837 led to further public discontent as
Protestants were persecuted and policies swung wildly
to the right. A thwarted architect, Ludwig attempted
to transform Munich into a second Athens, with grand
avenues lined with neoclassical temples, triumphal
arches and impressive art galleries. His obsession took a
more ominous turn with his famous Schonheitengalerie
(Gallery of Beauties), which featured portraits of three-
Maximilian I Joseph dozen women who had caught Ludwig's roving eye. His
queen, Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, took it all in her
b .l7 5 6 -d .l8 2 5 v*/ 1 8 0 6 -1 8 2 5 stride, at least until her husband fell under the hypnotic
Bavaria’s first king' spell of the infamous dancer Lola Montez. The exotic Lola,
who claimed aristocratic Spanish ancestry, was in fact
Irish, born Eliza Gilbert. By the time she arrived in Munich
t was a forced marriage that drafted in 1808 and amended ten years later. in 1846, she had left behind her a wake of scandals: public
gave Bavaria its first king. This established a constitutional monarchy, love affairs, lethal duels and expulsion from a handful of
After 1800, Napoleon's with a powerful parliament, freedom of the European capitals amid charges of immorality. Watching
Grande Armee swept press, and religious equality. her sinuous movements, Ludwig was intoxicated and
across Europe, conquering Maximilian was a man of few pretensions he soon lost all sense of decorum in pursuing the darkly
and upending old alliances. Neighbouring but he followed royal custom by taking a beautiful Lola. There were jewels, an expensive house,
Austria invaded Bavaria, whose ruler, string of mistresses, much to the dismay Bavarian citizenship and even an aristocratic peerage.
Elector Maximilian IV Joseph, turned to the of his wife, Augusta of Hesse-Darmstadt, Lola exacerbated the situation by openly interfering in
French upstart for assistance. whom he married in 1785. Frequent Bavarian political affairs.
The little Corsican proposed a canny pregnancies and bouts of ill health wore In February 1847 the entire Bavarian government
solution: if the elector's daughter her down, and she died in 1796. The king resigned in protest over the liaison, but Ludwig learned
Augusta married his stepson, Eugene de wasted little time in mourning: less than 12 nothing from the episode and there were frequent riots,
Beauharnais, Napoleon would create the months after Augusta's death he wed again, during which Lola foolishly cheered on the mob calling for
new Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian this time to Princess Caroline of Baden, who her expulsion and even showered them with chocolates
as sovereign. The elector was in no position was 20 years his junior. Maximilian allowed and champagne. This untenable situation finally came to a
to refuse: on 1 January 1806, he was named her to keep her Protestant faith - indeed, he head in the spring of 1848, as revolution swept Europe.
King Maximilian I Joseph and, two weeks insisted upon it as a way to demonstrate the In February, after students chased Lola through the
later, a tearful Augusta went to the altar kingdom's religious equality. streets, the king closed the university not to be thwarted,
to cement the French alliance. Yet after Caroline of Baden was certainly unique the angry students surrounded Lola's mansion and hurled
Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia in royal history, providing her husband rocks through the windows. Fearing for her life, Lola fled
in 1812, Maximilian abruptly abandoned with not one but two sets of twin daughters. to Switzerland, but she urged her lover to destroy the
France and joined the ultimately victorious Maximilian I Joseph reigned for 19 years opposition and allow her return to Munich.
war against her in exchange for guarantees before dying of a stroke on 12 October 1825. Thoroughly bewitched, Ludwig was considering
of his kingdom's survival. His time on the throne had seen Bavaria these rash ideas when, on 4 March, the mob turned its
One enduring legacy of early Napoleonic rise in prestige and prosperity to become a vengeance on the Residenz, the Wittelsbach palace in
domination was Bavaria's constitution, first respected modern kingdom. Munich, preparing to storm the building unless the king
Wittelsbach
--------------- --------------------
Ludwig II
b .l8 4 5 -d .l8 8 6 1 8 6 4 -1 8 8 6
Bavaria’s
famous fairy
tale king
want to remain an eternal enigma,”
Ludwig II once confessed. In 1864, at the
age of 18, Ludwig II came to the Bavarian
throne: he was tall, thin and strikingly
handsome, with an almost feminine
beauty that set hearts aflutter across Munich.
A romantic at heart, he had fallen under the spell of
Richard Wagner's sensuous opera, and one of his first acts
on the throne was to summon the controversial composer
to Munich. Ludwig showered him with privileges but
Wagner's affair with Liszt's daughter, Cosima von Biilow,
attempts to interfere in politics, and incessant financial
demands eventually forced the king to send him into exile,
although he continued to fund work on the composer's
great D er Ring des Nibelungen.
In 1866, Bavaria joined Austria in a futile war against
Prussia; in 1870, Bavaria was forced to join Prussia in a war
against France. Prussia emerged victorious and formed
the new German Empire. Ludwig remained king but
his independence was lost. He became embittered and
withdrawn, especially after his disastrous engagement
to Princess Sophie, sister of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, “ There were rumours of a
faltered when the homosexual Ludwig repeatedly
postponed the wedding. He began a series of affairs with botched rescue attempt”
stable boys and handsome soldiers, which horrified his
conservative government. Worse, Ludwig practically report, and the agreement of Ludwig's cunning uncle.
withdrew from all of his royal duties and used these young Prince Luitpold, to assume the regency, the government
men to communicate with ministers. dispatched agents to arrest Ludwig. They found him on
Increasingly, the king hid himself away in his fantastic the night of 10 June 1886, ensconced in his still-incomplete
buildings: Neuschwanstein, his shimmering Alpine castle Neuschwanstein; initially repelled by loyal troops, they
adorned with frescoes of Wagnerian legends; Linderhof, struck again early on the morning of 12 June, seizing the
a Rococo villa whose grounds include an artificial grotto king and transporting him to a heavily guarded castle,
and Moorish Kiosk; and Herrenchiemsee, a virtual and Berg, on the shore of Lake Starnberg.
extravagant replica of Versailles, where the king could Despite the rain, the following evening Dr Bernhard
live out his fascination with the Ancien Regime. And by von Gudden, the king's psychiatrist, agreed to accompany
1886 there were plans for even more buildings: a Chinese Ludwig on a walk. The two men never returned: four
Palace in the Alps, another Gothic castle, and even a hours later, theirbodies were found floating in the lake.
Byzantine palace of marble and gold. Such ideas horrified The government quickly declared that the insane Ludwig
the government: Ludwig was some 20 million marks in had strangled his doctor and then killed himself, but many
debt. When they refused him additional funds, the king questioned this official version. There were rumours of
threatened to dismiss his ministers. a botched rescue attempt organised by Ludwig's cousin
Prime Minister Johann von Lutz used the king's bizarre Empress Elisabeth of Austria, and even widespread tales of
personal behaviour to justify a coup: Ludwig's brother and murder at the hands of unknown agents, who viewed the
heir Otto had already been declared insane, and now a former king as a threat to the continued existence of Lutz's
government commission asserted that the king w as also government. Ludwig had become an embarrassment, and
suffering from an incurable mental illness. This rested his death eliminated the threat of a civil war. The mystery
on the opinion of several psychiatrists, none of whom remains, only adding to the mythology that still surrounds
had ever examined Ludwig. But armed with a medical Bavaria's fabled dream king.
Wittelsbach
Otto I
b .l8 4 8 -d .l9 1 6 ^ T itu la r k in g u n d er r e g e n c y 1886-1913
An insane monarch
avaria's next king, madman, makes terrible faces, barks
Otto, reigned but never like a dog and sometimes says the most
actually ruled. Until 1870 indecent things."
he had been a charming, Otto had been locked away at
genial young man, Fiirstenried Castle for three years when
interested only in soldiers and women. Ludwig II was deposed; although he was
But he soon fell victim to a deadly granted the title of king, control of the
combination of Wittelsbach eccentricity government lay in the hands of his uncle
coupled with the mental instability that Prince Luitpold, who served as regent.
ran in his mother's Prussian family. At When Luitpold died in 1912, his son
times he refused to eat and sleep for days, Ludwig assumed the regency, but it was
spoke in gibberish, and avoided bathing. obvious that Otto could never reign. The
His brother Ludwig II had him locked Bavarian parliament therefore passed a
away at Nymphenburg Palace under new law, allowing the end of the regency
the care of Dr Bernhard von Gudden, if the monarch was deemed incapable of
but in 1865 Otto escaped, stormed into a ruling for a period of ten years.
cathedral during mass and loudly began The next day, the former regent
confessing his sins before officials could assumed the throne as King Ludwig III.
drag him away. A harsher regime was As a courtesy, Otto was allowed to retain
imposed as Otto continued to deteriorate: his title, but by this time he spent his days
when Ludwig II visited his brother, he smashing flies against the windows of his
sadly wrote that Otto "seems to grow cell, largely forgotten by the world beyond
worse every day... He behaves like a until his death on 11 October 1916.
Ludwig III
b .l8 4 5 -d .l9 2 1 & R eg en t 1912-1913, k in g 1913-1918
Bavaria’s most
unpopular monarch
uitpold's eldest son took over with the kaiser's army in the bloodiest conflict the
the ongoing regency for Otto on world had ever witnessed. Food shortages, mounting
his father's death in 1912, but he casualties and devastating inflation further inflamed
assumed the throne in his own Bavarian discontent: on 3 November 1918, mass
right as Ludwig III in November demonstrations swept Munich, demanding peace and
1913 when the Bavarian parliament passed a new law an end to the constitutional monarchy.
that allowed for the deposition of asovereignif they Four days later, Ludwig and his family fled across the
could not reign for more than ten yeais. Although few border to Austria, where they found refuge at Schloss
Bavarians had strong feelings for poor insane Otto, Anif near Salzburg. It was there, on 13 November, that
many derided the move as a craven power grab. Ludwig issued a declaration announcing that he had
This, along with a perception that Ludwig III was found it "impossible to continue my rule." He formally
too accommodating toward Prussia, did nothing to released all Bavarian officials and soldiers from their
enhance his popularity He tried to live quietly with oaths of loyalty to him: this was not technically
his wife, the former Archduchess Maria Theresa of an abdication but it effectively ended Wittelsbach
Austria-Este, enjoying country estates at Sarvar in rule as the People's State of Bavaria was formally
Hungary and Eiwanowitz in Moravia, which her proclaimed. Ludwig remained in exile, fearing possible
immense fortune provided, and indulging their brood assassination, but in April 1920 - a year after his wife's
of 13 children. death - he finally returned to Bavaria, living quietly at a
Ludwig III, however, was unable to escape the country estate with his children. He died on 18 October
trauma of World War I, when his soldiers marched off 1921 while visiting his estate in Hungary.
R oyal D ynasties
Bavaria’s last
crown prince
he eldest son of King Ludwig III, Crown
Prince Rupprecht never reigned,
though he carried both the Wittelsbach
inheritance as well as the Jacobite claim
to the British and Scottish Crowns
(Rupprecht was a direct descendant of King Charles I's
daughter Henrietta).
Throughout her life Denied any political role, he spent his long life largely
Therese would become focused on his family. This should have brought joy, but
fluent in 12 languages
circumstances conspired against the traditional happy
ending. Rupprecht lost his first wife, Duchess Marie
Princess Therese Gabrielle in Bavaria, from kidney disease in 1912, leaving
b .l8 5 0 -d .l9 2 5 him to care for their surviving son Albrecht; four other
19th-century world
ne of the most remarkable far-flung corners of the Earth: among her
members of the House expeditions were visits to the forests of
of Wittelsbach, Princess Brazil; the wilds of North America; exotic
Therese held no power and Mexico; the Caribbean; and South America,
wielded no influence, yet where she crossed the Andes mountains
she left an indelible legacy. by llama. Everything she encountered was
The only daughter of Prince Regent noted in a journal and photographed, with
Luitpold, she had shown her brilliance early, samples collected and carefully packed to be
mastering six languages by the age of 12; she sent back to Munich.
later added another six, including Greek and She used her adventures as the basis for a
Russian. In an age when princesses were number of books: Excursion to Tunis (1880);
expected to be ornamental, not intellectual, Im pressions and Sketchesfro m Russia (1885);
Therese stood out for her achievements. Over the Polar Ice (1889); My Trips in the
She was fascinated by science, and Brazilian Tropics (1897); and Study Trips to
studied botany, geology, anthropology the W estern P art o f South Am erica (1908), all
and zoology at the hands of private tutors published under the pseudonym of Th. V.
