Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei; Credit – Wikipedia

Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei was born at the Istana Kota in Kampong Sultan Lama, Brunei Town (now Bandar Seri Begawan), Brunei on September 23, 1914, one of the ten children of Muhammad Jamalul Alam II, Sultan of Brunei and his two wives, Fatimah binti Pengiran Tua Omar Ali (died 1947) and Tengah (died 1924). For some of Omar’s siblings, it is unclear which wife is their mother, and when they were born and died. It is thought that Omar’s mother was Fatimah.

Omar’s five brothers:

  • Bongsu (1908 – 1910)
  • Ahmad Tajuddin, Sultan of Brunei, son of Fatimah (1913 – 1950)
  • Anum, son of Tengah (? – 1924)
  • Gambar, son of Tengah (? – 1924)
  • Bagol (? – 1945) died during the Japanese occupation of Brunei

Omar’s four sisters:

  • Besar, daughter of Fatimah (1902 – 1993)
  • Tengah (1910 – 1969)
  • Damit (1911 – ?)
  • Tinggal

Omar’s father Muhammad Jamalul Alam II, Sultan of Brunei died on September 11, 1924, at the age of 35 during a malaria outbreak along with his wife Tengah and two of his sons. Omar’s surviving elder brother eleven-year-old Ahmad Tajuddin became the Sultan of Brunei. Brunei was part of the British protectorate North Borneo and Sir Roland Evelyn Turnbull, a British colonial official and Governor of British North Borneo, was a mentor to Omar while he was growing up. Omar came to regard Sir Roland as a replacement for his father who had died when Omar was ten-years-old. It was Sir Roland who suggested that Omar enroll at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar in Perak, British Malaya (now in Malaysia) which Omar attended from 1932 – 1936. Omar was the first Sultan of Brunei to attend a foreign educational institution.

After graduating from college, Omar had several jobs that gave him valuable experience. In his position in the Forestry Department in Kuala Belait, he closely worked with people in villages and remote areas and was able to better understand their problems and their needs. When he worked in the Judiciary Department, also in Kuala Belait, he was able to learn about the Criminal and Civil Procedure Code. When working as an administrator in the British Resident’s Office, he studied and perfected his English language skills. After World War II, Omar was appointed a member of the Brunei State Council and chairman of the Shariah Court which deals with Islamic religious law.

Omar married three times:

  • Amin binti Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma, married in 1937, divorced in 1944, no children
  • Princess Damit binti Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara (1924 – 1979), married in 1941 his second cousin, the mother of his ten children (see below)
  • Princess Salhah binti Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara (? – 2011), married in 1980 his second cousin, the sister of his deceased second wife, no children

Sultan Omar and his wife Sultana Damit visiting a British navy ship in the 1960s; Credit – Wikipedia

Omar had four sons and six daughters with his second wife Damit:

Sons:

  • Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei (born 1946), married (1) married 1965 his paternal first cousin Princess Saleha binti Al-Marhum , Sultanah of Brunei (born 1946), had six children (2) married 1982 Mariam Abdul Aziz, had three children, divorced in 2003 (3) married 2005 Azrinaz Mazhar, had two children, divorced 2010
  • Prince Mohammed (born 1948), married his first cousin Princess Zariah binti Al-Marhum, had ten children
  • Prince Sufri (born 1951), married (1) Princess Salma binti Pengiran Anak Muhammad Salleh, had three children, divorced (2) Ruhaizah binti Ibrahim, had one child (3) Mazuin binti Hamzah, had two children, divorced (4) Princess Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir, had four children, divorced
  • Prince Jefri (born 1954), married (1) Princess Norhayati binti Pengiran Jaya Negara, had three children (2) Fatimah binti Abdullah, no children (3) Ayen Munji, one child, divorced (4) Jefrida binti Mohammed, one child (4) Salma binti Abdullah, one child

Daughters:

