Category Archives: Former Monarchies

Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

by Daniel Mytens; Credit – Wikipedia

The highborn and noble princess Lady Margaret, known better as Margaret Tudor, was born at the Palace of Westminster in London, England on November 28, 1489. She was the eldest daughter and the second of the eight children of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch, and Elizabeth of York, the eldest child of King Edward IV of England. When the Tudor line died out with the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1603, Margaret’s great-grandson James VI, King of Scots succeeded to the English throne as King James I. Margaret is the ancestor of many European royal families, past and present.

Margaret was christened the day after her birth at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster. Her godparents were:

Margaret had six siblings. Unlike her older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales, who lived in his own household, Margaret spent most of her childhood with her siblings.

Henry VII’s family: At left, Henry VII, with Arthur, Prince of Wales behind him, then Henry (later Henry VIII), and Edmund, who did not survive early childhood. To the right is Elizabeth of York, with Margaret, then Elizabeth who didn’t survive childhood, Mary, and Katherine, who died shortly after her birth; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 24, 1502, England and Scotland concluded the Treaty of Perpetual Peace, agreeing to end the warfare between England and Scotland that occurred over the previous two hundred years. As part of the treaty, a marriage was arranged between 28-year-old James IV, King of Scots and twelve-year-old Margaret Tudor. A proxy marriage was held on January 25, 1503, at Richmond Palace with Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell standing in for James IV. Margaret was exactly the same age as her paternal grandmother Margaret Beaufort had been when she married Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond. Margaret Beaufort was determined that her granddaughter not consummate her marriage at such an early age and insisted that Margaret must remain in England until she was older. After the proxy marriage, Margaret was officially Queen of Scotland and received the precedence and honor due to a Queen.

In 1501, Margaret’s elder brother Arthur, Prince of Wales married Catherine of Aragon, the youngest daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. Five months later, on April 2, 1502, 15-year-old Arthur was dead, probably of sweating sickness, and his family was devastated. Shortly after Arthur’s death, Margaret’s mother Elizabeth became pregnant again and hoped for a son. Elizabeth spent that year preparing her daughter Margaret for her role as Queen of Scots. In early 1503, Elizabeth spent her confinement at the Tower of London. On February 2, 1503, she gave birth to a daughter, Katherine. Shortly after giving birth, Elizabeth became ill with puerperal fever (childbed fever) and died on February 11, 1503, her 37th birthday. Little Katherine died on February 18, 1503.

James IV, King of Scots and Margaret Tudor; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1503, just a few months after her mother’s death, Margaret left London with her father to begin her journey to Scotland. Her formal court farewell was held at her paternal grandmother’s home Collyweston Palace near Stamford, Northamptonshire, England. After two weeks of celebrations, Margaret rode out to her new life with only one relative, Sir David Owen, the illegitimate son of her great-grandfather Owen Tudor. On August 3, 1503, at Dalkeith Castle in Midlothian, Scotland, Margaret first met King James IV. The couple was married in person on August 8, 1503, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Margaret and James had four sons and two stillborn daughters. Only one of their children survived infancy.

James IV, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1509, Margaret’s father King Henry VII of England died and was succeeded by his son as King Henry VIII. Despite the great hopes of peace between England and Scotland as symbolized by the marriage of Margaret and James IV, Margaret’s brother Henry VIII did not have his father’s diplomatic patience and was heading toward a war with France. James IV was committed to his alliance with France and invaded England. Henry VIII was away on campaign in France and Flanders in 1513 and he had made his wife Catherine of Aragon regent in his absence. It was up to Catherine to supervise England’s defense when Scotland invaded. Ultimately, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Flodden near Branxton, Northumberland, England on September 9, 1513, and 30-year-old King James IV was killed in the battle. Catherine sent Henry VIII the blood-stained coat of his defeated and dead brother-in-law.

Margaret and James IV’s only surviving child  James V, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret’s seventeen-month-old son succeeded his father as James V, King of Scots. Under the terms of James IV’s will, Margaret was the regent for her son as long as she did not remarry. On April 30, 1514, Margaret gave birth to a son Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross who died on December 18, 1515. While the Scottish Parliament had confirmed Margaret as regent, many were unhappy with an English female regent and wanted Margaret replaced with John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany, grandson of James II, King of Scots, the closest male relative of the infant king, and the heir presumptive to the throne after the death of young son Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross.

Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret sought an ally with the pro-English House of Douglas. On August 6, 1514, Margaret secretly married Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. The marriage stirred up the Scottish nobles and opposition to the faction supporting French influence in Scotland. Civil war broke out, and Margaret lost the regency to John Stewart, Duke of Albany. Margaret and Douglas escaped to England where she gave birth to their only child at Harbottle Castle in Northumberland, England. While in the north of England, Margaret learned of the death of her son Alexander, Duke of Ross.

Daughter of Margaret and Archibald Douglas:

Lady Margaret Douglas, Margaret Tudor’s daughter; Credit – Wikipedia

Sometime after the birth of her daughter, Margaret and her husband went to London where they were well treated by her brother Henry VIII and lived in Scotland Yard, the traditional residence of the Scottish diplomats and Scottish kings when they visited English royalty. Margaret returned to Scotland in 1517, hoping to regain her dower, a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support if she should survive her husband, and also to regain access to her son James V, but she was unsuccessful in both pursuits. After returning to Scotland, it soon became clear that Margaret’s marriage with Archibald Douglas was on the rocks. He lived openly with his mistresses, gave them gifts paid for with Margaret’s money, and separated Margaret from her daughter. On March 11, 1527, Pope Clement VII granted Margaret a divorce from Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.

On March 3, 1528, Margaret married Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven to the consternation of her brother King Henry VIII who insisted that marriage was “divinely ordained” and protested against the “shameless sentence sent from Rome.” Ironically, a few years later Henry VIII would seek to end his marriages with Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. Margaret and Stewart had one daughter who died young. Stewart proved to be even worse than Margaret’s second husband in his desire for other women and Margaret’s money. Margaret tried to divorce Stewart, but her son James V blocked the proceedings and Margaret felt that Stewart had bribed her son. Margaret often wrote to her brother Henry VIII about her plight, but he never helped her. In 1537, Margaret tried to escape to England but was brought back to Methven Castle where she lived until her death.

Methven Castle; By Arthur Bruce, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=482685

After suffering a stroke, Margaret died at Methven Castle on October 18, 1541, at the age of 51. On her deathbed, Margaret asked her second husband Archibald Douglas to forgive her for having divorced him, telling him that he was her lawful husband and that their marriage was valid. It is not clear whether her motivation was regret or an attempt to ensure the legitimacy of her daughter Margaret Douglas to preserve her position in the line of succession to the English throne. Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots was buried at the Carthusian Charterhouse in Perth, Scotland. Her tomb was destroyed and her remains were burned on May 11, 1559, when a mob of Calvinists attacked and destroyed the Charterhouse.