- the conventions of the time forbade Bayer. In 1892 she became the first woman
any princess from attending recognised ever awarded honorary membership in
institutions of higher learning. the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and
Therese did not allow the lack of a Humanities, and in 1897 she was given
university education to impede her relentless an honourary doctorate from the Ludwig
thirst for knowledge. She independently Maximilian University. Therese spent her
studied complicated mathematics and last years as an active member of the Berlin
developed a taste for travel, crossing the Entomological Society.
globe in a search for interesting botanical After her death in 1925, her collections
specimens. These weren't pleasure trips. were donated to the State Museum of
Therese often travelled to dangerous and Ethnology in Munich.
Wittelsbach
second wife by just 16 months, dying on 2 August 1955 at After 15 years, though, Rupprecht reversed cousin Prince Luitpold and then to the latter's
the age of 86. his initial decision and declared that the son, Prince Ludwig Heinrich of Bavaria.
Frederick W illiam II w as responsible for
com m issioning both the Brandenberg
Gate in Berlin and the Marmorpalais in
Potsdam during his reign
Hohenzollern
HOHENZOLLERN
1701-1918
From relatively modest beginnings, this prolific dynasty rose
to rule a united German empire, and beyond
Words CHARLIE GINGER & ROSS HAMILTON
aking its name from the and that he was slain as the result of a feud. The dynasty's lasting influence is all the
imposing Hohenzollern Castle Yet while the origins of this Germanic dynasty more remarkable given that it split along
('zoller' means watchtower) are shrouded in mystery, what is beyond doubt religious lines into two separate branches - one
that sits astride a Swabian is the far-reaching influence of the House of Protestant and the other Catholic - long before
mountain, the House of Hohenzollern. It would come to rule not only it came to rule the fledgling nation of Germany.
Hohenzollern was founded prior to 1061, the location of its birth but also Brandenburg However, it couldn't survive the unprecedented
with the first members of the house being and Prussia after its establishment in 1701. The upheaval that followed the empire's crushing
mentioned before this date. Hohenzollern dynasty would also go on to defeat in World War I. With Wilhelm II's
Ciimbing to a position of influence near the control the German Empire upon its foundation disasterous rule, the Hohenzollerns lost their
town of Hechingen in southwest Germany, the in 1871 following Prussia's stunning defeat of grip on imperial power, and the German
family's first recorded ancestor was Burkhard I, France in the Franco-Prussian War and later monarchy was abolished, leaving in its wake
Count of Zollern, of whom little is known save Germany's overseas colonies in Africa and the a power vacuum that birthed struggle, strife -
that his paternity has never been confirmed state of Romania.
The
Frederick
Sophia Dorothea W illiam I
of Hanover
b.l687-d,1757
©< b.l688-d.l740
Known as the Soldier
King, Frederick reformed
his army, government
and finances.
^ Jf Jr
Frederick W ilhelm ine Prince Henry of Augustus
Louis of Prussia, Prussia Ferdinand
b.l707-d.l708 Margravine of b,1726-d.l802 b,1730-d.l813
Brandenburg The second youngest % = = = /
Bayreuth of Frederick William I's
b,1709-d,1758 children, Henry enjoyed
Though her marriage to a distinguished career
Frederick, Margrave of in the Prussian military.
Biandenburg-Bayreuth A number of records
wasn't advantageous, suggest that the popular
Wilhelmine helped him prince was at one point
to transform her new sounded out as a potential
home with ambitious president or king of the
architectural projects. fledgling United States,
^ —(P though he was apparently
disinclined.
Jr
Elisabeth Christine Frederick n
of Brunswick-
W olfenbuttel-Bevem © < the Great
b.l712-d.l786
Luise of Brunswick-
W olfenbiittel
Augustus
W illiam
b.!715-d.l797 Turn to page 92 b,1722-d.l780 b,1722-d,1758
Jp
Frederika Henry
Louisa of H esse- b.l747-d.l767 r il
Frederick W ilhelmina of Prussia.
Darmstadt
W illia m IT Princess of Orange
b.l751-d.l805 >
Frederick b.I744-d.I797 b,1751-d.l820
W illiam IQ Turn to page 94 Turn to page 94
Louise of hi -T
b.l770-d.l840
Meckleriburg-
Strelitz ©< Widely regarded as a
weak ruler, Frederick
William Ill's naive wish
>
b.i776-d.i8l0
^ if to maintain neutrality lr--------------------q f --------------------1 ?------------------- si
saw Prussia initially Louis Frederika Louisa Augusta Henry W illiam
devastated during the b.l773-d.l796 W ilhelmina b.l780-d.l841 b.l781-d.l846 b.l783-d.l851
Napoleonic Wars. b.l774-d.l837 ^ 'f
Victoria
b.l840-d.l901
....................
Hohensollern
Sophia of Prussia
Charlotte Viktoria Margaret
b.l870-d,1932
b,1860-d.l919 b.l866-d.l929 Granddaughter of Queen b,1872-d.l954
% r Victoria and wife of
f -------------------- ■vk. Constantine I of Greece,
Augusta Victoria of Henry Waldemar Sophia was queen of the
W ilhelm Q Hellenes during one of the
Schleswig-Holstein b.l862-d.l929 b.l868-d.I879
b,1858-d.l921
b.l859-d.l941
Turn to page 97
^ __ V __ J most turbulent periods of
the region's history.
^ if
R oyal D ynasties
The father
o f Prussia
he history of the House of Hohenzollern
stretches back for nearly a millennium,
but there is no doubt as to who is its most
famous son. Frederick II, king in and later
of Prussia, is the only one of the country's
monarchs to be known instantly by his cognomen -
Frederick the Great; a title as ostentatious as it is apposite.
The embodiment of 'enlightened absolutism’, Frederick
the Great inherited a Prussia that was in the ascendency
and transformed it into the premier military power
in Europe. His achievements encompassed brilliant
campaigns, wide-ranging social and economic reforms
and astute diplomacy that would both enrich and expand
his country. Frederick's promotion of religious toleration
and extensive patronage of the arts also helped calcify his
reputation as a forward-thinking autocrat and a champion
of rational thought.
There was a time, however, when it appeared that
Frederick m ay never acquire the position that he would
--------------- --------------------
Queen o f intrigue
rom an early age, severely lacking in political authority; its
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia formerly absolute power now shackled
distinguished herself as by governmental constraints. With Adolf
intelligent, beautiful and Frederick the heir, she was willing to
ferociously ambitious. The bide her time, but her mind turned to the
daughter of Frederick William I, she grew up restoration of absolute monarchy.
in a Prussian court that was among Europe's In 1751, Louisa became Queen and set
most exciting. Counting eminent minds about planning for an audacious coup d'etat.
among her friends, she entered into what After a number of false starts and plans that
would be a protracted search for marriage. were snuffed out, her chance came in 1756,
The match finally came in the form of but betrayal and incompetence led to the
the genial but weak-willed Adolf Frederick, plot's discovery just days before it was put
then-Crown Prince of Sweden. Despite into action. Heads roiled, and Louisa was
Louisa's brother, Frederick the Great, forced into a humiliating public apology. She
advocating for a different pairing, ostensibly remained active in public life, but privately
for fear that the domineering Louisa would she seethed.
i exert too much influence over her husband-
to-be, the two wed in 1744.
Louisa's final insult would come when
her son Gustav III succeeded where she
Frederick's reservations soon proved had failed. He took power back from
justified. Louisa's arrival in Sweden the government in 1772, a year after his
marked the beginning of decades of ascension. Finally, the monarchy had the
Frederick the Great's hom osexuality manoeuvring and manipulation that power she had craved, but her fractious
w as w idely know n and though he
placed her as the prime force behind the relationship with her son meant that she
and his w ife w ere married for more
than 5 0 years, they weren't d o se country's ruling family. The Princess found was marginalised. Their relationship only
a Swedish monarchy that was, in her eyes, softened on her deathbed.
R oyal D ynasties
Frederick William II
b .l7 4 4 -d .l7 9 7 1786-1797
King o f culture
ow do you follow greatness? Prussia's wealth would deteriorate at an
That was the question facing alarming rate.
Frederick William II when Where Frederick II had been a champion
he ascended to the Prussian of the Enlightenment - perhaps the great
throne in 1786, following the royal proponent of the movement - Fredericlc
death of his uncle, Frederick II. The legacy of William II could not effectively continue his
his predecessor would hang heavy over the uncle's enlightened absolutism. Instead, he
fourth Hohenzollern king, and ultimately he confided in and collaborated with a number
lacked the military acumen and rational mind of close associates, chief among them Johann
to ever escape it. Wollner. Wollner, an adherent to mysticism
Frederick William's 11 years in power did and Christian orthodoxy, would have a great
see Prussia expand its territory, primarily deal of influence over Frederick William,
through the acquisition of lands during the with the king making him prime minister in
further partitioning of Poland, but the nation all but name.
also weakened from within. Poor handling Today, though Frederick William II is
of foreign policy as the French Revolution generally assessed negatively as a ruler, he
sparked a wave of panic through Europe does leave a significant legacy as a result of
did Prussia's standing on the continent no his extensive artistic patronage. It was with
favours. And while the king's economic the arts that his true affinity lay, and under
Frederick W illiam II married reforms, such as the abolishment of a number his stewardship, Prussia welcomed m any of
twice officially, but w as also of government monopolies, made him a Europe's leading painters, authors, architects
known to have kept a number
popular figure with his subjects, they came and composers. Mozart and Beethoven
oflong-standing mistresses
at great cost. Over the course of his reign, visited, even dedicating music to him.
The German
unifier
he rise of the House of Hohenzollern had
seen its provincial aristocrats elevated
to the status of kings, and their small
duchy expand into the Prussia that in the
18th and 19th centuries could lay claim
to being one of Europe's most powerful states. But the
dynasty would reach its apex, at least in terms of titles and
lands, with the coming of William (or Wilhelm) I, king of
Prussia and Emperor of a united Germany.
Ascending to the Prussian throne in 1861, one of
William's first, and certainly his most consequential,
moves came a year later when he appointed Otto von
Bismarck to the role of minister president. Over the next
decade, Bismarck would be the driving force behind
German unification, with the King taking a back seat to his
now-chancellor's political machinations.
William's rise would culminate in 1871, amid the
glittering glass of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palaces of
Versailles. In these stunning surroundings - captured
during the Franco-Prussian War - the king was officially
proclaimed Emperor. As with his ancestor Frederick I,
there was some quibbling over semantics. 'Emperor of
Germany’ was deemed too provocative as there remained
German lands that fell outside the empire's borders, and
'Emperor of the Germans' didn't sit well with William
-------------------------------------- lAr --------------------------------------
because he felt it undermined his supposedly divine right
to the title. The compromise of 'German Emperor’ kept
everyone, if not happy, at least content.
“William was notable for suffering a
As the dust settled following this monumental union,
the new Kaiser chose a process of continuity over radical
number of assassination attempts”
change. In other words, he maintained his faith in
Bismarck as the most vital cog in what was now a far larger been wearing his ceremonial helmet he would likely
and more complex imperial machine. While William have died instantly. The perpetrator this time was Karl
would clash with his chancellor numerous times over the Nobiling. By the time security forces reached him, he had
course of his reign, Bismarck's conviction, dominating already turned a revolver on himself. William, thankfully,
personality and his indispensability to the administration improved steadily as he was treated over the coming days
meant that the Kaiser could not afford to cut him loose. and would eventually make a full recovery.
While a popular figure with the public, William was These were not the first attempts on the Kaiser's life,
notable for suffering a number of assassination attempts nor would they be the last, but the two incidents in 1878
during his reign. One occurred in 1878 in Berlin, when were the most significant because of their far-reaching
anarchist Max Hodel twice shot at the king's carriage consequences. The Socialist links of the would-be
at close range. Both William and his daughter Louise assassins were seized upon by Bismarck, and became the
were unscathed but a bystander was killed. Weeks later, catalysts for his severe anti-Socialist legislation, which
however, William would not be so lucky. On another passed later that year.
open carriage ride, not far from where Hodel had fired, When he died in 1888, William left his successors a
two blasts from a double-barrelled shotgun erupted from German Empire that, while far from perfect, had survived
a window lining the street. Shots peppered the Kaiser a difficult birth and begun to settle into its role as one of
and he slumped backwards with the force - had he not the great powers in a new-look Europe.
R oyal D ynasties
Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
b .l8 1 1 -d .l8 9 0
Frederick III
b .l8 3 1 * d .l8 8 8 t*/ 1888
Wilhelm II
b .l8 5 9 -d .l9 4 1 1888-1918
Kaiser, killer
t’s a sobering thought that the wrong person,
in the wrong position, at the wrong time,
can bring about a catastrophe that not only
leaves millions dead, but fundamentally alters
the state of the world they live in. While it’s
extremely reductive to place Kaiser Wilhelm II as the prime
catalyst behind what soon became one of the most complex
geopolitical events in history, he was, nevertheless, a catalyst.
