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Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; Credit – Wikipedia

September 7, 1151 – Death of Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou in Château-du-Loir, Duchy of Brittany, now in France; buried at Le Mans Cathedral in Le Mans, County of Maine, now in France
Geoffrey was the second husband of Empress Matilda, Lady of the English, daughter of King Henry I of England, and the ancestor of the Plantagenet kings of England. He was the father of King Henry II of England. Matilda was quite unhappy about her marriage to Geoffrey. This would be her second marriage. When she was twelve years old, Matilda married 28-year-old Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor. Matilda returned to England when she was widowed eleven years later. She was eleven years older than Geoffrey and marriage to a mere future Count would diminish her status as the widow of an Emperor.  After the death of King Henry I and the seizing of power by his nephew Stephen of Blois, Matilda did not give up her claim to England and Normandy, leading to the long civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153. During The Anarchy, Geoffrey concentrated on conquering the Duchy of Normandy in northwest France. He died suddenly on September 7, 1151, aged 38.
Unofficial Royalty: Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou

September 7, 1362 – Death of Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots, daughter of King Edward II and wife of David II, King of Scots, at Hertford Castle in Hertford, England, buried at Greyfriars Church in Newgate, London, England
As a result of a treaty between England and Scotland, six-year-old Joan, daughter of King Edward I of England, married the heir of Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots, four-year-old David. Although the couple was married for 34 years, they had no children. Joan, aged 41, died of the plague at Hertford Castle in England and was buried at Christ Church Greyfriars in London. The church suffered much damage during King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, and many tombs were destroyed. The medieval church was completely destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Unofficial Royalty: Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots

September 7, 1533 – Birth of Queen Elizabeth I of England at Greenwich Palace in London, England
The last monarch of the House of Tudor, Queen Elizabeth I is number six on the list of the top ten longest-reigning British monarchs. She became queen at the age of 25 on November 17, 1558, and reigned for 44 years, 127 days until her death at age 69 on March 24, 1603. During Elizabeth’s reign, called the Elizabethan Age, the Church of England took its final form, a middle path between Catholicism and Reform Protestantism, William Shakespeare created numerous works, modern science had its birth based upon Francis Bacon‘s inductive method for scientific inquiry, Francis Drake sailed around the world, and the first colony in America was founded and named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth the Virgin Queen.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Elizabeth I of England

September 7, 1683 – Birth of Maria Anna of Austria, Queen of Portugal, wife of King João V of Portugal, in Linz, Austria
Full name: Maria Anna Josepha Antonia Regina
The daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maria Anna was the wife and first cousin of João V, King of Portugal. The couple married in 1708 and had six children including two Kings of Portugal and a Queen Consort of Spain. In 1742, King  João V had a stroke and became partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but was left diminished and much less energetic. Maria Anna served as regent until her husband died in 1750. Maria Anna died, aged 70, on August 14, 1754.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna of Austria, Queen of Portugal

September 7, 1731- Death of Eudoxia Lopukhina, Tsaritsa of All Russia, first wife of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, at Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, Russia; buried at Smolensk Cathedral at the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow
Eudoxia was the last ethnic Russian and non-foreign wife of a Russian tsar or emperor. She was the mother of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and the paternal grandmother of Peter II, Emperor of All Russia. She was chosen as a bride for Peter I by his mother Natalia Naryshkina hoping that the 17-year-old Peter would settle down and turn from an adolescent into a man. Peter could not stand her conservative relatives and soon abandoned her for a Dutch beauty, Anna Mons. Their relationship lasted twelve years until Peter met Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya, first his mistress, then his second wife, and finally his successor on the Russian throne as Catherine I, Empress of All Russia. In September 1698, Eudoxia was finally banished to a convent and their marriage was over.
Unofficial Royalty: Eudoxia Lopukhina, Tsaritsa of All Russia