Monument marking the site of the Perth Charterhouse; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited
Abrufstatistik. “Margaret Tudor.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 2006. Web. 15 Oct. 2016.
De Lisle, Leanda. Tudor. Philadelphia: Perseus Books Group, 2013. Print.
“James IV of Scotland.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Oct. 2016. Web. 15 Oct. 2016.
“Margaret Tudor.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Oct. 2016. Web. 15 Oct. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine of the Rhine

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine of the Rhine; Credit – Wikipedia

It was through Elizabeth that the Hanovers inherited the British throne.  The first Hanover monarch, King George I, was her grandson. The eldest daughter and second child of King James I of England and Anne of Denmark, Elizabeth Stuart was born on August 19, 1596. Sources differ on her birthplace, either Dunfermline Palace or Falkland Palace, both in Scotland. At the time of her birth, Elizabeth’s father, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, was King James VI of Scotland. In 1603, upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England, James succeeded to the English throne as King James I of England. The infant princess was baptized on December 28, 1596, at the Chapel Royal, Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was named after Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Elizabeth had six siblings, but only two survived childhood:

by Charles Turner, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Willem de Passe, mezzotint, published 1814

‘James I and his royal progeny’ by Charles Turner, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Willem de Passe mezzotint, published 1814 NPG D9808 © National Portrait Gallery, London

As was customary for princesses, Elizabeth was not raised by her parents, but by a noble family loyal to the Scottish royal family. Her early years were spent at Linlithgow Palace in the care of Alexander Livingstone, 1st Earl of Linlithgow, 7th Lord Livingstone and his Catholic wife, Eleanor (Helen) Hay, eldest daughter of Andrew Hay, 8th Earl of Erroll. A Protestant princess being raised by the Catholic Lady Livingstone was controversial. Lord and Lady Livingstone remained guardians of Elizabeth until the accession of Elizabeth’s father to the English throne in 1603. Elizabeth then accompanied her mother and her brother Henry, Prince of Wales to England.

Elizabeth, aged seven, by Robert Peake the Elder, 1603; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth was placed in the care of John Harington, 1st Baron Harington of Exton and his wife Anne at Coombe Abbey near Coventry, England.  Although being the guardians of Elizabeth was a heavy financial burden, Lord and Lady Harrington diligently took care of Elizabeth and provided her with an excellent education. In 1605, the conspirators of the unsuccessful Gunpowder Plot intended to use the nine-year-old princess as part of the plot. After blowing up Parliament during the State Opening, the plotters had planned to seize Elizabeth and proclaim her Queen of England. Lord Harrington was warned of the plot and brought Elizabeth to a safe place in Coventry. The plot failed when the conspirators were betrayed. Before he could light the bomb intended to blow up Parliament, Guy Fawkes was caught by King James I’s soldiers. In 1612, Elizabeth suffered great sorrow when her elder brother Henry, Prince of Wales died of typhoid fever. She was not allowed to see him during his illness for fear she would be exposed to the disease and her brother’s last words were said to be, “Where is my dear sister?”

As the daughter of a reigning king, Elizabeth’s hand in marriage was sought after by a number of suitors including Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden (later King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden); Frederic Ulric, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel; Prince Maurice of Nassau; Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton; Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk; Otto, Hereditary Prince of Hesse and Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont (later Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy). However, after careful consideration, Friedrich V, Elector Palatine of the Rhine was chosen. Friedrich and Elizabeth were the same age. Friedrich was a descendant of the kings of Aragon and Sicily, the landgraves of Hesse, the dukes of Brabant and Saxony, and the counts of Nassau and Leuven. He was a senior prince of the Holy Roman Empire and a staunch defender of the Protestant faith. Elizabeth and Friedrich, both 16 years old, were married on February 14, 1613, at the Chapel Royal at the Palace of Whitehall.

The couple had thirteen children:

Friedrich V, Elector Palatine by Michiel Janszoon van Mierevelt, 1613; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth Stuart by Marcus Gheeraerts, 1612; Credit – Wikipedia

In August 1619, Friedrich was elected King of Bohemia and was crowned in Prague on November 4, 1619. Elizabeth, who was in late pregnancy with her son Rupert, was crowned two days later. The crown of Bohemia had been in Habsburg hands for a long time and the Habsburg heir, Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor refused to accept Friedrich as King of Bohemia. Friedrich’s reign ended with his defeat by Ferdinand at the Battle of White Mountain, one of the early battles of the Thirty Years’ War, on November 8, 1620. Friedrich and Elizabeth are called the Winter King and the Winter Queen referring to their short reign as King and Queen of Bohemia.

Friedrich as King of Bohemia by Gerard van Honthorst; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth as Queen of Bohemia by Gerard van Honthorst; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple sought refuge in Berlin but had to leave in January 1621 when Friedrich was forced to give up the Palatinate and was banished from the Holy Roman Empire. Elizabeth, Friedrich, and their family were given refuge in The Hague by Maurits, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of all the provinces of the Dutch Republic except for Friesland. The last eight of their thirteen children were born in The Hague. In January 1632, their last child was born, and later that same month, Friedrich left The Hague to fight alongside King Gustavus Adolphus II of Sweden in the Thirty Years’ War. Elizabeth never saw him again. Beginning in October 1632, Friedrich suffered from an infection that continually worsened. Doctors determined nothing could be done and Friedrich died on November 29, 1632, at the age of 36.

Elizabeth as a widow by Gerard van Honthorst, 1642; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth was devastated by Friedrich’s death. Her brother King Charles I of England invited her to return to England, but she refused as she felt she had to fight for the rights of her eldest son Karl Ludwig. She raised a small army on his behalf, and finally, in 1648, the Palatinate was restored to him. Between her husband’s death in 1632 and her death in 1662, Elizabeth suffered the death of four of her children and the execution of her brother King Charles I of England in 1649. In 1660, Elizabeth’s nephew King Charles II was restored as King of England and Elizabeth decided to visit England. She arrived in England on May 26, 1661, and by July she was determined to remain there. She first lived in Drury House on Wych Street in London. In January 1662, she moved to Leicester House on the north side of present-day Leicester Square. On February 13, 1662, Elizabeth died of bronchitis at the age of 65 and was buried in the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey near her brother Henry, Prince of Wales.

Through her daughter Sophia, Electress of Hanover whose son succeeded to the British throne as King George I after the Protestant Stuarts died out, Elizabeth is the ancestor of the British royal family and most other European royal families, including those of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, as well as the former royal families of Greece, Romania, Prussia, and Russia.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited
Abrufstatistik. “Elisabeth Stuart.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
“Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Sept. 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
“Frederick V, Elector Palatine.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Sept. 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia was born on July 24, 1720, in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. She was the fifth daughter and the tenth of the fourteen children of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia and his wife Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the daughter of King George I of Great Britain and the only sibling of King George II of Great Britain.

Louisa Ulrike had thirteen siblings:

Louisa Ulrika’s brothers: left to right Friedrich, August Ferdinand, August Wilhelm, and Heinrich; Credit – Wikipedia

Louisa Ulrika received an education as befitted a princess of the Age of Enlightenment and saw nothing wrong with the militaristic views of her father unlike her elder brother and her father’s successor, the future King Friedrich “the Great” II, and her elder sisters. Influenced by her mother, Louisa Ulrika shared a common interest in science and culture with her brother Friedrich. Several royal suitors sought her hand in marriage including her first cousin Frederick, Prince of Wales; King Carlos III of Spain, and Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.

In 1743, an election was held to appoint an heir to the childless King Fredrik I of Sweden, and Adolf Fredrik of Holstein-Gottorp won the election. The powers that be decided that Louisa Ulrika or her youngest sister Anna Amalia would be married to the future King of Sweden. The Swedish ambassador to Prussia inspected both sisters and recommended Louisa Ulrika. The sisters’ brother Friedrich, who had succeeded to the Prussia throne in 1740, described Louisa Ulrika as arrogant and divisive and recommended Anna Amalia, described as kind-hearted and more suitable. Friedrich’s real reason for recommending Anna Amalia was that he wanted a sister who would gain influence in Sweden and considered his youngest sister more manageable. After getting the opinion of the groom Adolf Fredrik, the Swedish government insisted on Louisa Ulrika and King Friedrich II of Prussia gave his approval. Louisa Ulrika was taught about Sweden, converted to Lutheranism, and was advised to refrain from involvement in politics.