The son of Frederick III and his wife Victoria, Wilhelm II’s
reign ultimately marked not only the end of the house of
Hohenzollern as a royal dynasty, but also the end of the German
Empire. He inherited a country still built upon the diplomatic
ties forged by Otto von Bismarck, and over a period of 30 years
would proceed to run it into the ground through blundering
incompetence and catastrophic military escalation.
Wilhelm's troubles began at birth - literally - as complications
left him with a withered left arm as a result of Erb's palsy, a
disfigurement that he would do his best to conceal throughout
his life. His childhood was marked by difficult relationships with
his parents and other family members, in particular his British
relatives. When it became apparent early on that Wilhelm did not
share his father's liberal worldview, he began to receive attention
from chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who saw the young man as a
useful future ally.
When in power, however, Wilhelm quickly began to forge
his own path. Ascending to the imperial throne in 1888 after
the deaths of his grandfather and father in quick succession, he
made a point of voicing his opposition to a number of Bismarck's
policies - in particular his prioritisation of peace with Germany's
continental neighbours. After just two years of high-profile A s the eldest grandson of
clashes, the veteran chancellor was forced to resign - an overt Queen Victoria, W ilhelm 's
power shift that did not go unnoticed around Europe. fam ily ties am ong European
m onarchy w ere extensive
With Bismarck gone, Wilhelm was allowed increasing
leeway in his social reforms and military expansion, but the
----------------------------------- \fu -------------------------------------
loss of the country's most adept statesman was felt keenly.
Intelligent, but brash and impetuous, Wilhelm made for a terrible
diplomat, and a series of political blunders over the coming years
“ Intelligent, but brash, Wilhelm
alienated his family, his allies and his people. Eventually war
became inevitable.
made for a terrible diplomat”
As events spiralled out of control, Wilhelm rounded on his
former allies and the world was plunged Into the greatest armed him to face extradition and be tried for war crimes, the Dutch
conflict it had ever seen. As soldiers died in their millions, government refused.
and more suffered across the world, the Kaiser found himself In his final years, Wilhelm watched from the Netherlands as
increasingly marginalised by his own commanders. Over four Hitler's resurgent Germany conquered much of Western Europe,
horrendously bloody years, he was reduced to a figurehead, sending the Fiihrer written congratulations. Increasingly frail
simultaneously decrying his enemies and absolving him self of in both mind and body, the ailing former Kaiser took to railing
any wrongdoing. against the liberal evils of the Biitish and Americans, and
With Germany's capitulation imminent and Wilhelm's blamed his downfall on a Jewish conspiracy. He died in June
support at home dwindling, his position finally became 1941 - a relic on the fringes of a second global conflict that was,
untenable in 1918. Forced to abdicate, the disgraced former albeit indirectly and in part, of his making. It would take decades
©Getty Images
Emperor fled with his family to the neutral Netherlands. for the world to escape the disastrous shadow cast by the last
Though there were calls under the Treaty of Versailles for Hohenzollern ruler.
H absburg-Lorraine
HABSBURG-LORRAINE
---------------------------- 1740-1918----------------------------
Few royal dynasties have been as influential or dramatic as the Habsburgs,
who dominated the world stage for almost five centuries
Words M ELAN IE CLEGG
he great Habsburg dynasty had Romans and the family's influence rapidly Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile,
its origins in the 10th century increased from that point onwards until finally making Philip and Juana's son Charles the
when Radbot of Klettgau, a Frederick of Austria fulfilled the family's recipient of one of the greatest inheritances
grandson of Adalrich, Duke primary ambition by being voted Holy Roman that the world had ever seen.
of Alsace, built a fine castle Emperor in 1452, taking the name Frederick III. When Charles grew weary of ruling his vast
in Habsburg, Switzerland and from that point His son Maximilian would follow in his empire, he left a significant portion, including
onwards used its name for his family. There footsteps in 1508 and from that point on, Spain and the Netherlands to his son Philip II,
is some disagreement about what the name although the position of Holy Roman Emperor but decided that his younger brother Ferdinand
actually means, but it is most likely derived was still nominally an elected one, there should take on the title of Holy Roman
from Habichtsburg, which is High German for was never seriously any question of anyone Emperor and all the territory that came with
'hawk castle’. other than a Habsburg inheriting the crown. it, thus splitting the family into two distinct
Over the next few centuries, the Habsburg Thanks to Maximrlian's marriage to the great lines. Philip's descendants would rule over
family increased their territory and influence heiress Mary of Burgundy, the family acquired Spain until the Habsburg line died out, thanks
by the usual means of strategic alliances and most of the Netherlands and a large chunk of to a policy of intermarriage that resulted in
prestigious marriages until they had become France, which would be further boosted when catastrophic inbreeding, with Charles II in 1700,
one of the greatest landowners in central Maximilian and Mary's son Philip married to be replaced by a French Bourbon line, while
Europe. In 1273, Count Rudolph of Habsburg Juana of Castile, who inherited Ferdinand's descendants would rule Austria
was rewarded with the title of King of the most of Spain from her parents until Karl I renounced the throne in 1918. Coat ofarms© Sodacan licenseCC BY-SA 3.0
©Getty Images
The
W
Order of
©
Marriage
succession
F ra n d sI
b.l708-d.l765 M aria Theresa
A great nephew of Louis XIV
b.l7I7-d,1780
and Duke of Lorraine by birth,
Turn to page 102
Francis was forced to give up
his dukedom to marry
Maria Theresa
-------------- V ---------------
-------- ------------
The beloved and Francis n
spoiled only son b.l768-d,1835
of Emperor Franz Francis II was just 24 years
old when he succeeded =4=, jj - = y 1
Joseph I and
Empress Elisabeth,
his father as Holy Roman
Emperor in 1792 and was >e Marie Thcrese
of France
Louis Joseph.
Dauphin of
Louis X W
b.l785-d.l795
almost immediately presented b.l778-d,1851 France v e
Rudolf was with the formidable and J b.l781-d.l789
a handsome unenviable task of governing
the vast imperial territories
playboy prince while fighting the French and
fending off Napoleon's attacks.
Ferdinand I
Napoleon Maria Anna of Savoy Franz Kail Sophie o f Bavaria
< b-1793-d.l875 ► 0
Turn to page 103 b,1769-d.l821 Turn to page 104 b.l803-d.l884 b.l802-d,1878 b,1805-d.l872
^ * v --------------------------- ^ f 1 ^ &
^ Jr
M aximilian I of Mexico Maria Annundata of Karl Ludwig
Bourbon-Two Sicilies b.l833-d.l896
b.l832-d.l867
b.l843-d.l871 % = = = ?
A younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph
I, Maximilian's life changed forever when
Napoleon III offered to make him Emperor of
Carlota of
Mexico. He took up his new position in 1864 M exico
but managed to remain on the throne for less b.l840-d.l927
than three years before being overthrown Turn to page 10S
and executed by the Mexican government.
Habsburg-Lorraine
r ------------------------- h r ----------------------------j f ---------------------- h
Princess Sophie M aximilian, Duke Prince Ernst K adi
of Hohenberg of Hohenberg of Hohenberg
< b.l887-d,1922
b.l901-d.l990 b.l902-d.l962 b.l904-d.l954 Turn to page 107
* ^
■ v
R oyal D ynasties
Mother of
an empire
rom the moment that she was born on 13
May 1717, Maria Theresa was heiress to
the vast Habsburg realms ruled over by
her father Emperor Charles VI. Her birth
was a great disappointment though - an
elder brother, Archduke Leopold had died in infancy less
than a year earlier and her parents naturally hoped that
the new baby would be another boy, as there had never
been a Holy Roman Empress and the old prejudices
against female rulers still lingered on.
However, although Emperor Charles was dismayed by
Maria Theresa's birth, he nonetheless did his best to smooth
the path for her eventual succession, although he did very
little to prepare her for the great responsibility that would
one day be hers, hoping that her future husband would
be capable of governing on her behalf. The husband that
he selected for her was Frangois Stephen de Lorraine, a
grandson of Louis XIV's brother Philippe, Duke of Orleans
and Duke of Lorraine in his own right, although he was
forced to give up his duchy in exchange for permission to
marry Maria Theresa. The wedding took place in February
1736 and from the start Maria Theresa adored her husband,
although he was initially rather less enamoured and
continued to spend time with other women, much to her
distress. However, despite this unpromising beginning,
the couple would eventually become genuinely devoted
to each other and produced an impressive 16 children, 13 of
whom would survive infancy.
Maria Theresa was just 23 years old when her father
"The couple would become
suddenly died in 1740 and although her sharp intelligence
and strong personality gave the impression she was genuinely devoted to each other”
more than capable of talcing over, she knew just how
inexperienced she was. Well aware that she had been Theresa's position as ruler other empire would never again
ill-prepared for the task, she initially heavily relied on the be in question and her reign would ultimately be regarded
advice of others, especially her husband, as she worked as one that brought great prosperity for her people thanks
to take full control of her inheritance. One of the main to her wise benevolence and financial reforms that greatly
problems was the fact that there had never been a female improved the economy.
ruler of the Holy Roman Empire and so she had to pull When her husband died in August 1765, Maria Theresa
strings in order to have her husband created emperor was devastated and adopted mourning for the rest of her life.
instead - with the aim of ruling through him. Another Her grief was compounded by the fact that his death meant
problem was that several rulers, including Frederick II of that the position of emperor was inherited by their eldest
Prussia, that had vowed to uphold her right to rule, now son, who assumed the title Joseph II. However, although the
broke their promises and challenged her on the behalf of new emperor was well within his rights to take sole charge
other claimants to the throne, while also threatening to of his inheritance, he agreed to rule alongside his mother -
take away large chunks other territory. The ensuing War with not always happy results as their personalities clashed
of the Austrian Succession, which pitted Austria against and they often had violent disagreements. Both considered
France, Prussia and Spain, dragged on for almost eight abdication at various points in their co-rule but eventually
years but ended with a victory for Maria Theresa, who was they learnt to work together and Maria Theresa was still very
confirmed in her position in 1748. Although her reign would much in control and a force to be reckoned with when she
never be entirely free of conflict with other powers, Maria died on 24 November 1780 at the age of 63.
H absburg-Lorraine
Marie Antoinette
b .l7 5 5 -d .l7 9 3
© G etty Images
b .l7 9 1 -d .l8 4 7
Bonaparte bride
arie Louise, the eldest that she had been taught to hate. She married
daughter of Emperor Frands Napoleon in 1810 and delighted him less than
II and his second wife Maria a year later by not only being a pliant and
Teresa of Naples, both of biddable wife but also presenting him with a
whom were grandchildren male heir. However, although she quickly grew
of Empress Maria Theresa, was born in the accustomed to her position as empress of the
Hofburg Palace in Vienna on 12 December 1791. French, Marie Louise's time at Napoleon's side
Within a few years of her birth, her great-aunt was destined to be relatively short as a series
Marie Antoinette had been guillotined and of defeats and disappointments led to his final
France had declared war on her native Austria, abdication and imprisonment in 1815. Marie
with the consequence that Marie Louise Louise and her son returned home to Vienna
and her siblings were all raised to dislike and before she was compensated for the loss of her
distrust the French. Matters only became worse imperial title with the Duchy of Parma, where
when Napoleon came to power and began to she remained for the rest of her life.
wage war throughout Europe, with several of She scandalised her family by having two
Marie Louise's family being affected, including illegitimate children with her chief advisor,
her maternal grandmother Maria Carolina, who the Count von Neipperg, whom she married
was forced to flee her home in Naples. after Napoleon's death in 1821. After Neipperg's
However, when the Austrians suffered a death in 1829, she married for a third time to This 1813 portrait by Gerard
crushing defeat and her father was forced to her chamberlain, Charles-Rene de Bombelles, depicts Marie Louise as Empress
pursue an alliance with the hated French, who was at her side when she died in 1847 at of France, holding Napoleon's
long awaited son and heir
Marie Louise found herself betrothed to a man the age of 56.
I
R oyal D ynasties
Empress Elisabeth
b .l8 3 7 -d .!8 9 8
The reluctant
empress
hen Elisabeth - second daughter of
Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria, head
of a junior branch of the noble House
of Wittelsbach, and his wife Princess
Ludovika of Bavaria - was born on 24
December 1837, no one could ever have suspected that she
would one day become one of the most famous and talked
about women in the world.
The duke was a notorious eccentric, who was obsessed
with circuses and preferred roaming around the
countryside to court life, while his duchess was far more
conventional and fiercely ambitious for their ten children,
which included five extremely lovely daughters, all of
whom would one day make very prestigious marriages.