September 7, 1801 – Death of Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Crypt Chapel in the Meiningen municipal cemetery, in 1977 her remains were removed from the chapel, cremated and buried elsewhere in the cemetery grounds
In 1750, Charlotte Amalie married Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, who was 43 years older. He had previously contracted a morganatic marriage and had ten children, but they were not eligible to succeed to the ducal throne. This marriage was solely intended to provide an heir for Saxe-Meiningen. The couple had eight children. Following her husband’s death in 1763, Charlotte Amalie was appointed the sole guardian of their sons and served as Regent of Saxe-Meiningen. When she died at the age of 71, as per her wishes, she was not buried in the Castle Church at Elisabethenburg Palace, the traditional burial site of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen. Instead, she was interred in the Ducal Crypt Chapel in the Meiningen municipal cemetery.
Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

September 7, 1817 – Birth of Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark, wife of King Christian IX of Denmark, in Kassel, Electorate of Hesse-Kassel, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Luise Wilhelmine Friederike Caroline Auguste Julie
Louise was as much the “Grandmother of Europe” as Queen Victoria was. Louise had 39 grandchildren and her grandsons included Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, King George V of the United Kingdom, King Christian X of Denmark, and King Haakon VII of Norway. Louise is the ancestor of six of the ten current European monarchs (King Philippe of Belgium, King Frederik X of Denmark, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Harald V of Norway, King Felipe VI of Spain, King Charles III of the United Kingdom) and two former monarchs (the late King Michael of Romania and the late King Constantine II of Greece).  Like her daughter Alexandra, Louise suffered from hereditary otosclerosis, abnormal growth of bone near the middle ear that can result in hearing loss. Louise’s deafness worsened during her last years and she was cared for by two deaconesses from the Deaconess Foundation she had started. Queen Louise, aged 81, died surrounded by a large part of her family, who had come to Denmark to be at her side.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark
Unofficial Royalty: Children, Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren and Notable Descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark

September 7, 1857 – Birth of Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in Wörlitz, Duchy of Anhalt, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Full name: Elisabeth Marie Friederike Amalie Agnes
Elisabeth married the future Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich V of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She used her public profile to bring attention to causes that were important to her, including nature and flowers. Following her husband’s death in 1914, she remained the first lady of Mecklenburg-Strelitz during the reign of her unmarried son and became very active with the Red Cross during World War I. Following the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, taking up residence in the Park House she had inherited earlier that year after her son died. The government took over Neustrelitz Palace but Elisabeth continued to fight for compensation for the loss of the family’s property. Remaining active right up until her death, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, often hosting visits from her daughters and grandchildren, and staying in close contact with relatives throughout Europe.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

September 7, 1930 – Birth of King Baudouin of the Belgians at Stuyvenberg Castle in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Baudouin Albert Charles Léopold Axel Marie Gustave
King Baudouin of the Belgians reigned from July 1951 until July 1993, making him the longest-reigning Belgian monarch. He became king upon the abdication of his father King Leopold III. In 1960, Baudouin married Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, from a Spanish aristocratic family. Despite several pregnancies, the couple never had any children, which greatly affected them. Fortunately, they maintained very close relationships with his brother’s children, particularly the future King Philippe, a frequent visitor to their homes. Although Baudouin’s heir was his brother Albert, he saw Philippe as his true successor and spent much time grooming him for his future role. Although King Baudouin had heart surgery in March 1992 this death from heart failure in 1993 still came unexpectedly, and sent much of Belgium into a period of deep mourning.
Unofficial Royalty: Baudouin, King of the Belgians

September 7, 1986 – Death of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Omar’s brother, Ahmad Tajuddin, Sultan of Brunei died in 1950. Because his brother had no male heirs, Omar succeeded to the throne of Brunei. In 1959, a constitution went into effect that gave Brunei self-government with the power to rule the domestic affairs of the country in the hands of the Sultan of Brunei, an important step toward complete independence from the United Kingdom, which would come in 1984. In 1967, Omar voluntarily abdicated in favor of his eldest son Hassanal Bolkiah but he still wielded most of the power in Brunei for several years. Omar became his son’s personal adviser and guided him in carrying out the duties as the Sultan in preparation for the time Brunei would eventually become an independent and sovereign country. Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the former Sultan of Brunei died two weeks before his 72nd birthday. A state funeral was held, attended by many world leaders.
Unofficial Royalty: Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei

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King Peter II of Yugoslavia; Credit – Wikipedia

September 6, 1666 – Birth of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia in Moscow, Russia
After their father’s death, Ivan and his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great) were co-rulers of Russia. From childhood, Ivan had serious physical and mental disabilities which may have been caused by Down’s Syndrome or a consequence of a disease. In 1689, 17-year-old Peter overthrew his elder half-sister Sophia Alexeievna who was ruling as Regent. Peter I and Ivan V continued as co-rulers. With Ivan being both incapable and disinterested, Peter functioned as though he were the only Tsar and eventually Ivan became a non-entity in the Russian court. For the last decade of his life, Ivan spent his days with his wife fasting and praying and was completely overshadowed by Peter.
Unofficial Royalty: Ivan V of Russia, Tsar of All Russia

September 6, 1804 – Birth of Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Kassel, Electorate of Hesse, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Marie Frederica Wilhelmina
Marie Friederike was Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen from her marriage until her husband was forced to abdicate in favor of his son, in 1866 following the defeat of Austria, who he supported, in the Austro-Prussian War. The couple took up residence at the Great Palace in Meiningen, where they would live for the rest of their lives.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

September 6, 1854 – Death of Maria Antonovna Naryshkina, mistress of Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia, in Starnberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria; buried in the Alter Südfriedhof (Old South Cemetery) in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria
Maria, her mother, and her siblings were brought to Russia by Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia after Maria’s father was hanged by an angry mob in Poland for his support of Russia. Maria was made a maid of honor at the Russian court and Catherine the Great arranged a marriage for her. Maria was known for her dazzling beauty and she attracted the attention of Tsesarevich Alexander Pavlovich, the future Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia. Maria and Alexander’s affair lasted for nearly nineteen years. In 1815, Maria accompanied Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia to the Congress of Vienna, which caused a scandal. Eventually, Maria began to worry about her position and the gossip surrounding her and Alexander began to have pangs of guilt about the long-term affair. In 1818, the affair ended and Alexander went back to his wife but he continued to talk about Maria as his family.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Antonovna Naryshkina, mistress of Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia

September 6, 1860 – Death of Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; buried in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Georg became Grand Duke in 1816, upon his father’s death and a long reign of nearly 54 years. Georg found Mecklenburg-Strelitz in great debt and in need of much rebuilding. To eliminate much of the debt, he sold several towns to Prussia that had been given to the Grand Duchy at the Congress of Vienna. He abolished serfdom and throughout his reign, he worked to raise the standards of education, building schools and instituting compulsory education. He made vast improvements to the infrastructure which would help to energize the grand duchy’s economy.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

September 6, 1920 – Death of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, wife of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, born Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, at her villa (now the Hotel La Souveraine) in Contrexéville, France; buried in Chapel of St. Vladimir and St. Mary Magdalene in Contrexéville, France
Maria was one of the Romanovs who escaped Russia after the Russian Revolution. However, she was hesitant to leave because she still hoped that her eldest son Kirill would one day be Emperor of All Russia. On February 13, 1920, Maria Pavlovna, her son Andrei, his mistress the famous ballerina Matilde Kschessinska, and her son Vladimir boarded an Italian ship in the direction of Venice, Italy. They made their way from Venice to Switzerland and then to France, where Maria Pavlovna’s health failed and she died six months later. Maria Pavlovna had a passion for jewelry and her collection was renowned. She was one of the few members of the Romanov family who managed to get her jewelry out of Russia. British art dealer and diplomatic courier Albert Stopford, a family friend, rescued the jewelry from her Vladimir Palace safe and smuggled the jewels out of Russia to England. After Maria Pavlovna’s death, the jewelry was sold by her children to support their lives in exile. Queen Mary of the United Kingdom purchased some of the jewelry including the Vladimir Tiara.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia

September 6, 1923 – Birth of Peter II, the last King of Yugoslavia in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, now in Serbia
After the assassination of his father King Alexander I in 1934,  11-year-old Peter ascended the throne of Yugoslavia. In 1941, Yugoslavia was occupied by Nazi forces, and the government was forced to surrender. King Peter went into exile with the government. After settling in London, Peter married Princess Alexandra of Greece, the daughter of King Alexander I of Greece, and the couple had one son.  In 1944, a Communist government was established in Yugoslavia. The following year, the monarchy was officially abolished. After World War II, Peter and Alexandra left London, living in France and Switzerland before settling in the United States in 1949. The marriage suffered from the strain of Peter’s numerous affairs and the constant struggle to find sources of income. Eventually, they went their separate ways. Peter settled permanently in the United States while Alexandra took her son and moved to Venice with her mother.
Unofficial Royalty: King Peter II of Yugoslavia

September 6, 1924 – Death of Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria, daughter of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, at Schloss Wallsee in Sindelburg, Austria; buried  in the Habsburg crypt behind the high altar at the parish church in Sindelburg, Austria
Valerie was the youngest of the four children of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria and his wife Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi). In 1890, she married Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria-Tuscany and the couple had ten children. Valerie’s father Emperor Franz Joseph died in 1916, in the middle of World War I. As he had no son to succeed him (his only son Rudolf died in a suicide pact with his mistress), his great-nephew succeeded him as Emperor Karl I of Austria but only reigned for two years as the monarchy was abolished at the end of World War I. Valerie officially recognized the end of the Habsburg monarchy and signed documents renouncing all rights for herself and her descendants. This allowed her to remain in Austria and keep her home and possessions. In 1924, Valerie was diagnosed with lymphoma. Surrounded by her family, Valerie died at her home Schloss Wallsee at the age of 56.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria, Princess of Tuscany

September 6, 1926 – Birth of Claus von Amsberg, Prince Claus of the Netherlands, husband of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, at the family estate, Haus Dötzingen, near Hitzacker, Germany
Full name: Claus-Georg Wilhelm Otto Friedrich Gerd
On New Year’s Eve in 1962, Claus met Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, the heir to the Dutch throne, at a party with friends in Bad Driburg, Germany. The couple met again at the wedding eve party of Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, in June 1964. Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg acted as a go-between for the couple and did much to strengthen their relationship. The fact that he was a German national, had been a member of the Hitler Youth and had served in the German army, caused great controversy among the Dutch people. Only after historian Loe de Jong had established that Claus was not to blame for any war crimes, was the marriage approved. Claus and Beatrix were married on March 10, 1966, at the Westerkerk, a large church In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, just down the street from the building where Dutch Jewish teenager Anne Frank hid during World War II. The ride to and from the church was disrupted by riots with smoke bombs and firecrackers. According to some newspapers, about a thousand rioters were chanting “revolution” and “Claus get out”. Claus was granted the style and titles His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg. Over the years, Claus became accepted by the Dutch public, and during the last part of his life, he was considered the most popular member of the Dutch Royal Family.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Claus of the Netherlands

September 6, 2006 – Birth of Prince Hisahito of Japan, son of Crown Prince Akishino of Japan, at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo, Japan
Prince Hisahito is second in the line of succession after his father. After the birth of his cousin Princess Aiko in 2001, the only child of Emperor Naruhito, there was much discussion about changing the laws to absolute primogeniture, whereby the oldest surviving child without regard to gender inherits the throne. Currently, there is male-line, male-only succession in Japan. In 2005, the Prime Minister vowed to submit a bill to the government to change The Imperial Household Law, based on recommendations from an independent, government-appointed panel. However, the birth of Prince Hisahito seems to have ended the efforts, and the proposal was dropped. In November 2020, it was recommended that the discussion regarding succession be shelved until Prince Hisahito becomes an adult and has children. It is highly probable that there will not be another person in the line of succession until Prince Hisahito marries and has a son.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hisahito of Japan
Unofficial Royalty: Japanese Succession Crisis

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Catharine Parr, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