  • Princess Masna (born 1948), married (1) Prince ‘Abdu’l Rahman, no children, divorced (2) Prince Laila Cheteria Sahib ul-Najabah, had five children
  • Princess Nor’ain (born 1950), married Pangiran Maharaja Laila Sahib ul-Kahar Pangiran Anak Haji Muhammad Yusuf, had eight children
  • Princess ‘Umi Kalthum al-Islam (born 1956), married Prince Indira Setia di-Raja Sahib ul-Karib Pangiran Anak Haji Idris, had five children
  • Princess Rakiah (born 1957), married PrincIndira Negara Pangiran Anak Tahir ud-din, had two children
  • Princess Nasibah (born 1960), married Prince Negara Indira Pangiran Dato Laila Utama Haji Kamar ul-Zaman, had two sons
    Princess Jefriah (born 1963), married Prince Muhammad Bey Muntassir, had five children
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Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei, arriving for an audience with Queen Elizabeth II in London, November 6, 1957

Omar’s brother, Ahmad Tajuddin, Sultan of Brunei died on June 3, 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.

On October 4, 1967, Omar voluntarily abdicated in favor of his eldest son Hassanal Bolkiah but he still wielded most of the power in Brunei for a number of years. At the coronation of his son, Omar placed the crown upon Hassanal Bolkiah’s head. 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.

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Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, now King of the United Kingdom, visits Brunei to officially confer independence on the nation, speaking to Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the former Sultan of Brunei, 1984

At the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1983, Brunei became an independent country. Omar was appointed by his son Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to be Minister of Defence in Brunei’s first cabinet and received the rank of Field Marshal in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the former Sultan of Brunei died at the Istana Darussalam in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on September 7, 1986, two weeks before his 72nd birthday. A state funeral was held on September 8, 1986, attended by many world leaders. His body lay in state at the Lapau, the ceremonial hall where the royal ceremonies of Brunei are traditionally held, in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan before being moved to nearby Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque for the funeral. His casket draped with his royal standard flag was placed on a carriage for the funeral procession around the capital city. Sultan Omar was buried in the Kubah Makam Diraja Brunei, the Royal Mausoleum in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei in the main dome alongside the three previous Sultans of Brunei: his grandfather Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin, his father Muhammad Jamalul Alam II and his eldest brother and predecessor Ahmad Tajuddin.

Tomb of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Sultan of Brunei; 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

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Omar Ali Saifuddien III. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Ali_Saifuddien_III> [Accessed 10 August 2020].
  • Ms.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien. [online] Available at: <https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Haji_Omar_%27Ali_Saifuddien_Sa%27adul_Khairi_Waddien> [Accessed 10 August 2020].
  • Royalark.net. 2020. Brunei Royal Genealogy. [online] Available at: <https://www.royalark.net/Brunei/brunei12.htm> [Accessed 10 August 2020].

Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Oman

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

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Born on August 13, 1910, in Muscat, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, now in the Sultanate of Oman, Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Oman was the eldest child of Taimur bin Feisal, Sultan of Muscat and Oman (1886 – 1965) and the first of his six wives, Sheikha Fatima bint ‘Ali Al-Sa’id (1891 – 1967).

Said’s father Taimur was married to six women and had five sons and one daughter, therefore Said had five half-siblings:

Wife 2: Unknown woman from Yemen:

  • Prince Majid bin Taimur al-Said (1912 – ?)

Wife 3: Unknown slave from the Dhofar

  • Prince Fahr bin Taimur al-Said (1920 – 1996)

Wife 4: Kamila Khanum, later took the name Madame Kamile lgiray, divorced

Prince Tarik bin Taimur al-Said (1921 – ?)

Wife 5: Kiyoko Oyama (1916 – 1939, divorced

  • Princess Buthainah bint Taimur Al Said (1937 – ?)

Wife 6: Sayyida Nafisa Bundukji, divorced

  • Prince Shabib bin Taimur al-Said (1943 – ?)