Elisabeth, who was nicknamed Sisi', was considered to be
exceptionally beautiful but to her mother's despair, she
Ferdinand I had a famously had inherited her father's unconventional personality and
large head as a result of impatience with the strictures and etiquette of court life.
genetic problems through The atmosphere in the family home, Possenhofen Castle,
his parents' inbreeding
was extremely informal and despite the best efforts of
Ferdinand I their mother, Elisabeth and her siblings ran wild. In 1853,
Duchess Ludovika escorted her two eldest daughters,
b .l7 9 3 -d .l8 7 5 tfr 1 8 3 5-1848 Helene and Elisabeth, who was not quite 16, to visit her
sister Sophie, who was married to the Archduke Franz Karl
Incest’s victim of Austria. This was no mere family get-together though,
for Sophie had brought along her eldest son, the 23-year-
he son of double first better suited to an heir, and Ferdinand old Emperor Franz Joseph, and both she and Ludovika
cousins, Ferdinand I was flourished under his new tutors. hoped that the lovely but shy Helene would catch his eye.
an unwitting victim of In 1831 he was arranged to be married to However, to their surprise, Franz Joseph instead fell head
the infamous Habsburg Maria Anna of Savoy, who took the news of over heels in love with her younger sister and insisted
interbreeding that had her impending nuptials dismally. However, upon asking her to m arry him. The couple were married
extinguished the dynasty's prodigious over the time the couple became genuinely eight months later on 24 April 1854.
Spanish branch. fond of one another, and Maria Anna tended After enjoying such a happy, carefree childhood,
Born on 19 April 1793, Ferdinand was the to her husband dotingly. Elisabeth was stunned by the rigid etiquette and tiresome
first-born son of Emperor Francis II and Just four years after their wedding, the formality of the Habsburg court, where she w as expected
his wife, Marie Terese. Ferdinand's parents inevitable happened. Emperor Francis to obey her mother-in-law, Sophie, at all times. When
were themselves double first cousins, II passed away, leaving his throne to she bore her first child in 1855, just ten months after her
both sharing the same four grandparents Ferdinand. Despite never being formally wedding, Sophie insisted upon naming the baby after
- meaning that their son, who should've declared incapacitated, a regency formed herself and took complete charge of her upbringing,
had eight great-grandparents, only had of three noblemen was created to help rarely allowing Elisabeth to see her own daughter. When
four. Tragically the young boy suffered for the new emperor with his role. Ferdinand a second daughter, Gisela, was born a year later, the same
his parents inbreeding; he was epileptic - proved to be a kind and benevolent leader, thing happened again, leaving Elisabeth completely bereft
experiencing as many as 20 fits a day - and but the 1848 revolutions that swept Europe and miserable. The death of baby Sophie at the age of two
suffered from several other genetic diseases. caught up with the Habsburgs. Aware that made matters even worse until Elisabeth finally gave birth
As a result of his ailments, Ferdinand he wasn't the man to rise up against the to a son, Rudolf, in 1858, which improved her standing at
was slow to develop in childhood, but he rebels, Ferdinand abdicated in favour of his the imperial court, although like his sisters, the baby was
proved to be a keen and studious pupil. nephew, Franz Joseph. primarily raised by his controlling grandmother. As she
After his mother's death when he was aged In retirement, Ferdinand lived with his grew older and more confident, Elisabeth felt more able to
14, Ferdinand's new stepmother arranged wife in Prague Castle, eventually dying rebel against the strictures that she found so intolerable,
for her inherited son to receive an education there at the age of 82. by spending increasing amounts of time away from court
H absburg-Lorraine
------------------- ---------------------------
©Getty Images
“ She maintained a
very strict diet and
exercise regime”
and her family. She also became extremely preoccupied
with her appearance - already extremely thin, she
maintained a very strict diet and exercise regime and wore
restrictive corsets that reduced her waist to just 16 inches
in circumference. She was also exceedingly concerned
about her hair, which fell to her feet, and complexion,
which she assisted with a strict regime of tonics, and raw
veal face masks, which she wore overnight. Elisabeth
spent hours every day tending to her appearance but was
still so self-conscious about the natural effects of ageing
that she would not allow anyone to take her photo after
she turned 32.
When her son was found dead alongside his mistress
in mysterious circumstances, Elisabeth was completely Carlota was Maxim ilian's
distraught and was seen in public even more rarely, beautiful wife, but after the
couple lost the Mexican throne,
preferring to travel restlessly around Europe and north
her mental wellbeing deteriorated
Africa, where she shunned other monarchs and spent
hours riding or going for long walks. It was during one of
these trips, to Geneva in 1898, that Elisabeth was fatally
Carlota of Mexico
stabbed by a young Italian anarchist, Luigi Lucheni, while b .l8 4 0 -d .l9 2 7
taking her daily walk by the lake.
The mad queen o f Mexico
he eldest daughter of King couple to leave for Mexico. European -
rM A Leopold I of Belgium, mainly French - troops initially supported
them both until they could build up a new
iP B name Carlota while in Mexican army and there was a financial
Mexico. Her father had agreement with Franee.
long encouraged her relationship with On 2 October 1863, Maximilian was
Maximilian, and when the two married, the formally offered the Mexican imperial
couple were appointed to a lowly post as throne with Carlota as empress. But if
governors of Lombardy-Venetia, an Italian the royal couple thought that their life in
province under Austrian control. Their Mexico would be easy, then they were both
venture, however, turned to disaster as the mistaken. Mexico was in turmoil, and the
movement for Italian unification grew. problems it faced were not just internal.
With their rule in Italy over after just two The US saw this new monarchy as a threat
years, Maximilian turned his attentions to to their domestic security and put pressure
Brazil, where his cousin, Emperor Pedro II, on Napoleon III to withdraw his support. In
ruled as a relatively popular and moderate 1866, Napoleon conceded.
monarch. Thousands of miles across the The humiliation was too great for Carlota,
Atlantic, Brazil was something of a safe and she suffered a mental breakdown.
haven. Brazil had cut ties with its European The following year, after Maximilian was
fatherland, Portugal, in 1822. Maximilian found guilty of trumped-up charges, he was
sailed on to Bahia, where he began to executed by firing squad.
wonder if one day he could emulate Pedro. Maximilian's family blamed Carlota for
Winterhalter's famous 1865
When he was approached by Napoleon the whole affair, no doubt contributing
portrait of Empress Elisabeth with III to take the throne of Mexico, both to her mental decline. Too ill to attend
diamond stars in her hair captures Maximilian and an equally ambitious her husband's funeral in 1868, she never
the charm and beauty that made
Carlota were eager to take up the offer. recovered. Carlota died in 1927, a victim of
her famous throughout Europe
Preparations were soon made for the royal cruel tales in the press in her final years.
R oyal D ynasties
©Getty Images
of Austria
b .l8 5 8 -d .l8 8 9
£
H absburg-Lorraine
An assassin's victim
rchduke Franz Ferdinand is In life, however, Franz proved to be a
probably best remembered not passionate man, both in love and in pleasure.
for his life, but for the manner Having fallen head over heels in love with
of his death. Were it not for a woman called Sophie in 1894, Franz was
the fact that he took a detour determined to make her his wife. But according
through the streets of Sarajevo and ran into to Habsburg law, a Habsburg could only marry
Gavrilo Princip, the archduke might have lived someone descended from one of Europe's
a life devoid of incident. Instead, the spilling of ruling dynasties. Sophie was a lady-in-waiting.
his noble blood led to World War I and the death Franz, however, refused to let something as
of millions. trifling as a deficiency of blue blood stifle his
After his cousin Rudolfs mysterious death at dreams; he continued to court Sophie and, in
Mayerling in 1889, Franz's father, Karl Ludwig, 1899, Emperor Franz Joseph finally relented
became heir presumptive to the Habsburg and allowed his nephew to marry, but only
dominions. Upon the elder man's death in on the condition that their marriage was
1896, the claim now lay at Franz's feet. But morganatic and their children were excluded
Franz lacked the common touch; many of the from the line of succession.
policies that he intended to impose upon his When, on 28 June 1914, he was brutally
succession were unpopular - with disastrous murdered in the streets of Sarajevo, he did not
consequences. The Black Hand, a Serbian die alone; his beloved wife Sophie was also
terrorist group, plotted to assassinate him in killed. Their three children, left parentless
order to prevent his policies from ever being before reaching their teenage years, became
implemented. They would succeed in 1914. the first unlucky orphans of World War I.
Karl I
b .l8 8 7 -d ,1 9 2 2 W 1916-1918
Demise o f a dynasty
n the wake of Franz Ferdinand's entered into secret peace treaty negotiations
assassination at the hands of with France in an attempt to draw the war to
a Serbian terrorist group, Karl an end. After several months of back and forth,
became the heir presumptive the negotiations foundered and, when French
to Emperor Franz Joseph. In president Georges Clemenceau revealed that
the years where Karl was expected to learn the the Emperor Karl I had been scheming away for
trade of Habsburg rule, he was instead cast aside peace behind Germany's back in 1918, it left the
while Europe became a battlefield, home to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a very precarious,
chattering guns of World War I. diplomatically disastrous, position.
By 1916, Emperor Franz Joseph was dead and As the bloody and brutal war came to its
Karl had succeeded the throne, faced with an closing days, Karl's empire was on the brink
infinitely complex political situation. Not only of complete collapse. On 11 November 1918,
was war waging on, but his lands were struggling Karl I renounced his "participation in the
and a famine was ravaging his dominions. Aware administration of the State" - interestingly, Karl
that if war ended badly, it would spell disaster consciously avoided using the term 'abdication',
for his dynasty, Karl sought a means to keep his determined to one day claim back his throne.
throne secure. For this young, new emperor, the But in April 1919 the Habsburg Law was passed,
solution was simple: peace. officially dethroning Karl I and forbidding him
After losing his
throne in the w ake of Karl I became determined and desperate from ever entering Austria again.
World W ar I, Karl w as to negotiate peace and to put an end to the Exiled, Karl plotted a way to reclaim his
©Getty Images
determined to w in it
bloodshed that raged across Europe. Almost thrones, but his death in 1922 put a final end to
back, but died in 1922
as soon as his coronation was finished, Karl his attempts.
Windsor
WINDSOR 1917-present
A s World War 1 divided monarchies across Europe, the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas
revolutionised the British monarchy, starting with their name
Words KATHARINE MARSH & PHILIPPA GRAFTON
n 20 June 1917, the M anchester Ireland, the Partition of India and two World party princess, living it large with the good and
Guardian ran the headline Wars. It was also under George V, the House's the great.
"British surnames instead of founder, that the annual Christmas broadcast Sometimes referred to as 'The Firm', today's
German names and titles". began - something that is still carried out by Windsors are a constitutional monarchy
It was the start of a new era for the sovereign to this day, albeit on television spending their time carrying out ceremonial
the British royalty as the House of Saxe-Coburg instead of the radio. and charitable duties across the United
and Gotha went under what was essentially a Although the House of Windsor has always Kingdom and around the world. However,
rebrand, ridding itself of anything that could put up a front of stability and grace, it has been intrigue into the private lives of the royals has
link it to the German enemy on the continent no stranger to scandal throughout its time far from died down, with events such as the
during the dark days of World War I. The House on the throne. King Edward VIII didn't make wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
of Windsor, named after the castle, was born. it as far as his coronation ceremony, instead and media coverage of the births of the Duke
The reign of the Windsor dynasty has abdicating a few months beforehand to marry and Duchess of Cambridge's children attracting
overseen many national and international American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Princess attention from all corners of the Earth as the
milestones, such as the independence of Margaret was portrayed in the press as the dynasty becomes a new House for a new age.
a flr a r i
m f 5"
*
Coat ofarms© Sodacan licen sed BY-SA 3.0
© Getty images
Corgis have been associated w ith The change o f the House's nam e w as in response to a
the W indsors since George VI strong anti-German sentiment during World W ar I
The
PF.m r.RFF,
Previously know n as the Saxe-C oburg and G othas, the nam e
w as changed in 19 17 as anti-G erm an tension grew in Britain
during W orld W ar I
W
Order of
©
Marriage Mary of Teck
vS
George V
b,1867-d,1953 b.l865-d.l936
Tum to page 112
r
rf=
W illiam Richard Edward Alexandra Michael
b.l941-d.l972 b.1944 b.1935 b.1936 b.1942
Turn to page 115 f %
Prince George
b.2013
George's conception
triggered the Succession
to the Crown Act of
2013, which replaced
the male-preference
succession with absolute
primogeniture. This
would've given the yet-
unborn child their right
to succession regardless
Some monarchists of gender.
claim that he should ^ e
Windsor
f '’ll
Archie Harrison Lilibet Diana
Mountbatten- M ountbatten- Prince Louis
W indsor Windsor b.2018
b.2019 b.2021
R oyal D ynasties
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
b .l9 0 0 -d .2 0 0 2
Smiling' Duchess
orn to nobility in 1900, Elizabeth Bowes-
Lyon was destined for greatness. The
ninth often children, she was intelligent
and excelled at literature.