On July 17, 1744, Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik were married by proxy in Berlin with the bride’s brother August Wilhelm standing in for the groom. Louisa Ulrika was escorted to Sweden by the Swedish ambassador and his wife. On August 18, 1744, she was welcomed by King Fredrik I at Drottningholm Palace in Sweden, where the second wedding ceremony was held the same day, followed by a ball and a court reception.

Louisa Ulrika by Antoine Pesne, circa 1744; Credit – Wikipedia

King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden by Antoine Pesne; Credit – Wikipedia

Following a stillbirth, Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik had four children:

Adolf Fredrik was introverted, gentle, and submissive, and Louisa Ulrika was pleased with him because she immediately felt secure that she was his superior. Already during their first day together, she was meddling in politics, informing Adolf Fredrik that her brother Friedrich had plans for an alliance between Sweden, Russia, and Prussia, and asked Adolf Fredrik to raise the subject with the Prussian envoy, which he agreed to do. No children had been born to the Swedish royal family in over 50 years, so when Louisa Ulrika’s first child was born in 1746, she was seen as the salvation of a succession crisis. Eventually, Louisa Ulrika gave birth to three sons, two of whom became Kings of Sweden.

Louisa Ulrika’s three sons: King Gustav III, Prince Frederick Adolf, and King Carl XIII; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon her wedding in 1744, King Fredrik I gave Louisa Ulrika the ownership of Drottningholm Palace, not too far from the Swedish capital of Stockholm. During Louisa Ulrika’s ownership of Drottningholm Palace, the palace’s interior was redecorated in a more sophisticated French rococo style. On Louisa Ulrika’s 33rd birthday, Adolf Fredrik presented her with the Chinese Pavillion, on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace. In a letter to her mother, Louisa Ulrika wrote: “He brought me to one side of the garden and I was surprised to suddenly be part of a fairy tale, for the King had built a Chinese castle, the most beautiful one can see.” Louisa Ulrika was also responsible for rebuilding the Drottningholm Palace Theatre after the original building burned down in 1762. Louisa Ulrika encouraged the leading scientists of the time to gather at Drottningholm Palace. The famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus worked there, cataloging the royal collections’ natural objects. Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik continued to reside at the palace during their reign (1751–1771). In 1777, Louisa Ulrika sold Drottningholm Palace to the Swedish state. Currently, it is the home of the Swedish Royal Family.

Drottningholm

Drottningholm Palace; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

europe_august-5-to-18-967

Chinese Pavillon; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

On March 25, 1751, Louisa Ulrika’s husband succeeded to the Swedish throne. During his twenty-year reign, Adolf Fredrik had no real power. The Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) held the power. Adolf Fredrik tried to change this twice, unsuccessfully. King Adolf Fredrik died on February 12, 1771, after eating an extremely large meal. In Sweden, he is remembered as “the king who ate himself to death.”

In 1751, shortly after Adolf Fredrik became king, a match was arranged between two five-year-olds Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden and  Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik V of Denmark and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. The purpose of the match was to foster friendship between the two countries and was arranged by the Swedish parliament, not the Danish and Swedish royal families. Both mothers disliked the proposed match. Gustav’s mother Louisa Ulrika had a long-time conflict with the Swedish parliament and would have preferred a marriage with one of her nieces. Sophia Magdalena’s mother Louisa feared Louisa Ulrika would mistreat her daughter. After the couple married in 1766, Louisa’s fear became true as Louisa Ulrika harassed her daughter Sophia Magdalena was harassed.

After her husband’s death, Louisa Ulrika had difficulty with her new role as Queen Mother. Her relationship with her son, now King Gustav III, worsened when she finally realized that he did not want to let her be the power behind the throne. In 1777-1778, a scandal broke out regarding the legitimacy of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf when King Gustav III’s younger brothers claimed that the Crown Prince was a result of an affair between Sophia Magdalena and Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila. The marriage of Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had remained unconsummated for ten years. There were various theories regarding the cause including Sophia Magdalena’s strict religious upbringing and introverted character, Gustav’s sexuality, and the possibility that either or both Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had a physical problem. Eventually, Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila acted as a sexual instructor for the couple and Crown Prince Gustav Adolf was born. Louisa Ulrika accused her son of having another man father his child. A great scandal erupted, during which the king threatened to exile his mother. Eventually, Louisa Ulrika was forced to make a formal statement withdrawing her accusation. She was banned from the court and spent the remainder of her life at Fredrikshof Palace and Svartsjö Palace.

Louisa Ulrika by Alexander Roslin, 1775; Credit – Wikipedia

In the spring of 1782, Louisa Ulrika became ill during an influenza epidemic.  After mediation by her daughter-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte (wife of her son Carl), Louisa Ulrika and her son King Gustav III finally reconciled.  She then requested that Sofia Magdalena and four-year-old Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, whom she had never met, come to her room. Louisa Ulrika died, aged 61 on July 16, 1782, at Svartsjö Palace with her son Frederik Adolf, her daughter Sophia Albertine, and her daughter-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte present. She was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Tomb of Louisa Ulrika; Credit – www.findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited
“Chinese pavilion at Drottningholm.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Jan. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“History – Sveriges Kungahus.” n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Louise-Ulrique de Prusse.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Mar. 1751. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Lovisa Ulrika av Preussen.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
Susan. “Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, Queen of Sweden.” Danish Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 8 Nov. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.

Marie Louise of Austria, Empress of the French

by Scott Mehl and Susan Flantzer   © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Marie Louise of Austria, Empress of the French; Credit – Wikipedia

Archduchess Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha of Austria was the second wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and later Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla in her own right. She was born on December 12, 1791, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria, the eldest child of Franz II, Holy Roman Emperor (later Emperor Franz I of Austria), and Maria Teresa of Naples and Sicily. She had eleven siblings:

Maria Ludovica (far right) with her parents and siblings, painted by Josef Kreutzinger, c1805. source: Wikipedia

Maria Ludovica spent her childhood living at Hofburg Palace and Schönbrunn Palace and was her father’s favorite daughter. She did not, however, have a close relationship with her mother, who showed little affection for her children. She received a traditional education at court, with much focus on religion and languages, becoming fluent in at least six. From a young age, she developed a dislike for all things French. This was greatly influenced by her grandmother a sister of the French Queen Marie Antoinette who was killed during the French Revolution when Maria Ludovica was just a toddler. She lost her mother in 1807 but became close to her stepmother, Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, who was very close in age.

The marriage of Napoleon and Maria Ludovica, painted by Georges Rouget, 1810. source: Wikipedia

By the end of 1809, the French Emperor Napoleon was searching for a new bride who could bear him an heir and set his sights on the leading royal families of Europe. When his focus turned toward a Russian Grand Duchess, the Austrian Prime Minister, Count Metternich, encouraged the Austrian Emperor to suggest his own daughter, Maria Ludovica. Ending his quest for a Russian bride, Napoleon began negotiations to take Maria Ludovica as his wife. A marriage contract was signed in February 1810, and the couple was married by proxy on March 11, 1810, at the Augustinian Church in Vienna. The young Maria Ludovica became Empress of the French and Queen of Italy, taking on the French version of her name, Marie Louise.