Said was first educated at home. However, his father was strongly against his children learning the ways of the Western world and speaking English. When Said and his brother Majid were found with an English primer, a first textbook for teaching reading, their father ordered all their books to be burned. At the age of twelve, Said was sent to Ajmer, Rajputana, India to attend Mayo College, a boys-only independent boarding school. Said became proficient in both Urdu and English despite his father’s feelings about English. After Said finished his education at Mayo College, advisers suggested to his father that Said continue his education in Beirut, Lebanon. His father feared Said would be influenced by the Christian element in Lebanon. Instead, he was sent to Baghdad, Iraq to study Arabic literature and history for a year.

In 1932, Said’s father, Taimur bin Feisal, abdicated. He had little desire for life in Muscat, or anywhere else in Oman. Afterward, the former Sultan lived in exile in India where he died in Bombay in 1965. The new 21-year-old Sultan of Oman inherited a country heavily in debt to the United Kingdom and India. To break away from the United Kingdom (Oman had become a British protectorate in 1891) and maintain autonomy, Oman needed to regain economic independence. During his reign, Said maintained close oversight of Oman’s budget.

Sheikha Mazoon Said’s second wife; Credit – https://alchetron.com/Mazoon-al-Mashani

Said had two wives who were cousins, his first wife Sheikha Fatima bint Ali al-Mashani and his second wife (married 1936) Sheikha Mazoon bint Ahmed al-Mashani (1925 – 1992). Some serious issues arose during Said’s second marriage. The wedding was interrupted because the bride’s Al-Mashani tribe thought that the bride price was not high enough so they kidnapped Sheikha Mazoon and brought her into the mountains. Another tribe, the Tabook tribe, rode after the kidnappers in pursuit. They succeeded in stopping the kidnappers and forced them to return the kidnapped Sheikha Mazoon.

Sultan Said with his son, the future Sultan Qaboos; Credit – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/544794886157722438/

Said had no children with his first wife but he had one son and two daughters with his second wife:

Oil wealth would have allowed Said to modernize his country. However, his policies were extremely conservative and he opposed any modernization so Oman was isolated from the outside world. He achieved Oman’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1951.

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Sultan Said with British Lord Privy Seal Edward Heath at the Foreign Office, London, August 1961

During the 1950s, there were several confrontations between Said’s regime and religious leader Ibadi Imam Ghalib bin Ali, whose revolt in Jebel Akhdar was suppressed in 1955 with British help. In 1964, when Said’s son Qaboos returned from his educational studies in the United Kingdom at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and a year of service in the British Army, Said placed Qaboos under house arrest. In 1965, the Dhofar Rebellion broke out resulting in an assassination attempt on Said in 1966 by Dhofari rebels. On July 23, 1970, Said was overthrown in a coup d’etat led by the supporters of his son Qaboos who became the Sultan of Qaboos.

Said bin Taimur, former Sultan of Oman lived out the rest of his life in exile in the United Kingdom. He lived the last two years at the Dorchester Hotel in London, where he died on October 19, 1972, at the age of 62. Said was originally buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Woking, Surrey, England. His remains were eventually transported back to Oman, and he was buried in the Royal Cemetery in Muscat, Oman.

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

  • Ar.wikipedia.org. 2020. سعيد بن تيمور. [online] Available at: <https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1> [Accessed 12 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Mazoon Al-Mashani. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazoon_al-Mashani> [Accessed 12 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Said Bin Taimur. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_bin_Taimur> [Accessed 12 August 2020].
  • Royalark.net. 2020. Oman Genealogy. [online] Available at: <https://www.royalark.net/Oman/oman9.htm> [Accessed 12 August 2020].

Count Sergei Vasilievich Saltykov, Lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Credit – Wikipedia

  • Patronymics: In Russian, a patronymic is the second name derived from the father’s first name: the suffix -vich means “son of” and the suffixes -eva, -evna, -ova, and -ovna mean “daughter of”.