She was only 14 years old when WWI
broke out. Like families across Europe, her elder brothers
enlisted in the war effort, but the Bowes-Lyons were not
fortunate enough to escape tragedy. In 1915, her brother,
Fergus, was killed at the Battle of Loos, while another
brother, Michael, was caught by enemy soldiers and held
as a prisoner of war until 1918. At home, Elizabeth and her
family did what they could to support the war. The family
house, Glamis Castle, was turned into a home for wounded
soldiers, and it was here that Elizabeth helped by nursing
and chatting with soldiers. She was renowned for her
kindness, and was adored by all she treated.
Aged 18 when the war ended, Elizabeth had caught
the eye of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and second in line
George V as photographed to the British throne after his elder brother, Edward. For
around the time o f his
Albert it was love at first sight. In 1921 he proposed to
ascension to the throne in 1910
Elizabeth, but she turned him down, claiming that she
King George V feared the prospect of never being able to act as herself
ever again. Heartbroken, Albert testified to his mother,
b .l8 6 5 -d .l9 3 6 1910-1936 Mary of Teck, that he would never marry anyone else.
The king' of the castle Indeed, when the Queen went to visit Elizabeth after
Albert's proposal, she agreed that the two would make a
perfect match - yet she vowed that she wouldn't interfere.
s would become a hardline, strict parenting alienated his Determined to win her heart, Albert proposed again in
characteristic of the children and left them fearful of him. In 1922, but was met with the same less-than-satisfactory
modern British royal particular, George's eldest son and heir, reply: no. Yet, in 1923. persistence finally paid off for
family, George V was never Prince Edward, suffered at the hands of Albert. Elizabeth agreed to marry him, and the two were
meant to be king. Second his authoritarian father. The future King wed on the 26 April that year at Westminster Abbey.
son to King Edward VII, the untimely rebelled and channelled his grandfather's In an unprecedented act, as she left the abbey after the
demise of George's elder brother, Prince licentious ways, which would be the ruin of ceremony, she set her bouquet upon the Tomb of the
Albert Victor, in 1892 ensured that the rather the young prince. Unknown Warrior, a memorial for all the unknown British
less scandalous Prince George would ascend The danger of war, revolution and soldiers buried across Europe. She must have thought of
the throne upon the death of their father. political turmoil dogged King George V's her brother, Fergus, who was poignantly missing from,
In 1910, George took his father's seat upon reign, and as World War I loomed, the British so far, the most important day of her life. It has become a
the British throne and began what would monarchy faced the very real threat of tradition for brides married at Westminster Abbey to leave
become the most influential, innovative abolition. Yet, unlike his cousins in Russia their bouquets on the tomb.
reign of any monarch at the time. and Germany, George V succeeded in Married life suited Elizabeth - as a newly royal family
George interpreted Edward VII's reign steadying the ship. Renaming the family member, she welcomed her new duties with grace, and in
as how not to rule a country and chose to from the Germanic Saxe-Coburg and Gotha return she was greeted fondly b y the public. In one event
eschew his father's traditions in an attempt to the name of Windsor cemented the in Fiji, 1927, she had been shaking hands with officials
to bring the monarchy back to some fam ily as decidedly British. when a stray dog joined the queue. Not missing a beat, the
semblance of respectability. Calm, quiet By his Silver Jubilee, George had become Duchess of York took up the dog's paw and shook it, too.
and dutiful, George was the exact opposite one of Britain's most popular kings, and This humorous, approachable demeanour contrasted with
of his sociable father, who took pleasure in in his radio broadcast on 6 May 1935 he the current Queen's cool aloofness, and she quickly picked
drinking, hunting and women. thanked his nation for their loyalty, devoting up the sobriquet, the 'Smiling Duchess'.
In his attempt to instill the morals and his remaining years to serving his people. When King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 the throne
a sense of duty that his father had lacked Terminally ill, he only lived for another few was left to Albert. Edward had been popular, and his
into his six children, however, George's months, passing away in January 1936. abdication left a bitter taste in the public's mouth. But the
Windsor
------------------------- i A r ----------------------------
Photographed here at Eton
Regent in waiting
he third son of the future handsome, and on a hunting trip to Africa
King George V, Prince he started an affair with married Beryl
Henry suffered at the Markham. Henry returned to Britain with
hands of his disciplinarian her after he was called back due to his
father, much like his other father's poor health, and the relationship
siblings. Born in 1900, his childhood was shocked the Queen. To keep them apart,
plagued with illness. He was made to wear George V organised a world tour, sending
leg splints for his knocked knees, and much Henry to Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
like his elder brother, Albert, he suffered The affair ended, and Henry married Lady
from rhotacism, a speech impediment that Alice Montagu Douglas Scott in 1935.
meant that he couldn’t pronounce his Rs. After George V's death and the
At his childhood home, York Cottage, Abdication Crisis of 1936, a Regency Act
his health continued to decline - yet in an was announced in 1937, which declared
unprecedented move, Henry became the first that Prince Henry would act as regent for
son of a British monarch to be sent to school. Princess Elizabeth, should the new King
Here, his health improved and he began to George VI die before his heir's 18th birthday.
enjoy life. He may not have been academic, Later in life, Henry's health deteriorated
but he certainly loved football; Mary of Teck again. He suffered several strokes, leaving
replied to one of his letters to complain: "All him unable to speak. Upon hearing the
you write about is your everlasting football of news of the death of their son, William,
which I am heartily sick." Alice decided against telling her husband,
By 1919, Henry - previously small and fearing it would make him worse. However,
frail - was the tallest and broadest of all she assumed that he found out through
the brothers. By 1928 he was exceedingly media coverage. He died in 1974.
R oyal D ynasties
The forgotten
prince
he sixth and final child of George V and Mary of
D
Teck, Prince John has slipped through the pages
of history, the often-forgotten child of a king and
his consort. Born on 12 July 1905, he was sixth
in line to the throne after his father and four
elder brothers. His childhood at Sandringham was a happy one,
with no sign of any trouble to come. His grandmother described
Prince John and his elder brother, George, as “both charming and
very amusing," and the Prince was known for his affectionate, if
not somewhat mischievous nature.
Yet when the young prince turned four, it became abundantly
clear that he wasn't well. He suffered an epileptic fit - the first of
many that would devastate his life. Alongside his epilepsy, Prince
John was also showing signs of autism, exhibiting repetitive
behaviour and a disobedient nature that couldn't be quelled
through usual punishment.
As Prince John grew older, his epilepsy and apparent autism
grew worse and worse, and the young prince was seen less
frequently at royal events. Epilepsy was severely misunderstood;
it was seen as a mental illness, and the stigma that went alongside
it was one that the Windsors couldn't bear. As John's elder brother,
George, was sent to school, it was announced that Prince John
would remain at the family home to be tutored there.
Yet his epilepsy did not improve. By 1917 Prince John was
moved to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate, where he
lived in seclusion until his death a mere two years later. Since
the start of World War I, John very rarely saw his parents, and his
nanny Charlotte 'Lala' Bill was given complete charge of his care.
In 1916 Queen Alexandra, George V's mother, wrote to Mary of
Teclc that John was “longing for a companion” at Wood Farm, so
Mary arranged for her son to spend time with local children. His
closest friend became Winifred Thomas, the two spending their
time walking and playing.
Contrary to the misconception that John was lonely, isolated
and marginalised, he received m any other guests than just his
playmates. His brothers and sister would visit him, while his
“ He had been an affectionate child
parents too ensured that he spend time with them. In 1918, he
spent Christmas with his family, only returning to Wood Farm
and in death he was sorely missed”
late at night.
Tragedy struck on 18 January 1919, when Prince John, now else". John's mother, however, was much more affected by her
aged 13, suffered a catastrophic epileptic fit and died in his sleep. son's death. After his funeral, Mary wrote in her diary that she
Though his physicians had predicted that the Prince wouldn't would "miss the dear child very much indeed". As tragic his
survive until adulthood, his death, nevertheless, came as a great death was, it was considered "the greatest mercy possible" by his
shock. His funeral was attended not just by the family, but by father, King George V.
villagers and Sandringham staff. He had been an affectionate, loving child and in death he was
Yet even within the royal family, emotions were divided about sorely missed. Mary of Teck gave Prince John’s childhood friend,
the death of Prince John. His eldest brother, Prince Edward, Winifred Thomas, a collection of the Prince's books, with the
cruelly wrote to a mistress that his brother's confinement inscription, "In memory of our dear little Prince". His nanny kept
had turned him into “more of an animal than anything else,” a picture of him on her mantelpiece, with a framed letter from
concluding that "he was only a brother in blood and nothing the boy alongside it, reading, “Nanny, I love you".
Windsor
©Getty images
Queen Elizabeth II
b .l9 2 6 -n o w \4/ 1952-n ow
Dying to win
ike his uncle, King Edward Returning to Britain, he took up a civil
VIII, Prince William of service job and was posted in the British
Gloucester's love life Embassies of both Lagos and Tokyo. Before
scandalised the Windsors. talcing up his position in Tokyo in 1968, he
Falling head over heels in learnt that he suffered from porphyria - an
love with a highly unsuitable woman, the illness thought to have plagued Mary, Queen of
young man never knew what the outcome of Scots and George III among others.
his illicit love would be, for he tragically died Despite his respectable profession, William's
in 1972, aged 30. personal life in Tokyo caused controversy. His
His childhood had been a remarkably normal relationship with Zsuzsi Starkloff, a divorced i s
one. Born to Prince Henry and his wife, Alice, on Hungarian model with two children, brought
18 December 1941, war was still raging on across back horrible memories of Edward VIII's m
Europe, and the newborn's christening location infatuation with Wallis Simpson. Despite the
was kept secret. After war ended, William acted parallels, William continued the relationship
as one of the page boys at Princess Elizabeth and until one day it was brought to a grinding halt.
Philip Mountbatten's wedding in 1947 At the On 28 August 1972, William - a passionate,
age of 18, William left Eton College to study at qualified aviator - took part in the Goodyear
Cambridge University, where he graduated three International Air Trophy. Upon take-off, his
years later with a Bachelor of Arts in history. plane became out of control and crashed
He followed this up with a year at Stanford in front of 30,000 spectators. His body was
©Topfoto
University, where he focused on business, recovered after the fire was quelled over two
politics and American history. hours later.
R oyal D ynasties
©Getty images
b .l9 6 1 -d .l9 9 7
England’s rose
he death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997
devastated Britain. Much like later tragedies
that marked a turning point in history, most
Brits can name exactly where they were when
they found out that Princess Diana had died.
From the start, her life had been wrought by heartbreak.
Born to Edward Spencer and his then-wife, Frances, in
Sandringham in 1961, Diana's parents divorced when she was
just seven years old in 1969, with the young Diana brought
up with her mother in London for awhile. Soon, her father
sought custody of Diana and her three siblings, and from
this point Diana’s childhood was spent between London,
Northamptonshire, and Scotland. It was a tumultuous period
that wasn't helped by Spencer's new wife and the children's new
stepmother, Raine, Countess of Dartmouth, with whom none of
the children got on with.
Similarly, school proved difficult for Diana. While she excelled
at swimming, diving and music, she struggled academically and
left without any formal qualifications to her name. In 1978 she
went to a finishing school in Switzerland, but she only lasted one
term there and soon returned to London. Back in England, she
worked several low-paying jobs to make ends meet, including
cleaning, teaching dance, and nannying to wealthy Americans.
A year later, Diana met Prince Charles. Having broken off his
relationship with Camilla Shand (later Camilla Parker-Bowles)
in 1973 due to her desire to settle down, Prince Charles had
been linked to several women, and was then dating Diana's
sister, Sarah. While this meeting came to nothing, it was in 1980
when Charles considered Diana as a potential bride. The two
began a relationship, which quickly escalated to an engagement
announcement on 24 February 1981.
With her betrothal to the future king of England secure, Diana
moved from her modest flat in Earls Court, London, to Clarence
House. On 29 July 1981 the couple married at St Paul's Cathedral
as 6 0 0 ,0 0 0 people lined the streets of London to watch.