September 5, 1548 – Death of Catharine Parr, Queen of England, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII of England, at Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England, buried at St. Mary’s Church, Sudeley Castle
A widow for the second time, 31-year-old Catherine fell in love with Thomas Seymour, brother of Henry VIII’s late third wife Jane Seymour, and the two hoped to marry. However, Henry VIII began to show an interest in Catherine and she felt it was her duty to choose Henry’s proposal of marriage over Thomas Seymour’s. After Henry VIII died in 1547, Catherine finally married Thomas Seymour, the uncle of King Edward VI. In August 1548, Catherine and Seymour had a daughter, but tragically Catherine died of puerperal fever or childbed fever. Her daughter Mary Seymour appears to have died young. Six months after Catherine’s death, Thomas Seymour was beheaded for treason.
Unofficial Royalty: Catharine Parr, Queen of England

September 5, 1638 – Birth of King Louis XIV of France at Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Full name: Louis-Dieudonné
King Louis XIV of France, often known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was the longest-reigning French monarch, reigning from 1643 until his death in 1715. Despite coming of age in 1654, King Louis XIV did not fully assume his role as King until 1661, following the death of his chief minister Cardinal Mazarin. An ardent believer in the divine right of kings, King Louis XIV quickly assumed full control of the monarchy, becoming one of France’s most powerful sovereigns and establishing France as one of the leading powers in Europe.
Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XIV of France

September 5, 1649 – Birth of Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, mistress of King Charles II of England, at her family home, the Manoir de Keroual in Brest, Brittany, France
Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and King Charles II of England are the ancestors of Queen Camilla, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York. In 1669, her parents arranged for her to be placed in the household of Henriette-Anne of England, Duchess of Orléans, at the Palace of Versailles, hoping Louise would catch the eye of King Louis XIV of France and become a royal mistress. In January 1670, Louise accompanied Henriette-Anne on a diplomatic mission to her brother King Charles II at Dover Castle in England. King Louis XIV hoped Louise would catch the eye of his first cousin King Charles II and then there would be a French mistress at the English court. When the diplomatic mission was completed, Henriette-Anne offered her brother his choice of jewelry from her jewelry box which Louise handed to her. Placing his hand on Louise’s hand, Charles is reputed to have said: “This is the only jewel I want!”
Unofficial Royalty: Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, mistress of King Charles II of England

September 5, 1664 – Birth of Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, an illegitimate daughter of King Charles II of England by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, in London, England
Charlotte was one of the five children of King Charles II and Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland. In 1677, thirteen-year-old Charlotte married fourteen-year-old Edward Lee, the son and heir of Sir Francis Henry Lee, 4th Baronet of Quarendon. Charlotte and Edward had eighteen children and eleven survived childhood.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Charlotte Fitzroy

September 5, 1983 – Death of Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen, daughter of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in Erlangen, Germany; buried in the family cemetery in the forest of Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany
A great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Calma, as she was known, had an unhappy marriage with her first husband Count Friedrich Wolfgang of Castell-Rüdenhausen and they divorced. During World War II, Friedrich Wolfgang was killed in action while flying over England. Her second husband was Captain Max Schnirring, a famous pilot whose aviation career began during World War I. Max was one of the first pilots for Deutsche Luft Hansa, a precursor to today’s Lufthansa. He died during a test flight when his plane crashed into a field. After World War II, her father was classified as a Nazi Follower, Category IV was heavily fined and almost bankrupted. Calma had a difficult time adjusting to her family’s circumstances and became estranged from some of her children. To make ends meet, she became a shoemaker. She had numerous relationships with different men and one relationship caused her to spend some time in prison.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen

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Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

September 4, 1199 – Death of Joan of England, daughter of King Henry II of England, wife of King William II of Sicily and Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse, at Fontevrault Abbey near Chinon, in the County of Anjou, now in France; buried at Fontevrault Abbey
Voyages on storm-tossed ships on the Mediterranean Sea. Being held captive and penniless by your husband’s successor and then being gallantly rescued by your brother. Being marooned and nearly captured after a strong storm and again being gallantly rescued by your brother.  Accompanying your brother and his new wife, on the Crusades in the Holy Land. Being offered by your gallant brother as a bride to the brother of the man who led the Islamic opposition in the Crusade. Being left to deal with a rebellion while you are pregnant. Sounds like the imagination of an author for a new book, but in reality, it is the life of Joan of England, the youngest daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.  However, Joan does have prominent roles in Sharon Penman’s wonderful novels Devil’s Brood and Lionheart where she is referred to as Joanna.
Unofficial Royalty: Joan of England, Queen of Sicily, Countess of Toulouse