After leaving Vienna, she arrived in France and met her husband for the first time on March 27, 1810, in Compiègne, France. A civil wedding was held on April 1, 1810, in the Grand Hall of the Château of Saint-Cloud, and the following day, the couple made their grand entrance into Paris, arriving at the Tuileries Palace. They then made their way to the Louvre Palace, where their religious ceremony was held in the Salon Carré.

Marie Louise settled in quickly to her role as Empress, although she wasn’t always welcomed by those in the French court. Too recent memories of the last Austrian consort – Marie Antoinette – had many wary of their new Empress. She was also very timid and reserved and did not speak much publicly, which didn’t help to reassure many people that she was any different from her great-aunt. But the Emperor went out of his way to make her as comfortable as possible and appears to have developed quite a love for his second wife. Soon, the couple had their only child:

Empress Marie Louise with her son, painted by François Gérard, 1813. source: Wikipedia

On a trip to Austria in 1812, just before France invaded Russia, Marie Louise met Count Adam Albert von Neipperg for the first time. Little did she know at the time that their paths would cross again in a few years, in a much different manner. After disastrous results against Russia, Napoleon soon saw the collapse of his empire. Prussia and the United Kingdom soon joined forces with Russia, declaring war on France. Marie Louise tried to get her father to join forces with France, but Austria, too, soon joined the coalition against Napoleon.

On March 29, 1814, with her husband leading his troops to try to stave off an invasion, Marie Louise and her court left Paris and moved to Blois. Days later, the French Senate deposed the Emperor, and he formally abdicated on April 11, 1814, at the Château of Fontainebleau. Under the terms of the Treaty of Fontainebleau, Marie Louise retained her rank and style and was granted the duchies of Parma, Placentia, and Guastalla, with her son as her heir.

Dissuaded from joining her husband, Marie Louise soon returned to Vienna, taking up residence at Schönbrunn Palace. Several months later, she planned a visit to the spas in Aix-les-Bains. In order to keep her from trying to join her husband in Elba, her father sent Count von Neipperg to accompany her. The two soon fell in love, and von Neipperg became her Chamberlain and represented her at the Congress of Vienna. The news of this romance caused quite a bit of scandal, both in France and Austria.

Count Adam Albert von Neipperg. source: Wikipedia

Following Napoleon’s escape and return to power in 1815, Marie Louise remained in Austria, asking that her husband would agree to an “amicable separation”. After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his exile to Saint Helena in October 1815, the two had no further contact. Meanwhile, the Congress of Vienna modified the decisions of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Maria Louise remained Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla, but only for her lifetime, and she was prohibited from bringing her son to Italy. She also lost her title as Empress and was then styled as Her Majesty Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla. Accompanied by Count von Neipperg, she arrived in Parma in early 1816. Despite still being legally married to Napoleon, she and von Neipperg had three children:

  • Albertine, Countess of Montenuovo (1817 – 1867), married Luigi Sanvitale, Count of Fontanellato
  • William Albert, Prince of Montenuovo (1819 – 1895), married Countess Juliana Batthyány von Németújvár, had three children
  • Mathilde, Countess of Montenuovo (1822 – circa 1823)

Following Napoleon’s death, Marie Louise and von Neipperg were married morganatically on August 8, 1821, before their third child was born. The Count died several years later – on February 22, 1829 – leaving Marie Louise devastated.

In 1831, Marie Louise found herself caught up in the uprisings spreading around Italy against the Austrian-appointed Prime Minister. Initially prevented from leaving Parma, she managed to escape to Piacenza. She asked her father to replace the Prime Minister, but he instead sent Austrian forces to suppress the rebellion. The following year, Marie Louise traveled back to Vienna and was at the bedside of her son when he died of tuberculosis in July 1832.

Count Charles-René de Bombelles. source: Wikipedia

Soon, Marie Louise would marry for the third time. In the summer of 1833, the Austrian court sent Count Charles-René de Bombelles to Parma to serve as head of the court. Six months later, on February 17, 1834, Bombelles and Marie Louise were married.

Daguerreotype of Marie Louise, 1847. source: Wikipedia

As Duchess of Parma, Marie Louise supported many causes, with much of her efforts going toward improving medical care and treatment. She established a childbirth hospital and a training school for nurses, as well as a hospital for those with mental illness. She worked toward ensuring that the Duchy was as prepared as possible for potential outbreaks of disease, and her efforts helped to minimize the number of deaths in a cholera outbreak that came to Parma in 1836. She also promoted the establishment of roads and bridges and was a great supporter of music and theater. Having established a new Ducal Theater in the 1820s, she made sure that tickets were made available at prices that would allow the less fortunate to attend. She established the Conservatory of Parma and supported numerous artists, including the famed composer Giuseppe Verdi. She also brought libraries, museums, and art galleries to Parma, and founded several schools and colleges.

Tomb in the Imperial Crypt. source: Wikipedia

In early December 1847, Maria Louise fell ill with pleurisy and her condition quickly worsened. She died on December 17, 1847, in Parma, Duchy of Parma, now in Italy, at the age of 56 and was interred at the Capuchin Church in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, the traditional burial site of the Austrian Habsburgs.

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France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

painting by Baron François Gérard, c1807. source: Wikipedia

Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French; Credit – Wikipedia

Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. She was born Marie-Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie (known as Rose), on June 23, 1763, in Les Trois-Îlets, Martinique, the eldest daughter of Joseph-Gaspard Tascher, Seigneur de la Pagerie, and Rose Claire des Vergers de Sannois.

Joséphine had two younger sisters:

  • Catherine-Désirée Tascher de La Pagerie (1764 – 1777)
  • Marie-Françoise Tascher de La Pagerie (1766 – 1791)

Joséphine’s childhood was spent on the Caribbean island of Martinique, a French possession, where her father owned a large plantation. However, after their home was destroyed by a hurricane in 1766, and combined with her father’s mismanagement of the land, the family lost much of their fortune. Young Rose did not attend school until she was ten years-old, when she was finally sent to a religious boarding school in the nearby town of Fort Royal, now Fort-de-France.

Joséphine’s aunt was the mistress of François V de Beauharnais, Viscount de Beauharnais, and had arranged a marriage between the Viscount’s son, Alexandre and Rose’s younger sister Catherine-Désirée in 1777. However, after Catherine-Désirée died in 1777, it was decided that Rose would become his bride. On December 13, 1779, she married Alexandre de Beauharnais in Noisy-le-Grand, France. Rose and Alexandre’s descendants sit on the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Rose and Alexandre’s children:

The marriage was unhappy, and Alexandre wasted most of his fortune. In December 1785, the couple separated. Rose and her children took up residence at the Pentemont Abbey in Paris. In March 1794, her estranged husband was arrested during the Reign of Terror. Despite their separation, Rose was also arrested in April 1794 and held in the Carmes prison. Alexandre was sentenced to death and executed by guillotine on July 23, 1794. Rose was released five days later, and the following year was able to reclaim her late husband’s possessions.

“The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries”, painted by Jacques-Louis David, 1812. source: Wikipedia

“The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries” painted by Jacques-Louis David, 1812. source: Wikipedia

Through those years of separation, Rose had several affairs and had become prominent in Parisian society. In 1795, she met her future husband Napoleon Bonaparte, and quickly became his mistress. They became engaged in January 1796 and married on March 9, 1796 in Paris. It was Napoleon who began calling her Joséphine, the name with which history has remembered her. Two days after the wedding, Napoleon left to fight in Italy, leaving his new wife alone. She soon began an affair with Hippolyte Charles, a lieutenant in the French forces. The affair lasted for several years until Napoleon threatened to divorce her, and she ended her relationship with Charles.