After the wedding, the couple moved into Kensington Palace,
and merely months later Diana's pregnancy was announced. ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
On 21 June 1982, Prince William was born. Two years later on 15
September 1984 she gave birth to her second son, Prince Henry “ Diana shaped their development
- known as Harry. Despite two children, the marriage of Charles
and Diana was far from happy. Both had started affairs - Charles into compassionate, caring royals”
had rekindled his flame with his ex-girlfriend, the now-married
Camilla Parker-Bowles, while Diana was linked with Major James
Hewitt. Despite the devastation at the incompatibility of her throughout her life she'd suffered from depression, self-harm and
marriage, Diana found solace in raising her sons. William and bulimia. By 1996 the divorce was official.
Harry were encouraged to enjoy normal experiences. As well as A year later, tragedy struck. A car crash in a road tunnel in
visiting Disney World, the boys were taken to meet the poorest of Paris led to the deaths of Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed, and
society, which has undoubtedly shaped their development into her chauffeur, Henri Paul. She was mourned internationally, and
compassionate, caring royals. her funeral showed the depth of despair that the British public
By December 1992 it was announced that Prince Charles and felt. Her legacy as the people's princess lives on, and to this day
Diana were to separate, and a year later Diana explained that she her sons channel the compassion and care that she became so
would withdraw from the public eye. In 1995 she revealed that renowned for.
Windsor
©Getty images
Queen o f hearts
he rise of Catherine became engaged, with the Prince giving
Middleton captured the his fiancee the engagement ring that had
imagination of the British belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. Merely
public, and with good months later, the couple was married in a
reason: a 'commoner' lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey The
hadn’t married into British royalty since wedding was broadcast internationally, with
Elizabeth Woodville's secret nuptials with around 300 million people across the globe
Edward IV. With no aristocratic titles and tuning in to watch the event.
a decidedly middle-class background, It was this wedding which triggered a
Catherine's rise to power was like something question about British succession. According
out of a fairy tale. to British law, a son would be prioritised
Born to Michael and Carole Middleton over an elder daughter for the throne. In
- who'd originally met when she was an December, after Catherine, Duchess of
air hostess and he was a flight dispatcher Cambridge, revealed her pregnancy, it was
- Catherine's childhood was a normal one announced that absolute primogeniture
in Berkshire, England. After school, she would be adopted, enabling the eldest child
studied art history at the University of St to take the throne, regardless of gender.
Andrews in Scotland, where she met Prince Months later, on 22 July 2013 Prince George
William in 2001. Though the two dated for Alexander Louis was born. Just under two
N ew lyw ed Catherine. Duchess of several years at university, they broke up in years later, on 4 May 2015, Catherine gave
Cambridge, travels dow n The Mall 2007 The break-up wasn't to last, however, birth to Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
en route to Buckingham Palace on
and the couple reunited shortly after. and on 23 April 2018 the couple's third child,
29 April 20 11
In October 2010, Catherine and William Prince Louis Arthur Charles, was born.
Soldier in arms
espite falling down the line In 2005, Harry joined the army, where he
of succession after the birth rapidly excelled through the ranks. In 2007,
of his nephews and niece, Harry was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq,
Harry's dedication to his royal but fears that he would become a prime target
duties continues to grow. saw him pulled from the brigade. Later he was
Prince Henry Albert Charles David, as secretly deployed to Afghanistan, but his cover
he was officially named, was born on 15 was blown by an Australian newspaper and he
September 1984. Along with his brother, was swiftly removed.
William, he experienced more than most Several causes remain close to Harry's heart.
royals during their upbringing. Devoted to He founded the Invictus Games in 2014, which
charity work, Diana made sure that her sons pits injured service personnel against each
experienced what life could be like for the least other in a test of sporting ability. His active
fortunate, while they also had their fair share involvement in several charities has seen
of 'normal' childhood experiences: they were awareness soar - his HIV test in July 2016 had
both taken to Disney World and experienced a huge impact on increasing tests, while his
thejoys of McDonald's. campaign on mental health with William and
Their mother's death in 1997 was a huge Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is
blow, and the boys walked behind her coffin battling the stigma of mental illnesses.
on the day of her funeral. Her legacy has lived In May 2018, Harry married American
on in her sons, however, and the two are actress Meghan Markle. Following the birth
©Getty Images
advocates and patrons to many charities that of their son, Archie, in May 2019, the couple
support a range of causes. stepped down from royal duties a year later.
: ilium
nm m
tln iiin 11!
Grim aldi
n 1297, Francesco Grimaldi career to become princess consort of Monaco Under the guidance of its royal family it has
stormed the Rock of Monaco, on the arm of Prince Rainier III. After 26 years survived, even flourished, and although the
killing heretics and witches of marriage, she tragically died while driving principality is now under a constitutional
as he went. But one of them in Monaco, with one of her daughters in the monarchy, the prince of Monaco does wield
fought back - a witch cursed front seat. Princess Grace, one of Monaco's some political power.
the new ruler and all of his descendants with most beloved royals, was gone, and the whole The wealth of the nation is reflected in
bad luck, and it seems to have stuck even over country was heartbroken. It seemed the curse the wealth of Albert II, the current prince of
7 0 0 years later. Divorce and premature death had struck again, as it would go on to do with Monaco, who is currently one of the richest
have played a part in the Grimaldi legacy over Grace's own children. royals in the world. Despite the diminutive
the centuries, and the sorrow would strike But the House of Grimaldi should be size of the state, the Monegasque court is
again in 1982. remembered for more than its tragic past. The renowned for its opulence, with the dynasty
The person people arguably most associate nation it has ruled for centuries is a land filled making its home at the Prince's Palace, a
with the House of Grimaldi is the American with glitz and glamour, littered with casinos Genoese fortress dating back to the end of
actress Grace Kelly, who gave up her life and and breathtaking views of the French Riviera. the 12th century.
©
The
PF.m r.RFF,
Stretching back across 1 3 generations, the G rim aldi royal
Ippolita Trivulzio
b.l600-d,1638
© <
Honore II
b.l597-d.l662
Turn to page 122
f 1
fam ily is full o f fam e, w ealth and scandal Maria Spinola Ercole Grimaldi
b,1625-d.l670 b.1623-d.1651
W
Order of
©
Marriage
succession
Vn
Catherine de
Gramont
“Deo Juvante” b.l639-d.l678
‘With God’s help’ Turn to page 122
Grimaldi family motto
$ —
Marie de Antonio I Antonio bore a sonfrom an affair Elizabeth Dufort
Lorraine 5
b,1661-d.l731 5 Dates unknown
b.l674-d.l724 V-
Antoine
Grimaldi,
Chevalier de
Grimaldi
Louise Hippolyte, b.l697-d.l784
Sovereign Princess
b.l697-d,1731
Turn to page 123 Prince Rainier III and Princess
Grace pose w ith their children
Albert, Caroline and Stephanie
in April 1976
- 1733-1795 -
Maria Caterina in
Brignole
b.l737-d.!813
Honore
b.l720-d.l795
Prince of Monaco for almost 60 years,
>
Honore spent much of his life in Paris or on
the battlefield while his illegitimate uncle,
Antoine de Grimaldi, acted as regent. During
the French Revolution, Monaco was annexed
to France and Honore was deprived of his
4<— ~ ~ \ titles. He survived but one of his daughter-in-
Louise dAum ont Honore IV laws was guillotined in the Terror.
b.I759-d.I826 0 b.l758-d.l819
■ v
Turn to page 124
Maria da Lametz
b.l793-d.l879
Acknowledged as the power Jr
behind her husband, the actress- W ilhelm 1st Duke of
tumed-Princess tried to rewrite Uracil
the constitution.
b,1810-d.l869
Monaco-born Wilhelm of
Urach was in line to rule the
principality but his German
familial links angered France,
Princess
Jr
Florestine
b,1833-d.l897
© leading to the treaty that
eventually put Rainier III on
the throne. His son was elected
Antoinette de =lr King Mindaugas II of Lithuania
Charles HI in June 1918 but the offer was
Merode
b.!818-d.l889 reversed before he could take
b.i828-d.i864 the throne.
Turn to page 124 Mary Hamilton
b.l850-d,1922
Scottish-born Mary came
Jr
to Monaco after marrying Mindaugas n, King
the Albert I in 1869, but she of Lithuania
Alice Heine A lb erti hated her new home and left. b.l864-d.!928
They had one son who would
b.l858-d.l925 0 4, b.l848-d.l922 become Louis II, and divorced.
Turn to page 125 Descended from King James II,
she links the Grimaldis to Marie Juliette Louvet
the Windsors. b.l867-d.l930
Marie Juliette Louvet was the royal
Jr mistress who saved a dynasty. She
married young and had two children
Ghislaine Louis andMarie nevermarried but divorced. Her affair with the
Dommanget future Louis II resulted in his only
b .!900-d.l99l child, Charlotte.
Charlotte Grimaldi Pierre de
b.l898-d.l977 Polignac
Turn to page 126 b,1895-d.l964
Jr
Grace Kelly Rainier in
b.l929-d.l982
Turn to page 126
b.l923-d.2005
Monaco's longest ruling sovereign
»
Prince made big changes to
his country's constitution and
expanded its economy during his
Stephanie, Countess 56-year-rule. Best known for his
ofPolignac marriage to Hollywood superstar,
Grace Kelly, Rainier was devastated
=4j. b.1965
by her death and never remarried.
Charlene
Grim aldi
W ittstock 0
Albert n
b.1958
b.1978 i Turn to page 127
Jacques Gabriella
b.20I4 b.2014
R oyal D ynasties
©Alamy
Catherine Charlotte
de Gramont
b .l6 3 9 -d .l6 7 8
Princess and
royal mistress
atherine Charlotte de Gramont died
young, but in her short life she made
quite a name for herself - and not
necessarily one she would have wanted.
As consort to Prince Louis I of Monaco
she was, on paper, a dutiful royal wife, producing
six children including a first-born son. In reality, her
Honore II as he appears on a scandalous behaviour raised many eyebrows but may
Monegasque stamp, based ultimately have helped her husband consolidate his
on his original portrait by
grip on power.
Philippe de Champaigne
Catherine Charlotte came from an influential family.
------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
Charles III
b.l818-d.l889 \*j 1856-1889
The founder of
modern Monaco
harles III may not be the most famous
of the Grimaldis, but he created modern
Monaco. The son of actors, he played the
part of Sovereign Prince to perfection.
He inherited a divided and poor
country and turned it into a wealthy magnet for visitors
from around the world with a brilliant and daring idea.
Charles III is the Prince who built the bank at Monte Carlo.
Charles Honore Grimaldi was born in Paris on 18
December 1818 and grew up in obscurity while his uncle,
Honore V, ruled Monaco. When Honore V died childless,
in 1841, Charles' father, Florestan, took the throne, but
he had been an actor and was soon overwhelmed by his
royal role. Charles took on more and more responsibility,
alongside his mother Maria Caroline, and finally became
Sovereign Prince on his father's death in 1856.
This long, if unexpected, preparation for the throne
paid off. Charles, under the guidance of his strong-willed
mother, had a clear idea from the off about making
Monaco rich and important. He started by giving away
most of his land. The towns of Menton and Roquebrune,
b.l758-d.l819 \*/1795-1819 about four fifths of Monaco's territory, had been rioting for
The Prince broken by freedom. Charles didn't want to spend time and money
quelling them and within five years, he signed them over
At the time of her birth on 30 September race Kelly's transformation from film
1898 in Algeria, Charlotte Louise Juliette star to Princess Consort was played out
Louvet had been the illegitimate daughter in front of a worldwide audience of
of Monaco's heir, Louis, and a sometime millions. Her love story with Prince
actress, Marie Juliette Louvet. Her paternal Rainier III and their wedding in 1956 were
grandfather, Albert I, was less than keen on global media events as well as milestones in the history of
his son's new family but when a succession Monaco that made the bride a royal icon. But Grace Kelly
was always the bigger name in this royal love match and
-----------------------j A r -------------------------
because of her, Monaco's monarchs became some of the
figure until her her part in The Country Girl and although she'd only been
making movies since 1951, she had been in some of the
death in 19 77” biggest films of the decade, including High Noon and Dial
M For Murder. Grace Kelly was the star of the day, a leading
lady for legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and box office
crisis loomed, Charlotte turned into Princess magic. Rainier had been Sovereign Prince of Monaco since
material. A controversial law to acknowledge 1949 and was nowhere near as well known internationally,
her as Louis's child was deemed invalid, but he was smitten and the two kept in touch. Their
so another was passed, allowing her father engagement led to a media frenzy, with thousands waving
to formally adopt her. By the time Louis Grace off as she set sail for her new home. Everything this
became Sovereign Prince in 1922, Charlotte glamorous royal couple did became headline news and 30
was fully recognised as his legal heir and million people watched them say "I do" at their religious
was fast turning into one of the most famous wedding in Monaco on 19 April 1956. In the congregations
royals in the world. were film stars including Cary Grant and David Niven,
That was partly due to her 1920 marriage as well as royal and aristocratic guests. The wedding
to Count Pierre de Polignac, the handsome dress, made by Hollywood designer Helen Rose, became
and energetic descendant of a famous an instant classic and transformed Grace into a picture
French noble family. They were instant perfect Princess.
celebrities and the birth of two beautiful In some ways, Grace Patricia Kelly was hardly traditional
children, Antoinette and Rainier, only consort material. Born in Philadelphia on 12 November
increased their glamour, but they were 1929, she was the daughter of Irish American John Kelly,
miserable with each other and divorced in a sports star-turned-businessman, and Margaret Majer
1933. Eleven years later, Charlotte decided who had enjoyed a ground-breaking career as a sports
to give up the rights to the throne that had instructor. Grace had defied their expectations to pursue
caused so much debate and handed the an acting career and worked as a model to support herself.
descendant in her early years. Part of one succession to her son, Rainier. She was also well educated and had been raised a Catholic,
of the most glamorous royal couples in the When he succeeded in 1949, she went the religion of Monaco. Rainier's choice of bride was seen
world, she was unhappy behind closed to live on the Grimaldi estate outside Paris, as one of the most brilliant royal matches of modern
doors. Even in her later years, she was raising turning part of it into a rehabilitation centre times. When she gave birth to a daughter followed by a son
eyebrows. But without her, the Grimaldis for former criminals. She remained a and heir within two years of her marriage, her place as an
might have lost Monaco forever. glamorous figure and on her death in 1977, ideal consort was assured. Another daughter followed later
In May 1919, the succession rights of left an impressive collection of royal jewellery and Grace's royal family became global celebrities.