September 4, 1557 – Birth of Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway, wife of King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway, in Wismar, Duchy of Mecklenburg, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
In 1572, Sophie married King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway. The couple had seven children. Through their daughter Anna, who married James VI, King of Scots, later also James I, King of England, they are ancestors of the British Royal Family. Despite a 23-year age difference, Frederik II and Sophie had a happy marriage. Sophie is consistently mentioned in Frederik’s handwritten diary as “mynt Soffye“, meaning “my Sophie”. She never interfered in government matters but always accompanied him on his travels, participated in his hunts, and nursed him when he was ill. Sophie was interested in books, visited the Danish pioneering astronomer Tycho Brahe, collected folk songs, and encouraged historian Anders Sørensen Vedel to publish his Hundredvisebogen, a collection of a hundred Danish folk songs he had gathered that became the foundation of Danish literary tradition.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway

September 4, 1588 – Death of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, at Cornbur Park near Oxford, England; buried in the Beauchamp Chapel at the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick, England
In July 1588, as the Spanish Armada came closer to the coast of England, Queen Elizabeth I appointed Robert Lieutenant and Captain-General of the Queen’s Armies and Companies. On August 19, 1588, when Queen Elizabeth I gave her famous Speech to the Troops at Tilbury, a bareheaded Robert walked beside her horse. However, Robert had been in ill health for some time. Modern historians suspect the illness was malaria or stomach cancer. On his way to take the healing baths in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, aged 56, died at Cornbury Park near Oxford, England, on September 4, 1588. Elizabeth was extremely upset and locked herself in her rooms for a few days until Lord Burghley ordered the door to be broken down. Six days before Robert’s death, Elizabeth had received a letter from him. She kept the letter, labeled “his last letter” in her bedside treasure box for the rest of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England

September 4, 1729 – Birth of Louis, Dauphin of France, son of King Louis XV of France, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
Louis, Dauphin of France was the elder son and heir apparent of his father Louis XV, King of France. Unfortunately, like several other Dauphins that preceded him, Louis died prematurely and never became King of France. After the death of his first wife Maria Teresa Rafaela, Infanta of Spain, Louis married Maria Josepha of Saxony. They had eight children including three Kings of France: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII, and Charles X. Louis died of tuberculosis at the Château de Fontainebleau in France on December 20, 1765, at the age of 36.
Unofficial Royalty: Louis, Dauphin of France

September 4, 1729 – Birth of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark, 2nd wife of King Frederik V of Denmark, in Wolfenbüttel, Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
In 1752, Juliana Maria married King Frederik V of Denmark six months after the death of his first wife Louisa of Great Britain. The couple had one son. After the death of Frederik V, he was succeeded by his son from his first marriage King Christian VII who had many symptoms of mental illness. Juliana Maria was instrumental in a coup that would bring about the fall of Christian VII’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee and discredit Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales who was having an affair with Struensee. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled. After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son, Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik, took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward.
Unofficial Royalty: Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark

September 4, 1745 – Death of Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld at Schloss Saalfeld in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the ducal crypt at the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany
Christian Ernst fell in love with Christiane von Koss, the daughter of Saalfeld forestry master. This relationship displeased both his father and his only surviving half-brother Franz Josias. Eventually, Christian Ernst’s father consented to the marriage, and the couple was married morganatically in 1724. As the elder son, Christian Ernst was his father’s heir but because of his unequal marriage, his half-brother Franz Josias claimed the sole inheritance of the duchy. However, Johann Ernst decided that both his sons should reign jointly, and upon his death in 1729, his will forced the joint reign. From 1735, with the support of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, Franz Josias effectively ruled over Coburg in his own right. Christian Ernst died childless and his half-brother Franz Josias, who was fourteen years younger, became the sole Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
Unofficial Royalty: Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