In April 1799, while her husband was away, fighting in the Egyptian Campaign, Joséphine purchased the Château de Malmaison, a few miles outside Paris. A large manor house set on nearly 150 acres, Malmaison was run down and needed significant restoration. Joséphine spent large amounts of money to create a home fit for an Emperor and Empress and devoted much of her time to developing the gardens and grounds. She had an orangery built to grow pineapple plants and a greenhouse where she grew several hundred plants that had not been grown in France before. She also developed a magnificent rose garden with over 250 different varieties of roses from around the world. In addition, she gathered a menagerie of animals that roamed in the gardens, many brought from Australia after the Baudin expedition of 1800-1803.

The crowning of Empress Joséphine, from “The Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Joséphine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 December 1804”, painted by Jacques-Louis David. source: Wikipedia

Crowning of Empress Joséphine, from “The Consecration of Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of  Empress Joséphine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 December 1804” painted by Jacques-Louis David. source: Wikipedia

In November 1799, Napoleon was named First Consul of the French Republic, and the couple took up residence at the Tuileries Palace. Five years later, on May 18, 1804, Joséphine became Empress of the French when her husband was elected Emperor. They were crowned in a lavish coronation ceremony held at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, on December 2, 1804.

While Joséphine was able to provide a lovely home for her husband, the one thing she was unable to give him was an heir. Without a son, Napoleon had named Joséphine’s grandson (and his nephew), Napoleon Charles Bonaparte, as his heir. After the young Napoleon died in 1807, the Emperor considered finding another wife who could provide him with a son. In November 1809, he told Joséphine that he planned to divorce her and find a new wife.

painting by Andrea Appiani. source: Wikipedia

Joséphine, painting by Andrea Appiani. c1808. source: Wikipedia

Joséphine agreed to a divorce, and an elaborate divorce ceremony was held on January 10, 1810. Joséphine retained her title as Empress and her rank at court and received an annual pension of 5 million francs. She received several residences, including the Château de Navarre in Normandy and the Élysée Palace in Paris. Napoleon would later ask her to return the  Élysée Palace for his use and offered her the Château de Laeken in present-day Belgium instead. Napoleon had created Joséphine Duchess of Navarre at the time of their divorce. After living at the Château de Navarre for two years, Joséphine returned to the Château de Malmaison, where would live for the rest of her life.

On May 29, 1814, Joséphine died at the age of 50 from pneumonia. She was buried in the nearby church of Saint-Pierre-Saint Paul in Rueil-Malmaison, France, in a temporary vault. In 1825, Joséphine’s remains were transferred to the tomb ordered by her two children Eugene and Hortense. Napoleon’s true love had been his first wife and his last words were, “France, army, head of the army, Joséphine.”

Tomb of Empress Joséphine at Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul Church; Credit – Wikipedia

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Napoléon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Napoléon Bonaparte, Credit – Wikipedia

Napoleone di Buonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in his family’s ancestral home Casa Buonaparte in the town of Ajaccio on the island of Corsica.  He was the fourth of the twelve children and the third of the six sons of Carlo Maria di Buonaparte and Maria Letizia Ramolino.

Napoleon’s siblings:

When he was in his twenties, he adopted the more French-sounding Napoléon Bonaparte.  At the time of his birth, Corsica was part of France, and a year later ownership was transferred to the Republic of Genoa.  Today, Corsica belongs to France.

Napoléon joined the French army and quickly advanced.  During the latter part of the French Revolution, he rose to prominence and by the age of 30 was the First Consul of France.  Napoléon was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815.

Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress Joséphine; Credit – Wikipedia

Napoléon married Joséphine de Beauharnais (born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean) in 1796.  Through her first marriage to  Alexandre de Beauharnais (who was guillotined during the French Revolution), Joséphine is the ancestor of the royal families of Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Luxembourg. Joséphine was crowned Empress of the French during Napoléon’s coronation at Notre Dame in Paris in 1804.

Napoleon crowns his wife Josephine; Credit – Wikipedia

Joséphine and Napoléon’s marriage was childless and in 1809, Napoléon decided to divorce his wife so he could marry again and his new wife produce an heir.  Desperately upset upon first hearing the news about the divorce, Joséphine ultimately agreed.  After their divorce, Napoléon insisted that Joséphine retain the title of Empress.  Napoléon married Marie Louise of Austria, the eldest child of Emperor Franz I of Austria and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily.  Marie Louise gave birth to a son Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte in 1811.  Young Napoléon died of tuberculosis at the age of 21. Regarding Marie Louise, Napoléon said that he had married a womb.

Empress Marie Louise with her son: Credit – Wikipedia

In the early part of the 19th century, Napoléon’s quest for power led to wars throughout a large part of Europe.  In 1814, Paris was captured by the coalition fighting against Napoléon and his marshals decided to mutiny.  He had no choice but to abdicate.  The Treaty of Fontainebleau exiled Napoléon to the Mediterranean island of Elba, 12 miles/20 km off the coast of Tuscany, Italy.

Napoléon escaped from Elba on February 26, 1815, and arrived in France two days later.  He attempted to regain power, but he was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, by a coalition of forces from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Hanover, Nassau, Brunswick, and Prussia.

Napoléon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, a British possession, in the Atlantic Ocean, 1162 miles/1,870 km from the west coast of Africa.  His health declined due to the harsh conditions and by 1821, his health was all but failing.  He died on May 5, 1821, at the age of 51 and his last words were, “France, army, head of the army, Joséphine.”  Napoléon was buried in a nameless tomb in the Valley of the Willows on St. Helena.

Death of Napoléon painted by Charles de Steuben, Credit – Wikipedia

In 1840, Louis Philippe I, King of the French, received permission from the British to return Napoléon’s remains to France.  The French called this retour des cendres (return of the ashes).   On December 15, 1840, a state funeral was held.  The funeral procession traveled from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées, across the Place de la Concorde to the Esplanade des Invalides, and finally to St. Jerome’s Chapel, where Napoléon’s remains stayed until the tomb designed by Louis Visconti was completed.

Napoléon’s funeral cortege along the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Credit – Wikipedia

Today, Napoléon’s remains rest in a huge tomb made of red quartzite on a green granite base under the dome of Les Invalides.  On April 2, 1861, Naploéon’s coffin was transferred from St. Jerome’s Chapel to the new tomb during a ceremony attended by  Emperor Napoléon III (Napoleon’s nephew and Joséphine’s grandson), his wife Empress Eugénie, and their only child Prince Imperial Louis Napoléon along with other related princes and government officials.

Tomb of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French at Les Invalides in Paris; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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Maria Antonia of Austria, Queen of France (Marie Antoinette)

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Marie Antoinette, painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, c1783. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette, painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, c1783. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie Antoinette of France was born Archduchess Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, on November 2, 1755, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Her parents were Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia in her own right and Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Holy Roman Emperor Maria Antonia was the fifteenth of her parents’ sixteen children.

Maria Antonia’s siblings:

Educated privately at home, Maria Antonia was not a very good student, especially compared to her siblings. However, she did become an accomplished musician, playing the flute, harp, and harpsichord. She was particularly close to her sister Maria Carolina who was just three years older.

The marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, 17xx. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, 1770. source: Wikipedia

After establishing peace with France, Empress Maria Theresa agreed to a marriage between Maria Antonia and Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France (the future King Louis XVI). Maria Antonia was just 13 when the engagement was announced on June 13, 1769. The couple married by proxy on April 19, 1770, at the Augustinian Church in Vienna, Austria. She took the French version of her name, becoming Marie Antoinette, Dauphine of France. The following month, she arrived in her new country and met her husband for the first time. Two days later, on May 16, 1770, she and Louis-Auguste were married in a grand ceremony held in the Chapel Royal of the Palace of Versailles. They went on to have four children:

As the new Dauphine of France, Marie Antoinette received a mixed reception.  Well-liked by the common people, particularly due to her beauty and warm personality, she was distrusted by those who still held resentment over the country’s contentious relationship with Austria.  Upon becoming Queen when King Louis XV in May 1774, she found that she had little influence on her husband, often finding her requests being blocked by two of his ministers. To appease her, King Louis XVI gave her the Petit Trianon on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, built by King Louis XV as a home for his mistress Madame de Pompadour.  However, she died before its completion, and it became the home of her successor Madame du Barry who had a tense relationship with Marie Antoinette.  The chateau became Marie Antoinette’s retreat, where she could escape the immense pressure and judgment she faced in the French court.

Marie Antoinette also had a small hamlet built within the grounds of the Petit Trianon, known as the Queen’s Hamlet (Hameau de la reine).  The hamlet contained numerous buildings, including the Queen’s House, a mill, a dairy, and a farm.  It was here that the Queen truly found her privacy, allowing only her closest friends and family to visit her there.

Two years later, King Louis XVI purchased the Château de Saint-Cloud from Louis Phillipe I, Duke of Orleans for his wife.  Marie Antoinette felt the clear air outside the city would be better for her children.  As she had done with the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette transformed her new home, expanding the building and decorating it with lavish furniture commissioned specifically for the chateau.

Marie Antoinette in court dress, c1788. Painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette in court dress, c1788. Painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

As Queen, Marie Antoinette was often criticized for her spending, indulging in lavish gowns and other luxuries while the country was in a financial crisis.  This would contribute to a growing animosity from the French people and the “old guard” within the French court.  She introduced new styles in clothing and hairstyles and indulged herself in music and theater.  Over time, she began to exert more political influence, encouraging her husband to replace several of his older ministers, and prodding him to become involved in the American Revolution.  Along with gaining the support of Russia and Austria in efforts to block Great Britain’s attack, she also pushed strongly for the appointment of several ministers who helped in the American defeat of the British.

By the mid-1780s, Marie Antoinette was the subject of endless gossip and character attacks from the French people.  Rumors abounded that her second son was not fathered by her husband, that she was treating the French treasury as her own bank account, and that she held Austrian interests ahead of French interests.  In 1785, she was falsely accused in the Diamond Necklace Affair, further damaging her reputation.  Attempting to improve her image, she began to focus more publicly on the upbringing and education of her children, and spending more time in her public role and duties as Queen.  However, the tides of revolution were soon to come to the shores of France.  By 1789, the King had lost much of his absolute power to the National Assembly, and the majority of French people saw no benefit in retaining the monarchy.

Marie Antoinette facing the mob at the Tuileries Palace, June 1792. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette facing the mob at the Tuileries Palace, June 1792. source: Wikipedia

After a failed attempt to escape Paris in 1791 ended what little support was left for the monarchy, the royal family was held under house arrest at the Tuileries Palace.  On June 20, 1792, a mob broke into the Palace, threatening the Queen’s life.  Spared this time, her luck would not be so good several months later when another mob stormed the palace on August 10, 1792.  This time, the family sought refuge at the Legislative Assembly but were arrested several days later, and imprisoned at the Temple.  On September 21, 1792, France officially abolished the monarchy and became a Republic.  Marie Antoinette, her husband, and their family were stripped of their titles and honors, becoming known simply as Monsieur and Madame Capet.

King Louis XVI was soon separated from his family and charged with undermining the French Republic.  He was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death.  The former King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793.

Marie Antoinette while a prisoner at The Temple, painted by Alexandre Kucharski c1792. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette while a prisoner at The Temple, painted by Alexandre Kucharski c1792. source: Wikipedia

While held as a prisoner in the Temple, Marie Antoinette and her children were the cause of much debate, as the National Convention tried to determine what should be done with the former Queen.  While some argued she should be put to death, others suggested holding her for ransom from the Holy Roman Empire, exchanging her for French prisoners of war, or exiling her to America.  In July 1793, her son was taken from her, with the intent of turning him against his mother.  Weeks later, on August 1, she was taken from the Temple and placed in a small cell in the Conciergerie. The once Queen of the French was now known as ‘Prisoner No. 280’.

On October 14, 1793, Marie Antoinette was tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal.  Among other things, she was charged with organizing orgies at Versailles, sending millions in French treasury money to Austria, and planning the massacre of the National Guards. There were also charges of incest with her son.  Two days later, she was found guilty of the main charges and sentenced to death.

Execution of Marie Antoinette, source: Wikipedia

Execution of Marie Antoinette, source: Wikipedia

Just after noon on October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine in the Place de la Révolution (now the Place de la Concorde). She was buried in an unmarked grave in the Madeleine Cemetery. In 1815, her remains, along with those of her husband, were re-interred at the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

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King Louis XVI of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

painting by Antoine-François Callet. source: Wikipedia

King Louis XVI of France-source: Wikipedia

 

King Louis XVI of France reigned from 1774 until 1792, losing his throne and his life as a result of the French Revolution. He was born Louis-Auguste, Duc de Berry, on August 23, 1754, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France,  the third son of Louis, Dauphin of France (son of King Louis XV) and Maria Josepha of Saxony. He had seven siblings:

As a younger son, Louis-Auguste was not given the same attention his older brother received. But he excelled in his studies – Latin, history, geography, and astronomy, and became fluent in several languages. As his older brother had died, Louis-Auguste became the Dauphin – heir to the French throne – upon his father’s death in 1765 from tuberculosis. His mother died two years later. His education continued under the direction of the Duc de La Vauguyon, studying religion, humanities, and morality. He would later find that he was unprepared to assume the throne.

In 1770, his grandfather, King Louis XV, allied with Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and soon a marriage was arranged between the two dynasties. Louis-Auguste became engaged to Empress Maria Theresa’s youngest daughter Maria Antonia. The two were second cousins, once removed, through their mutual descent from Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.

The marriage of Louis-Auguste and Maria Antoinette, May 16, 1770. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Louis-Auguste and Maria Antoinette, May 16, 1770. source: Wikipedia

After a marriage by proxy at the Augustinian Church in Vienna, Austria, the young bride took on the French version of her name – Marie Antoinette – and soon made her way to France. The couple first met on May 14, 1770, in Compiègne, France, and were married two days later in the chapel at the Palace of Versailles. Because of the recent Seven Years’ War, and the general animosity toward Austria, there was much public hostility against the marriage. Eventually, despite not having consummated their marriage until 1777, the couple had four children:

Queen Marie Antoinette with the couple's three eldest children, painted by Marie Louise Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, c1786. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie Antoinette with the couple’s three eldest children, painted by Marie Louise Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, c1786. source: Wikipedia

Upon his grandfather’s death, Louis-Auguste became King Louis XVI of France on May 10, 1774. Just 19 years old, and notably unprepared for his role, he faced growing distrust of the monarchy and a country deeply in debt. However, he initially gained support from the French people, often considering public opinion when making decisions. His coronation was held on June 11, 1775, at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims.  In 1787, he issued the Edict of Versailles, to counteract the religious persecution that had been in place since the Edict of Fontainebleau 102 years earlier. Non-Catholics in France were given the right to openly practice their religion, and received legal and civil status.