Charlotte Grimaldi were finally recognised to her granddaughter, Princess Caroline. Her Grace initially embraced the traditional role of a
and she was given a title long associated granddaughter would later name her elder Princess, throwing herself into royal public life. She was an
with Monaco's royals: Duchess of daughter Charlotte, ensuring the influence instant fashion icon, inspiring thousands across the world,
Valentinois. But Charlotte was no baby: she of the lively fairy-tale royal who almost ruled but Grace's heart and focus was always on her charity
was about to turn 21. Monaco lives on in the 21st century. work. She set up an association for children's rights,
Grim aldi
The headline-
ended her dreams. In the 1960s, she narrated some
children's films, but her starring role now was on the royal
stage. She shared her experience as a global superstar with
another young woman who was facing the same scrutiny
when, in 1981, she met Lady Diana Spencer after her
grabbing Prince
engagement to Prince Charles. rince Albert II of Monaco
That friendship never had a chance to flourish. Grace has never been far from
Kelly died on 14 September 1982, the day after the car she the headlines. From the
was driving crashed off a road in Monaco. It's believed she moment he was born
suffered a minor stroke just before the accident. Diana on 14 March 1958 at the
attended her funeral alongside royalty and Hollywood Prince's Palace, Albert Alexandre Louis
stars. Grace was buried in Monaco with the world Pierre was one of the most famous royal
watching, just as it had in her lifetime. Decades later, Grace babies in the world thanks to the huge
Kelly remains the most celebrated of the modern Grimaldi interest in his parents, fairy-tale royals
and Monaco's most famous royal of all. Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. As an
adult, his own romances have garnered
plenty of column inches, but behind the
scenes, he is a hard-working royal with an
interest in tricky social subjects.
Albert learned the royal ropes early on.
Not only did he receive an education fit for
a Prince, but his father gave him lessons
in royal rule. Father and son became
even closer following the early death
of Grace in 1982 and as Rainier's health
declined with old age, Albert took on more
responsibilities. He was named regent for
his father on 31 March 2005 and became
Sovereign Prince a week later on Rainier's
death. Royalty from around Europe
attended his enthronement in November
that same year.
--------------- ----------------
“Albert has
competed
for Monaco’s
bobsleigh team biological father of an American teenager
named Jazm in Grace.
five times” His marriage to Charlene Wittstock
in 2011 also caused controversy when
Albert has had a high profile in it was claimed the bride had tried to
environmental areas, making expeditions run away just before the wedding.
to Antarctica, and has also worked to Princess Charlene denied that in later
protect endangered species. He's also a interviews and the couple welcomed
keen sportsman, competing five times twins, Jacques and Gabriella, in December
for Monaco in the bobsleigh event at the 2014. During his reign, Albert has focused
Winter Games. But like m any royals, it's on developing the economy of Monaco
his personal life that has gained most and building new schools and hospitals.
attention. In 2005, he admitted fathering His headline-grabbing life is the latest
©Getty Images
a son called Alexandre with an airhostess, chapter in the royal story of the Grimaldis
and in 2006, he confirmed that he was the of Monaco.
Orange-Nassau
ORANGE-NASSAU
------------- 1815-present d a y --------------
The long line of the Dutch royal family is no
stranger to scandal and controversy
Words CHARLIE GINGER & SAN NE DE BOER
he origins of the House of and Luxembourg and counted among its later This marital success was matched in
Orange-Nassau are to be found descendants Adolph of Germany, who would 1404 by his sone Engelbert I, who, having
in the cobwebbed corridors become Count of Nassau in 1276 and then King turned his back upon his religious duties as
of Nassau Castle in the of the Romans in 1292. a dean, wed Johanna van Polanen and
1100s. Located in Rhineland- On the other side of the family ran the thereby obtained not only the prized Barony
Palatinate, Germany, the castle loaned its name Ottonian line, so called in honour of Henry's of Breda (a municipality in the south of the
to Henry I of Nassau, the first man to title other son, Otto. This separate wing of the Netherlands) but also the substantial wealth
himself Count of Nassau. House of Nassau could also boast of important that this entailed.
Believed to have ruled from 1160 to 1167, members - no less the Princes of Orange and In 1544 this firmly entrenched dynasty
Henry died of the plague in Rome, but not the monarchs of the Netherlands, a future would give rise to the House of Orange-Nassau,
before siring two sons who would go on to nation in which the Ottonian line established an establishment born at the behest of William
firmly establish independent branches of the itself as a result of the efforts of John I, Count the Silent, a man who would lead a fierce
Nassau family. of Nassau-Dillenburg, who by dint of his rebellion against the Netherlands' Spanish
The Walram line - named after Henry's marriage to Margareta of the March in 1357 overlords in a campaign that would conclude
son Walram - included the Dukes of Nassau secured the family's position. with Dutch independence.
PEDIGREE
From their beginning as Stadtholders, the H ouse o f O range-
<
William
of Orange
b,1533-d,1584
Turn to page 132
.
f
a republic wasinplace. At the headofthestate
was the Stadtholder, afigure ofnoble birth. These,
electedby the ProvincialStates, werenottraditional
rulers, butcivil administrators.
w
Order of
©
Marriage
Jr
Philip William
%
- 1585-1625 - - 1625-1647 -
succession b.l554-d.l618
^— ....... — e Maurice Frederick
Henry
-------------------------------- \ \
2 ■ u a it = =a h = a = =a
Anna Pavlovna
William n
b.l792-d.l849
He fought at Waterloo
before his father came
to power, and was
minister of defence
before becoming king.
His legacy can be seen
in buildings across the
land.
$ ---------
Sophie van
Wurttemberg
b.l818-d.l877
^----------------------
ri> ^1 J ^1
William Bernhard of
b,1840-d.l879 Lippe-Biesterfeld
Juliana
b.l911-d.2004
Turn to page 134 b.l909-d.2004
Turn to page 135
Maurice
b.l843-d.l850
^ rS =
Irene Margriet Christina Claus von
b.1939 b.1943 (previously Marijke) Amsberg
b.l947-d.2019 Beatrix b.l926-d.2002
b.1938
Turn to page 136
-------- 4,
Friso Constantqn
Maxima
b.l968-d.2013 b.1969 Zorreguieta
Friso gave up his right
to the throne after a
Cerruti
controversial marriage bJ971
to Mabel Wisse Smit, Turn to page 136
who had previously
been linked to drug
baron Rlaas Bruinsma.
He was injured in an
avalanche in 2012 and
died of complications a
f=
Orange-Nassau
year later.
f = -------------------«JI =^1
Catharina- Alexia Ariane
Amalia h2005 b_2007
b.2003 -e =J
Catharina-Amalia is
the first-born daughter
of Willem-Alexander
and is the heir to the
throne. The Princess of
Orange attends a public
secondary school in
The Hague.
^ r
R oyal D ynasties
William of Orange
b.l533-d.l584 S tad th old er: 1559-1584
I
Orange-Nassau
William I
b .l7 7 2 -d .l8 4 3 tJtr 1815-1840
Birth o f a kingdom
harlotte. Princess of Wales, was she got her wish, married to Leopold not out of
the only child of George IV duty, but for love. The couple were wild about
and Caroline of Brunswick, the each other and soon Charlotte was pregnant,
husband and wife who hated her child destined to be the heir to the throne of
one another. From the earliest Great Britain.
days of her childhood she had been used as a Tragically, neither Charlotte nor her baby
weapon, with George refusing permission for survived the agonising labour and she died in
the little girl to see her mother until, desperate, November 1817 as she gave birth to a stillborn
she ran away from the opulent surroundings of son. With their favourite princess dead, the
Montague House. public sank into deep mourning and her father
When Charlotte was returned to her was utterly consumed by grief, seized by a
father's custody, the pair realised that this deep depression that persevered long after
could hardly go on. The hard-headed prince Charlotte's death.
and his sensitive, smart daughter tried to find The death of Charlotte, Princess of Wales, and
a w ay to live together, even as she grew from her child changed the history of Great Britain
a girl into a woman. When the time came for forever. With the heiress to the throne and her
Charlotte to marry, she knew exactly whom she newborn dead, there was no other child of
wanted and that was Prince Leopold of Saxe- George IV and Caroline of Brunswick waiting in
Coburg-Saalfeld. the wings. Instead, at George's death the crown Depicted here betw een 18 0 5 and
George, however, had other ideas, sure that passed to his brother, William IV and from him, 18 10 b y an anonymous artist, this is
a pastel on parchment drawing of
he could make a much more impressive match. to a certain lady you may have heard of. Her
the first King of the Netherlands
Yet the obstinate Charlotte persevered and name, of course, was Victoria.
R oyal Dynasties&
Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
b .l9 1 1 -d .2 0 0 4
The crook
o f Orange
rince Bernhard married into royalty
through his long-suffering wife, Queen
Juliana. Continuing a long tradition of
adding German blood to the Dutch royal
family, Bernhard was of Austro-German
descent. When Juliana first met Bernhard, she was struck
by his "man about town" ways: he dressed her in Parisian
fashion and took the long isolated princess on incredible
trips across the world. But then disaster struck in the form
of World War II. Juliana, the crown princess at the time,
Bernhard and their two daughters first fled to England and
then to Canada.
During this time, Bernhard went to England to
campaign against Hitler and the Third Reich. He went
Queen W ilhelm ina was
known as a stern leader in
on the BBC to speak about the war, calling Hitler a
international politics, and German tyrant and expressing his faith in Great Britain
did not have patience for to overthrow the Third Reich. He attempted to make
insults from other rulers
himself popular among the Dutch public with his
military achievements, making sure there was footage
Wilhelmina of him in uniform, marching and working together with
b .l8 8 0 - d .l9 6 2 lAr 1 8 9 0 -1 9 4 8 other soldiers. Queen Wilhelmina made him a general,
and later a commander. Many thought of him as a war
The lonely queen hero of the resistance as the time, but after his death,
it's been suggested that his participation in the war was
ilhelmina is the longest Alleen (Lonely, But Not Alone). Even exaggerated and used for publicity means.
reigning monarch of the when Wilhelmina reached adulthood and Controversy surrounded Bernhard, most notably in
Netherlands, with almost married Duke Hendrik of Mecklenburg- his social contacts and murky financial arrangements.