September 4, 1755 – Birth of Axel von Fersen the Younger, favorite of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, in Stockholm, Sweden
A member of the Swedish aristocracy, Count Axel von Fersen the Younger served as an aide-de-camp and interpreter to French General Rochambeau during the American Revolutionary War. As tensions began to rise in France, the Swedish King appointed von Fersen as his secret envoy to King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, subverting the usual diplomatic channels and providing direct contact between the sovereigns. von Fersen became a close friend and favorite of Queen Marie Antoinette. He returned to Sweden during the French Revolution and became one of the closest advisors to King Gustav IV Adolf, rising to the positions of Earl Marshal and Marshal of the Realm. After Gustav IV was deposed, his childless uncle King Carl XIII became king and adopted a Danish prince to be the Crown Prince of Sweden. The new Crown Prince died from injuries after a fall from his horse. Rumors quickly spread that he had been poisoned by Gustav IV’s supporters, more specifically, at the hands of von Fersen. At the Crown Prince’s funeral procession, von Fersen was attacked and killed by the angry mob who blamed him for the Crown Prince’s death.
Unofficial Royalty: Axel von Fersen the Younger, favorite of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France

September 4, 1759 – Death of Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales, at Kew Palace in London, England; buried in the Hanover vault under the central part of the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Elizabeth Caroline was one of the nine children of Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King George II of Great Britain, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1751, when Elizabeth Caroline was ten-years-old, her father died, leaving a pregnant widow with eight children. Elizabeth Caroline’s thirteen-year-old eldest brother George was now the heir to the throne and was created Prince of Wales by his grandfather King George II. George succeeded his grandfather as King George III. According to Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, an English writer, art historian, and Whig politician, Elizabeth Caroline was extremely delicate and backward. On September 4, 1759, Princess Elizabeth Caroline, aged 18, had died at Kew Palace in London.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales

September 4, 1800 – Birth of Queen Pauline of Württemberg, third wife of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, born Pauline of Württemberg in Riga, Russian Empire, now in Latvia
Full name: Pauline Therese Luise
In 1820, Pauline became the third wife of her first cousin King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. The couple had three children including Wilhelm I’s successor. The couple seemed happy at first, but within a few years, Wilhelm had returned to his mistresses and the marriage became very strained. While not getting the respect she deserved from her husband, Pauline did receive much respect from the people of Württemberg, both for her devotion to helping the poor and because she had provided an heir to the throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Pauline of Württemberg, Queen of Württemberg

September 4, 1864 – Birth of Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Reuss of Gera, wife of Heinrich XXVII, 5th and the last reigning Prince Reuss of Gera, in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Elise was christened Elise Victoria Feodora Sophie Adelheid and two of her names reflect that her paternal grandmother was Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Elise’s two siblings have connections to Queen Victoria’s family through their marriages. In 1884, Elise married Heinrich XXVII, the future 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and the couple had five children. Upon the death of his father in 1913, Elise’s husband became the 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. His reign was only five years long. After the German defeat in World War I in 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII that granted him some castles and land.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Reuss of Gera

September 4, 1896 – Birth of Aspasia Manos, Princess of Greece, wife of King Alexander I of Greece, in Athens, Greece
Aspasia was the daughter of Colonel Petros Manos and grew up around the Greek royal family because her father was an aide to King Constantine I of Greece.  Aspasia and Prince Alexander, the second son of King Constantine I, began a romance, despite the unlikelihood of being able to marry due to their different ranks. In June 1917, King Constantine I was forced to step down from the throne, and his son Alexander was appointed to replace him. Despite the challenges from his family and the Prime Minister, Aspasia and Alexander married secretly on November 17, 1919. Aspasia was not given the title of Queen, instead, she was known simply as Madame Manos. Less than a year later, King Alexander died after contracting septicemia from a monkey bite several weeks earlier. Aspasia was four months pregnant at the time and gave birth to their daughter Alexandra in 1921. Alexander’s father was restored to the throne and issued a decree recognizing the marriage of Alexander and Aspasia and legitimizing their daughter Alexandra. Aspasia was now Princess Alexander of Greece and Denmark. Despite this, her relationship with her husband’s family was never easy.
Unofficial Royalty: Aspasia Manos, Princess of Greece

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