Loius XVI’s attempts at financial reforms angered the French people and contributed to the fall of the monarchy. As he saw his power diminishing, he was forced to convoke the Estates-General for the first time since 1614, to come up with solutions to the dire financial problems of the French government. Divided into three groups – the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the common people (Third Estate), they quickly came to an impasse over how votes would be taken. Eventually, in June 1789, the Third Estate declared itself as the National Assembly and asked the other two to join them, bringing about the outbreak of the French Revolution. Just weeks later, the revolutionaries stormed the Bastille. Within months, King Louis XVI saw the majority of his power handed over to the elected representatives of the French people.

With growing distrust in the monarchy and a quickly spreading hatred of the Austrian Queen Marie Antoinette, compounded once again by the King’s inability or unwillingness to make, and stick to, strong decisions, he soon found that he was losing the support of the more moderate politicians in the French government.  On October 5, 1789, an angry mob of women marched to Versailles, gaining entry to the palace with plans to kill Queen Marie Antoinette. After the intervention of the Marquis de Lafayette who calmed the crowd, the King and his family were brought to the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

The King and his family being brought back to Paris, June 25, 1791. From a drawing by Jean-Louis Prieur. source: Wikipedia

The King and his family being brought back to Paris, June 25, 1791. From a drawing by Jean-Louis Prieur. source: Wikipedia

With the monarchy’s future looking very bleak, Louis XVI planned to escape Paris and travel to the northeastern border where he could be protected by Austria. Know as the Flight to Varennes, the plan failed miserably. On June 21, 1791, the King and his family secretly fled the palace but were captured and arrested the following day. Once again, the King’s indecisiveness and his misguided belief that the majority of his people supported him, led to the plan falling apart. Brought back to the Tuileries Palace, the family was placed under heavy security to prevent another chance of escape. Weeks later, on July 6, Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, and brother of Queen Marie Antoinette, issued the Padua Circular, calling on the other sovereigns of Europe to join together in demanding that King Louis XVI be given his freedom.

On August 27, 1791, Leopold II and King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz, stating their support for King Louis XVI against the French Revolution. Interpreting this as the Emperor’s intention to go to war, the National Assembly instead declared war on Austria on April 20, 1792. However, the insufficient number of troops and the military’s disorganization caused their efforts to fail miserably. Soon, the Duke of Brunswick led a joint Prussian and Austrian army into France. On July 25, 1792, he issued the Brunswick Manifesto, stating that the Prussians and Austrians intended to restore King Louis XVI to his full power and would support this effort by any force necessary. The manifesto proved to be more harmful than helpful. To many, this reinforced their belief that the King was conspiring against his own country. Within weeks, the people revolted, storming the Tuileries Palace and forcing the royal family to take refuge in the Legislative Assembly on August 10, 1792.

The following day, King Louis XVI was arrested and imprisoned in the Temple in Paris. Five weeks later, on September 21, the National Assembly declared a Republic, abolishing the monarchy, and stripping the King and his family of all their titles and honors. The former King of France was now known as Citizen Louis Capet. The King was brought to trial in December 1792, with 33 charges against him. Despite bringing together some of the most esteemed legal experts to mount his defense, the King was found guilty on January 15, 1793. The following day, the National Convention, by a narrow margin, voted in favor of execution.

The Execution of King Louis XVI. source: Wikipedia

The Execution of King Louis XVI. source: Wikipedia

On the morning of January 21, 1793, Louis made his final confession and attended Mass. He then traveled by carriage from the Tower, through the streets of Paris, to the Place de la Révolution (now the Place de la Concorde) where he was beheaded by guillotine. His body was taken to the Madeleine Cemetery, where a brief memorial service was held. His remains were dumped from their coffin into a grave, with his severed head placed at his feet. Years later, in 1815, on the anniversary of the King’s execution, the remains of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette,  also executed, were reinterred at the Basilica of Saint-Denis. On the site of his original burial, in the churchyard of La Madeleine, now stands the Chapelle expiatoire, built by King Louis XVIII in honor of his elder brother.

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Princess Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on July 31, 1737, at St. James’ Palace in London, Princess Augusta of Wales was the eldest of the nine children of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales. Born during the reign of her grandfather King George II of Great Britain, Augusta was the elder sister of King George III, the mother of King George IV‘s wife Caroline of Brunswick, and the grandmother of their daughter Princess Charlotte of Wales.

True to the Hanoverian tradition, Augusta’s father Frederick, the eldest son, did not get along with his parents. When it was announced that the Princess of Wales was pregnant with her first child, Queen Caroline doubted that there was a pregnancy and then doubted that her son was the father. She told Robert Walpole, “At her labour I positively will be present. I will be sure it is her child.” Agreeing with Queen Caroline, King George II insisted that the birth should take place in their presence at Hampton Court Palace.

When the Princess of Wales went into labor in the middle of the night at Hampton Court Palace where King George I and Queen Caroline were in residence, Frederick insisted that Augusta endure a bumpy carriage ride back to St. James’ Palace in London to prevent his hated parents from being present at the birth. Of course, there was no preparation for the birth and there was a frantic search for napkins, tablecloths, and warming pans to be used during the baby’s delivery. The couple’s first child, Augusta, was born within an hour of her mother’s arrival at Hampton Court Palace. John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey saw Augusta within a few hours of her birth and described the infant as “a little rat of a girl about the bigness of a good large toothpick case.”

When Queen Caroline was told how tiny the new princess was, she conceded that Frederick was the father. Afterward, the king ordered them to leave St. James’ Palace and they moved to Kew Palace. The Queen paid a visit to Frederick and Augusta before they left St. James’ Palace and expressed a wish that she never see them again. Queen Caroline got her wish as she died several months later without reconciling with her son and daughter-in-law.

The infant princess was christened Augusta Frederica on August 29, 1737, at St James’ Palace by John Potter, Archbishop of Canterbury.  Her paternal grandparents were to be Augusta’s godparents, but neither came to the christening and both were represented by a proxy.

Augusta’s godparents were:

Augusta had eight younger siblings:

Family of Frederick, Prince of Wales painted in 1751 after the prince’s death; Credit – Wikipedia Front row: Henry, William, Frederick; Back row: Edward, George, Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales holding Caroline Matilda, Elizabeth, Louisa

The family of Frederick, Prince of Wales lived at Leicester House which stood on present-day Leicester Square in London. In 1751, when Augusta was 13, her father Frederick, Prince of Wales died, leaving a pregnant widow with eight children. King George II then created his grandson George Prince of Wales. Augusta was a rather boisterous child and not afraid to express her opinions. She loved music, acting, and dancing, and participated in amateur theatricals, a favorite pastime of the royal family.

Augusta at the age of 17 by Jean-Etienne Liotard, 1754; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 25, 1760, King George II died and his grandson became King George III at the age of 22. George’s choice for a wife fell upon an obscure German princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. On September 8, 1761, at 10 PM, George and Charlotte married in the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace. On September 22, 1761, their coronation was held at Westminster Abbey.