Count Sergei Vasilievich Saltykov was the first lover of the future Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia, and possibly the father of her son Paul I, Emperor of All Russia. Born in 1726, Sergei was the son of Vasily Fedorovich Saltykov and Princess Marya Alexeievna Golitsyna. The Saltykovs were an old Boyar (noble) family as were the Romanovs originally. The later Saltykovs were descended from Tatiana Feodorovna Romanova, a sister of Michael, the first Romanov Tsar. The mother of Anna I, Empress of All Russia (reigned 1730 – 1740) was Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, the wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia (reigned 1682 – 1696). During the reign of Anna I, she depended on her Saltykov relatives and Sergei’s father Vasily Fedorovich Saltykov served in various positions. In 1741, Vasily Fedorovich took part in the coup that put the only surviving child of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of all Russia (reigned 1682 – 1725), Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia (reigned 1741 – 1762), on the throne.

Sergei had seven siblings:

  • Agrafena Vasilievna Saltykova (1709 – 1762), married Prince Alexei Dmitrievich Golitsyn, had four children
  • Alexei Vasilievich Saltykov (?), died young
  • Peter Vasilievich Saltykov (1724 – after 1796), married Princess Maria Fedorovna Solntseva-Zasekina
  • Maria Vasilievna Saltykova (1728 – 1792), married Adam Vasilievich Olsufiev, had seven children
  • Anna Vasilievna Saltykova (1729 – 1799), married Prince Matvey Alekseevich Gagarin, no children
  • Alexander Vasilievich Saltykov (died 1803)
  • Ekaterina Vasilievna Saltykova (1732 – 1774), married Peter Ivanovich Izmailov, had two children

Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth, Empress of Russia had never married and now that she was Empress of Russia, she needed an heir. On November 18, 1742, Empress Elizabeth named Karl Peter Ulrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (the future Peter III, Emperor of All Russia), the 14-year-old son of her deceased younger sister Anna Petrovna, as her successor. Elizabeth’s nephew converted to Russian Orthodoxy and was given the name and title Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich. It was important to Elizabeth that Peter marry so that the Romanov dynasty could be continued. Elizabeth arranged for Peter to marry his second cousin, Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, later Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia. Sophie converted to Russian Orthodoxy, was given the title Grand Duchess and the name Ekaterina (Catherine) Alexeievna, and married Peter on August 21, 1745. Later in the evening of their wedding day, Catherine and Peter were taken to their bedchamber and put to bed. The marriage was not consummated that night and many historians doubt that the marriage was ever consummated.

Peter and Catherine’s marriage was not a happy one. Peter took Elizabeth Romanovna Vorontsova as his mistress and Catherine had affairs. Catherine’s first affair was with Sergei Vasilievich Saltykov. Because Sergei’s father was a supporter of Empress Elizabeth, and because of Sergei’s personal qualities, he had a prominent place in court life as Peter’s Chamberlain. Sergei became the person closest to both Peter and Catherine.

Peter and Catherine; Credit – Wikipedia

Sergei had observed how Catherine was ignored by Peter and how bored she was with the court. The rumors that Catherine was still a virgin encouraged him even more to pursue a relationship, and so he did. Sergei made sure he saw Catherine every day and that he was constantly by her side. Sometime in August or September 1752, the affair between Sergei and Catherine started. However, once their affair, Sergei worried that Catherine could become pregnant when she was thought to be a virgin.

Around the same time, Empress Elizabeth realized that the marriage of Peter and Catherine had never been consummated. It was suggested to her that Peter become acquainted with an attractive sexually experienced woman who was his social inferior. Madame Groot, the widow of a court painter was given the assignment and was successful in acquainting Peter with the mechanisms of sex. Thereafter, if Catherine became pregnant, no one could say for sure that Sergei was the father.

The future Paul I, Emperor of All Russia as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Catherine did become pregnant and on October 1, 1754, a son was born, the future Paul I, Emperor of All Russia. Empress Elizabeth was overjoyed that there was an heir. Of course, Empress Elizabeth knew that Sergei could be Paul’s father but she did not care. To get Sergei out of the way, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Swedish court to deliver the official announcement of Paul’s birth. Catherine wrote: “This meant that I was immediately going to be separated from the one person I cared about the most.”