58 years on the throne. Schwerin, her royal life did not become One of the most infamous scandals involving him was
The fact she got onto easier. Nine months into the marriage, the Lockheed-Affaire, or the Lockheed bribery scandals.
the throne at all was an unlikely feat in she suffered the first of m any traumatic These scandals involved the US aerospace company
itself; as the daughter of King William III miscarriages and stillborns. For eight Lockheed and took place between the 1950s and 1970s.
and his second wife, Emma of Waldeclc years the couple remained childless, The company bribed members of governments to
and Pyrmont, her three half-brothers and causing speculation about the fate of ensure military contracts, such as the sale of the F-104
uncle Prince Frederick all had a higher the throne. Finally, there came Princess Starfighter. Prince Bernhard received $1.1 million to make
claim to the throne. Two half-brothers Juliana in 1909, and the nation heaved a sure the F-104 would beat the Mirage 5 for a purchase
passed away before she was born, and sigh of relief. contract. When the scandal came to light. Prime Minister
when she was one, her uncle died. When Despite her hardship, Wilhelmina was Joop den Uyl ordered an inquiry into the affair, which
she was four, her half-brother Alexander a highly successful monarch who was almost led the end of the monarchy as Queen Juliana
died. At the tender age of ten, her father popular for her political prowess. She led threatened to abdicate (and Princess Beatrix said she had
died and she became queen on the her people through two world wars and a no interest in taking over) if Bernhard was prosecuted
Netherlands, with her mother as regent. financial crisis in 1933, all while showing in court. A prosecution did not follow, but Bernhard lost
Rising to the throne before puberty her business skills by becoming the first many privileges, such as high public positions and the
wasn't the only thing that marked female billionaire (in US dollars). She had right to wear his military uniforms - something that
Wilhelmina's childhood. Her father had a strong dislike of the United Kingdom meant a lot to him.
dozens of illegitimate children with due to the Boer War, as the Boers were Prince Bernhard's social life raised eyebrows too, as he
countless mistresses, and her early descendents of Dutch colonists, but made rubbed shoulders with dictators and wanted criminals
years in the palace were filled with amends with her neighbours when she alike, and m any women were among his social contacts.
gossip and scandal. She later recounted fled to England during World War II. As well as his four daughters with Juliana (Beatrix, Irene,
her experience as a young royal in her Here, she made broadcasts to the Dutch Margriet and Marijke) Bernhard had two extramarital
autobiography Eenzaam, Maar Niet resistance through the BBC. daughters: Alicia de Bielefield with a German pilot and
Orange-Nassau
©Getty Images
“ He nibbed shoulders
with dictators and
wanted criminals alike”
Alexa Giinda with his French mistress Helene Grinda. In
2011, a third daughter came forward, but DNA evidence
was never provided.
When his youngest daughter Princess Marijke was
diagnosed with an eye problem, he invited Greet
Hofmans, a psychic healer from Amsterdam, to live in
their Palace Soestdijk. Juliana built up a strong friendship
with the alternative healer, partly because of her problems
with her husband. Many saw Hofmans as a Rasputin
figure, whispering pacifist ideas into Juliana's ear, which
was reiterated in an article in the German newspaper
Der Spiegel named "Zwischen Koniging und Rasputin"
(Between Queen and Rasputin). In an interview released
after his death, Bernhard admitted that he leaked the
negative rumours about his wife in an attempt to have her Juliana's speeches started
raising eyebrows as they
hospitalised for her disillusions. increasingly expressed
Despite this, Prince Bernhard and Juliana never pacifist ideas, and caused
divorced, though they lived separate lives in their large people to speculate about
the involvement o f psychic
palace. When Bernhard died in 2 0 0 4, posthumous Greet Hofmans
interviews revealed the details of scandals such as the
Lockheed-Affaire and his many infidelities, and more
details are still emerging today.
Juliana
b .l9 0 9 - d .2 0 0 4 \ i / 1 9 4 8 -1 9 8 0
Beatrix
b .1938 & 1980-2013
Willem-Alexander
b .1967 & 2 0 1 3 -n o w
he would not be involved in the wedding arrangements and Dutch royal family, and reduce them to a more ceremonial role in
formalities. The press conference started with a reassuring wink governing the country.
Haile Selassie, the last
Em peror of Abyssinia, w as
rem oved from pow er twice
- b y Italy in 1936 , then a
comm unist coup in 1971
V 7v
\ fj \
litM m iM
^ree ^ays '3e;fore his think of royalty, but George Tupou V pharaohs, while China had more than 20
r a il| coronation on 1 August proves that monarchy is far more than just between its ancient origins and the rise of
Iflfl B B 2 0 0 8 , King George Tupou a European phenomenon. the communist state in the 2 0 th century.
V of Tonga announced that Royal rulers have sat on thrones around Others have lasted for far longer: the
he was transferring the the world for thousands of years. Less than Abyssinian Empire w as ruled b y the same
vast majority of his political powers to the 2 0 non-European monarchies survive in the dynasty for 704 years, while the Japanese
country's prime minister. By relinquishing present day, but almost every corner of the imperial family has racked up more than
his position as an absolute monarch and globe was governed by a monarch at some 2 ,0 0 0 years and counting.
shifting his country towards democracy, point in its history, from the royal dynasties Want to find out more about some of these
King George was writing one of the latest of Korea and Vietnam to the Aztec and Inca fascinating families? Pick up your round-
chapters in the history of world monarchy. emperors who confronted the conquistadors. the-world ticket and join us on a voyage of
Henry VIII and Louis XIV may be the Some royal dynasties came and went: discovery to some of the most famous royal
kings who first come to mind when we Egypt had 32 during the age of the dynasties from the wider world.
I
BaBSB
The longest royal dynasty in history has ruled from the Iron Age to the present day
Such is the length of time At different times, various golden age of classical art,
that the Yamato dynasty has military clans have controlled poetry and writing. Over
sat on the Chrysanthemum the country’s government, a thousand years later, the
Throne that the origins of from the Soga, who helped Meiji Restoration dissolved
the Japanese royal family introduce Buddhism to Japan the shogunate and granted
are shrouded in mystery, in the 7th century, to the the emperor greater personal
but according to legend the shoguns, who were de facto power, including personal
founder of the dynasty was rulers of Japan between 1185 command of the armed
Jimmu, a descendant of the and 1868. forces and the right to decree
gods who became emperor When Emperor Kanmu laws. Under the Meiji system,
in 660 BCE. Although the established a new capital at Japan rapidly industrialised
Yamato have been ever Heian-kyo (modern Kyoto) in and became a world power,
present figureheads in 794, it marked the beginning reaching its zenith under
Japan ever since, the actual of the Heian period - four Hirohito, who promoted an
power they have wielded centuries of peaceful rule, imperial cult of devotion
has usually been limited. which is considered a during World War II
dynasties, but the most who ruled successfully for two and the enigmatic female
familiar one to m odem eyes decades - perhaps the first great pharaoh Nefemeferuaten -
is the 18th Dynasty, often wom an of history. possibly Akhenaten's famous
called Thutmosid for its four The 18th Dynasty may have queen, Nefertiti. Then another
different pharaohs nam ed seen Egypt reach its zenith, but son took the crown as
Thutmose - one of whom, it also saw the kingdom turned Tutankhaten, but in the second
Thutmose I, saw Egypt upside down. Nearly 100 years year of his reign he also changed
reach its greatest territorial after the end of Hatshepsut's his nam e to the one which Akhenaten's religious
extent in more th an 3,000 reign, the crown was placed would become famous around reforms turned Egyptian
years of pharaonic rule. on the head of Amenhotep IV. the world after Howard Carter society on its head b y
Under the 18th Five years into his reign he famously discovered his promoting the worship of
Dynasty's founder, abandoned the old polytheistic tomb: Tutanlchamun. the sun disc Aten only
Royal D y
& f t h
The famrly of a Btblrcal kmg controlled a strrp of East Africa for seven centuries
The Solomonic dynasty Abyssinian Empire - nam ed House of Solomon was struggled through the
claimed descent from the after the ethnic Ethiopian defeated by the Ottoman- century-long Age of Princes
Biblical King Solomon of people from whom the backed Adal Sultanate. with rival warlords battling
Israel and the Queen of Solomonic dynasty derived Emperor Gelawdewos was for power, leaving the
Sheba, but th e historical reign - expanded to cover nearly restored to the throne in 1543 Solomonic em perors largely
of the family only began in half a million square miles of with Portuguese support, confined to their ow n capital
1270 when Yekuno Amlak east Africa. although was him self killed city, Gondar.
overthrew the last Zagwe During the 16th century in a failed attempt to conquer The end of the Abyssinian
ruler of what its now Eritrea the Christian empire faced his Muslim neighbours. Empire began when
and the Ethiopian Highlands. multiple invasions by the The peak of the European powers carved
Over the next 700 years, the Ottomans and, in 1531, the Abyssinian Empire was out vast colonies in the
reached at the tu rn of the continent. Eritrea was seized
18th century, w hen Iyasu the by Italy in 1890 and the
Great established diplomatic rest of Ethiopia followed
links w ith France and the in 1936, although Emperor
Netherlands. However, Haile Selassie was returned
internal dissension and to power by the British
civil war was never far Army in 1941. However, he
from the surface. Iyasu was was toppled again in 1971,
assassinated by his son, this tim e by a com m unist Em peror Dawit II lost
Tekle Haymanot, who was military junta. With his control of the Abyssinian
in turn killed in a court suspicious death in captivity, Empire to Muslim invaders
Haile Selassie's famous speech to the conspiracy within two the long reign of the House in 15 3 1 and died before it
League of Nations in 19 3 6 could not save years. The strife continued of Solomon in Abyssinia could be reconquered with
his country from a fascist takeover as the Abyssinian Empire finally came to an end. Portuguese help
Around the world in six dynasties
*
— M in g D yn a sty , C h in a 1368-1644 —
Rising from humble origins, the Ming dynasty lasted 250 years
before it fell to another peasant revolution
Zhu Yuanzhang, the man Emperor - the third of the Ming emperors allowed trade unusually poor weather, the
who would found one of Ming dynasty, who seized to take place, boosting the population of China was
China's most successful royal the throne after a vicious Chinese economy. One of the ripe for rebellion. The Ming
dynasties, was born into a three-year civil war with his most sought-after Chinese dynasty came to an end as it
poor farming family in the nephew - decreed Beijing exports was its stunning blue- came to power - at the hands
east of the Great Yuan Empire. to be his northern capital. and-white painted porcelain, of a peasant-turned-soldier,
He rose through the ranks The Great Wall of China, a fine ceramic that was Li Zicheng. The Chongzhen
of the military to command despite pre-dating the Ming perfected in the Ming era. Emperor, the 17th and final
the army that overthrew by more than a millennium, However, European trade emperor of his family, hanged
the Mongol rulers of China was rebuilt in its modern was not enough to prevent himself from a tree just
and, after suppressing rival form with larger walls and an economic crisis caused by outside the Forbidden City,
warlords, declared himself integrated watchtowers and the rocketing value of silver. bringing to an end more
emperor of the new Ming barracks to keep out the Combined with famine due than 250 years of Ming rule
Empire, adopting the name Mongolian tribes to the north. to a number of years with in China.
Hongwu. He ensured he The Ming period also
maintained his grip on the saw China's first contacts
throne through military with the western world.
might with a standing army The Yongle Emperor sent
of more than a million his trusted admiral Zheng
soldiers and the largest naval He on seven long voyages
dockyard in the world. of exploration into the
The Hongwu Emperor w as Under the Ming, many Indian Ocean, reaching the
helped to power b y success of China's most famed Arabian Peninsula and the
in the Battle of Lake Poyang, monuments were built. eastern coast of Africa. When
© Getty Images*
possibly the largest naval The Forbidden City was European explorers made
battle in history constructed after the Yongle landfall on Chinese soil, the
Royal Dynasties
________________________________ ________________________________________
way forward for the monarchy, which included However, although this accessibility has
debates about paying tax, handling the media increased their popularity, there have been
and making whatever changes were deemed occasional missteps along the way, such as
necessary in order to stay afloat. the televised It's A Royal Knockout of 1987
In the past, access to members of the which was widely seen as an undignified and
ruling family was strictly controlled with the embarrassing step too far in the other direction
vast majority of their subjects never getting as it made the royal family seem too ordinary
so much as a quick glimpse of them and rather ridiculous and, most dangerously,
only being able to recognise their faces from unworthy of the unearned privilege that they
official photographs and currency. In the new retain only thanks to the continued goodwill
modern age, however, this would clearly have of their subjects. As the media becomes
to change. In Britain, the turning point came increasingly powerful and difficult to control,
during World War II when King George VI and the royal families of the world have had to
Queen Elizabeth regularly appeared in public move with the times and adapt their own
in the capital and elsewhere in order to show behaviours in order to keep up. The huge and
camaraderie with the bombed and suffering constantly growing influence of social media
populace, while their daughters Elizabeth and in the past decade has also increased their
Margaret also made regular appearances and, burden as the population has become ever head of state, they are effectively powerless and
in an unprecedented move, even broadcast more interested in celebrities and has come have no political or executive role other than to
to expect a certain amount of access to their support the government. The Queen's official
-------------------------- ----------------------------------
daily lives. In response to this, most of the role is to act as a focus for national identity, give
“ The younger royals royal houses have set up social media accounts
which broadcast a winning mixture of official
a sense of stability, support the interests of the
country and recognise and reward success - all
r T
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