Around the same time, negotiations for a marriage between Augusta and Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel were being held. Augusta and Karl were both great-grandchildren of King George I of Great Britain, so they were second cousins. The negotiations were slow because Augusta’s mother, now The Dowager Princess of Wales, did not like the House of Brunswick. Finally, the marriage negotiations were settled and Karl came to England in January of 1764 to marry Augusta. Karl had a military career during the Seven Years’ War of 1756-63 serving in the Hanoverian Army of Observation under Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, Augusta’s paternal uncle. On January 16, 1764, Augusta and Karl were married at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace.

Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by Gerrit Kamphuysen, 1763; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple had seven children:

Augusta with her firstborn son Karl by Angelica Kauffman, 1767; Credit – Wikipedia

In March 1780, Karl succeeded his father as reigning Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. By that time, Augusta and Karl had four sons and three surviving daughters. Three of the couple’s four sons suffered from disabilities. Their eldest son Karl was named heir apparent but suffered from a significant learning disability. However, he married Frederika of Orange-Nassau, daughter of William V, Prince of Orange, who remained devoted to him. He died childless at the age of 40, shortly before his father. The second son, Georg suffered from an even more severe learning disability than his elder brother. He never married, was declared incapacitated, and was excluded from the succession. The couple’s third son August was blind, was also excluded from the succession, and also never married. The fourth son Friedrich Wilhelm had no health or developmental issues and eventually succeeded his father, married, and had children.

Augusta’s son, Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by Johann Christian August Schwartz, 1809; Credit – Wikipedia

Augusta never fully adapted to life in Brunswick nor was she well-liked.  Any popularity she had was damaged by the fact that her three eldest sons were born with handicaps. Although Augusta reported to her brother King George III that her marriage was happy, it was unhappy. Karl found Augusta dull and preferred to spend time with his mistresses.

In 1794, Augusta’s second daughter Caroline was chosen as a wife for her first cousin George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV). Caroline was rebellious and a tomboy who preferred playing with her brothers instead of with girls. She grew up not very educated in her mother Augusta’s uncultured court. Like many German princesses, she was brought up with no religious instruction to keep her options open for marriage to a prince of any religion. James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury had been sent to Brunswick to escort Caroline to England. Lord Malmesbury was astounded by her behavior and personal hygiene, and he blamed Caroline’s mother Augusta.  He wrote about Caroline’s hygiene: “It is remarkable how on this point her education has been neglected, and how her mother, though an Englishwoman, was inattentive to it.” Nevertheless, Caroline and George were married on April 8, 1795, at the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace in London.

Caroline of Brunswick shortly before her wedding; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Caroline of Brunswick and the future King George IV is one of the worst-ever royal marriages. Upon first seeing Caroline, George said to one of his attendants, “Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.” Caroline said George was fat and not as handsome as his portrait. It is doubtful that the couple spent more than a few nights together as husband and wife. Their only child, Princess Charlotte of Wales, was born nine months later. They found each other equally unattractive and never lived together or appeared in public together. Caroline was prevented from seeing her daughter. She eventually went to live abroad where she ran up debts and had lovers. Caroline returned to England when her husband George became king and he promptly started divorce proceedings. However, a parliamentary bill dissolving the marriage and stripping Caroline of her title of Queen failed. Caroline was turned away from Westminster Abbey during her husband’s coronation in 1821. She died a few weeks later and her remains were shipped back to her native Brunswick where she was buried at Brunswick Cathedral. The inscription on her tomb reads, “Here lies Caroline, the Injured Queen of England.”

Augusta and her husband Karl; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1806, when Prussia declared war on France during the Napoleonic Wars, 71-year-old Karl, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Prussian Army. Karl was mortally wounded at the Battle of Jena and died a few weeks later. Brunswick was occupied by the French and the widowed and nearly penniless Augusta escaped to Sweden with two of her sons and a widowed daughter-in-law. In 1807, Augusta’s brother King George III sent a British naval ship to transport his sister back home to England.

Augusta was reunited with her brother King George III at Windsor Castle, but her sister-in-law Queen Charlotte, whom she never got along with, was not so cordial. She lived at Montagu House in Blackheath, London with her daughter Caroline, Princess of Wales. Augusta got to know her granddaughter Princess Charlotte of Wales, who told her grandmother upon their first meeting “that she was the merriest old woman she ever saw.” In 1810, Augusta moved to a house on Hanover Square in London, and it was there that she died on March 23, 1813, at the age of 75. She was buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Works Cited
“Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 10 July 2016. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.
Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.
Hadlow, Janice. A Royal Experiment. New York: Picador, 2014. Print.
Hibbert, Christopher. George III. New York: Basic Books, 1998. Print.
“Princess Augusta of Great Britain.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

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Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska was the wife of King Louis XV of France. She was born on June 23, 1703, in Trzebnica, Silesia (now Poland) to Stanisław I Leszczyński and his wife Catherine Opalińska. She had one older sister, Anna (born 1699), who died at the age of 18.

The year after her birth, her father was made King of Poland by King Carl XII of Sweden, who had invaded the country that year. He reigned as King Stanisław I until 1709 when the Swedish forces were defeated. The family took up residence in Kristianstad, Sweden, and became prominent members of Swedish society. They later moved to Zweibrücken, then personal union with Sweden, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. After the death of King Carl XII,  the family moved to Wissembourg in France, where they were largely supported by Philippe I, Duke of Orléans who was serving as Regent for the young King Louis XV.  Maria’s father became King of Poland again in 1733, reigning until being forced to abdicate in 1736. He was then created Duke of Lorraine by his son-in-law King Louis XV.

King Louis XV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

After being suggested as a bride for several marriages, Maria was soon proposed as a potential wife for King Louis XV of France. King Louis XV had fallen ill, and being unmarried with no heir, plans were made to arrange a marriage for him as quickly as possible. Although engaged to Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, she was still a child and would be unable to provide an heir for quite some time. The engagement was ended, and the young Infanta was sent back to Spain. Meanwhile, Maria was just one of many potential brides and not near the top of the list. Initially removed from the list because of her lack of wealth, she was soon the preferred choice by all parties involved in the marriage discussions.

The marriage of King Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska, source: Wikipedia

The couple was married by proxy on August 15, 1725, at the Cathedral of Strasbourg, at which point she took the French version of her name, Marie. Marie and Louis, who met the night before their wedding, were married in person in the chapel at the Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725.

Marie and Louise had ten children:

Queen Marie with her son, the Dauphin, painted by Alexis Simon Belle, c1730. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Marie and Louis XV was a success, and the two were very happy and in love. However, after nearly dying during the birth of her last child in 1737, Marie refused her husband’s romantic advances and their relationship quickly fell apart. By that time, King Louis had taken several mistresses, including the famed Madame de Pompadour. These women were often given positions in Queen Marie’s court against her wishes, causing Marie great distress. Only one, Madame de Pompadour, showed Marie the slightest bit of respect, and Marie was able to maintain a friendly relationship with her.

As Queen, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. She only once made a foray into politics, and that proved disastrous. Shortly after her marriage, Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon enlisted the new Queen to participate in a plot to banish Cardinal de Fleury from the King’s court. When it failed, it caused a temporary rift with her husband. From that point forward, she resolved to avoid all politics.

A great lover of the arts, she supported several prominent artists and musicians and arranged for weekly Polish choral concerts to be held at the Palace of Versailles. She was also an avid gambler and often found herself in debt.

The tomb of Queen Marie in the Basilica of St. Denis. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie died at the Palace of Versailles on June 24, 1768. She was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, while her heart was entombed at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.

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