Sergei was away in Sweden for five months. Soon after he returned to St. Petersburg, Sergei learned that he was to be sent to Hamburg as the resident Russian minister and so his separation from Catherine would be permanent. He was glad the affair was over and that he was no longer engaged in a dangerous liaison. Sergei spent the subsequent years of his known life at various European courts. After 1764, there is no mention of Sergei Saltykov, who would have been 38, in official records. Some sources have his death occurring in 1765. Other sources say that he left for France and went missing there during the French Revolution. Another story says he lived until the reign of Paul and then he died in 1807.

In her memoirs, Catherine strongly implied that Sergei Saltykov was the biological father of her son Paul and that her marriage with Peter had never been consummated. However, Paul greatly resembled Peter in both character and appearance. Catherine, in her memoirs, countered with the well-known “ugliness” of Sergei’s brother Peter. If Paul I, Emperor of All Russias was the son of Sergei Saltykov, then all subsequent Romanovs were not genetically Romanovs.

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

  • Flantzer, Susan, 2018. Catherine II (The Great), Empress Of All Russia. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/empress-catherine-ii-the-great-of-russia/> [Accessed 9 July 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2018. Peter III, Emperor Of All Russia. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/emperor-peter-iii-of-russia/> [Accessed 9 July 2020].
  • Lincoln, W. Bruce. (1981). The Romanovs: Autocrats of  All the Russias. New York, NY.: Doubleday
  • Massie, Robert, (2016). Catherine the Great. London: Head of Zeus.
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Салтыков, Сергей Васильевич. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%82%D1%8B%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2,_%D0%A1%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%B9_%D0%92%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87> [Accessed 9 July 2020].

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Dragon Prince of Bhutan

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, on the left, with his family; Credit – Facebook page of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Druk Gyalsey (Dragon Prince) of Bhutan was born on February 5, 2016, at the Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan. He is the elder of the two sons of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan. Jigme Namgyel is the heir apparent to the throne of Bhutan. Before his birth, his paternal uncle Prince Jigyel Ugyen of Bhutan was the heir presumptive.

In honor of Jigme Namgyel’s birth, all 82,000 households in Bhutan planted a tree and volunteers planted another 26,000 in various districts around the country, for a total of 108,000 trees.

Volunteers plant trees in honor of the new prince’s birth; Credit – EcoWatch

As is customary in Bhutan, the Crown Prince’s name was not announced until a special Buddhist naming ceremony was held. The naming ceremony was held on April 16, 2016, Zhabdrung Kuchoe, Bhutan’s national day of celebration, at the Punakha Dzong, a 17th-century palace housing the relics of a famous Buddhist master in Punakha, the administrative capital of the Punakha district, one of the 20 districts within Bhutan. The national day marks the anniversary of the death in 1651 of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan as a nation. On this day, the people of Bhutan visit local temples and offer gifts to the gods.

The King and Queen arrive for the naming ceremony with the infant Crown Prince; Credit – His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Facebook Page

On the day of the ceremony, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema prayed at a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, before driving to Punakha.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel giving his speech; Credit – His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Facebook Page

At the public ceremony, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel explained the meaning behind his son’s names in a special speech. An English translation of the speech was posted on his official Facebook page:

“Jigme means fearless. It symbolizes great courage to overcome any challenge that he may confront in the future as he serves our country.

Namgyel means victorious in all directions and victory over all obstacles. It is a name taken from the revered Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, who enabled the Dharma to flourish in all directions as prophesied by Guru Rinpoche.

Wangchuck is the name of the royal lineage and dynasty. (Note: In Bhutan, only members of the royal family have traditional surnames.)

When the time comes for Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck to serve his country, he must always place the concerns of his country above all else and serve his people justly with great love and dedication. It will be his sacred responsibility to build a harmonious and just society, and thereby, fulfill all the aspirations of his people. He must live such a life as a good human being and serve his country in a manner that it will be exemplary and worthy of emulation.”

Jigme Namgyel has one younger brother and one younger sister:

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

  • DW.COM. 2016. Bhutan Names New Crown Prince Jigme Namgyal Wangchuck | DW | 16.04.2016. [online] Available at: <https://www.dw.com/en/bhutan-names-new-crown-prince-jigme-namgyal-wangchuck/a-19192920> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Namgyel_Wangchuck> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • HELLO!. 2016. The Newborn Prince Of Bhutan Will Get His Name In April. [online] Available at: <https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2016030968997/prince-of-bhutan-to-be-named-in-april/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • Kuenselonline.com. 2016. His Royal Highness The Gyalsey Is Born – Kuenselonline. [online] Available at: <https://kuenselonline.com/his-royal-highness-the-gyalsey-is-born-2/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • PEOPLE.com. 2016. Bhutan’s Dragon Prince Has A Name, King Jigme And Queen Jetsun Announce. [online] Available at: <https://people.com/royals/bhutans-dragon-prince-has-a-name-king-jigme-and-queen-jetsun-announce/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Credit – Wikipedia

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born on October 21, 1969, in Riffa, Bahrain. He is the eldest of the twelve children of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, who has four wives, and the eldest of the four children and the eldest of the three sons of King Hamad and his first wife and his first cousin, Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

Salman has two brothers and one sister:

  • Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (born 1975), married
  • Hessa bint Salman al Khalid Al Khalifa, had two sons and two daughters
  • Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1977)
  • Sheikha Najla bint Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1981)

Salman has two half-brothers from his father’s second wife Sheia bint Hassan Al Khrayyesh Al Ajmi:

  • Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1987), married Shaikha bint Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, daughter of the Emir of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, had one daughter and three sons
  • Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1989), married (1) Princess Sahab bint Abdullah Al Saud, daughter of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, had two sons, divorced (2) Sheikha Hessa bint Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalif, had one daughter (3) Nouf Al Ajmi

Salman has one half-brother and two half-sisters from his father’s third wife Hessa bint Faisal Muhammad Shreim Al-Marri:

  • Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa (1991 – 2006), unmarried, died in a car accident
  • Sheikha Noura bint Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1993)
  • Sheikha Munira bint Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1990)

Salman has one half-brother and two half-sisters from his father’s fourth wife Binh bint Jabr Al-Nuaimi:

  • Sheikh Sultan bin Hamad Al Khalifa
  • Sheikha Hessa bint Hamad Al Khalifa married Sheikh Hashim bin Muhammad bin Salman Al Khalifa, had children
  • Sheikha Rima bint Hamad Al Khalifa (born 2002)

Salman attended the Bahrain School, a United States Department of Defense school located in Juffair, Manama, Bahrain. The student body is primarily the children of the United States Navy stationed in Bahrain. However, about half of the students are children of diplomatic personnel, employees of ARAMCO ( the state-owned oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabi), and wealthy Bahraini citizens. After graduating from the Bahrain School, Hamad attended American University in Washington D.C. where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1992. He then attended Queens’ College, Cambridge in England, receiving a Master of Arts degree in the Philosophy of History in 1994.

Salman served as vice-chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research from 1992–1995 and then served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1995–1999. In addition, Salman served as Undersecretary of Defence at the Ministry of Defence from 1995–1999.

On March 6, 1999, Salman’s grandfather Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain died and his father became Emir of Bahrain. Three days later, Salman was sworn in as Crown Prince of the Emirate of Bahrain. Following a national referendum, Bahrain was declared a constitutional monarchy in 2002, becoming the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Salman’s father Hamad became King of Bahrain.

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Crown Prince Salman with The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in 2016

In his role as Crown Prince, Salman was appointed to the following positions:

  • Chairman of the Economic Development Board (appointed 2002): formulates and oversees Bahrain’s economic development strategy
  • Deputy Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force (appointed 2008)
  • First Deputy Prime Minister (appointed 2013)

Salman married Sheikha Hala bint D’aij Al Khalifa, the youngest daughter of D’aij bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & National Economy. Hala was the Honorary President of the Women and Children Information Center and President of the Bahrain Society for Mental Retardation. She also began the “Be Free” campaign to protect children from abuse. On June 10, 2018, the state-run Bahrain News Agency announced Hala’s death. The press release had no details about Hala’s death but it described Hala as the “former wife” of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa so it can be inferred that the couple had divorced.

Salman and Hala had two sons and two daughters:

  • Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (born 1990), second in the line of succession after his father, educated at Bahrain School, graduated from American University in Washington DC, married Sheikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, has three sons
  • Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa (born 1991), educated at Bahrain School, graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduated from King’s College in London, England, married, has a son and a daughter
  • Fatima Al Danah bint Salman Al Khalifa, attended Riffa Views International School in Al Mazrowiah, Bahrain
  • Al Joud bint Salman Al Khalifa

Salman attending the graduation ceremony of his daughter Sheikha Fatima Al Danah bint Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa from Riffa Views International School in 2017; Credit Website of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

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

  • Ar.wikipedia.org. 2020. سلمان بن حمد آل خليفة. [online] Available at: <https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF_%D8%A2%D9%84_%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A9> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Salman, Crown Prince Of Bahrain. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman,_Crown_Prince_of_Bahrain> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister, K., 2020. About His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa – Office Of The First Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom Of Bahrain. [online] Fdpm.gov.bh. Available at: <https://www.fdpm.gov.bh/en/biography.html> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • Sheikha Hala, Wife of Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Dies. [online] @businessline. Available at: <https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/world/sheikha-hala-wife-of-bahrains-crown-prince-dies/article24127495.ece> [Accessed 7 August 2020].

Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Embed from Getty Images 

Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain was born on June 3, 1933, in the village of Al Jasra in Bahrain. He was the son of Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Hakim of Bahrain and Mouza bint Hamad al-Khalifa, one of his father’s three wives.

Isa had one full brother and one half-brother and six half-sisters.

Isa’s full brother:

Isa’s half-brother from his father’s wife Latifa bint Ibrahim al-Khalifa:

Isa’s six half-sisters:

  • Thajba bint Salman al-Khalifa
  • Fatima bint Salman Al Khalifa
  • Maryam bint Salman al-Khalifa
  • Aisha bint Salman al-Khalifa
  • Sheikha bint Salman al-Khalifa
  • Nura bint Salman al-Khalifa

On May 8, 1949, Isa married his cousin Hessa bint Salman al-Khalifa (1933 – 2009) and the couple had five sons and four daughters:

  • Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain (born 1950), Wife 1 Sabika bint Ibrahim al-Khalifa, had three sons and one daughter; Wife 2 Sheia bint Hassan al-Khrayyesh Al Ajmi, had two sons; Wife 3 Hessa bint Faisal Muhammad Shreim al-Marri, had one son and two daughters; Wife 4 Binh bint Jabr al-Nuaimi, had one son and two daughters
  • Sheikh Rashed bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa (? – 2011), married ?, had seven sons
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, married Sheika Kholoud al-Khalifa, had two sons and one daughter
  • Sheikh Abdullah bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, married Sheikha Haya bint Muhammad al-Khalifa, had three sons and one daughter
  • Sheikh Ali bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa (born 1955), married Sheikha Anoud bint Muhammad al-Khalifa, had three sons and one daughter
  • Sheikha Munira bint Isa al-Khalifa, married Sheikh Salman bin Muhammad al-Khalifa, had five sons and one daughter
  • Sheikha Maryam bint Isa al-Khalifa, married Sheikh Ali bin ‘Abdullah al-Khalifa, had two sons and three daughters
  • Sheikha Shaikha bint Isa al-Khalifa married Sheikh Duaij bin Hamad al-Khalifa had two sons and three daughters
  • Sheikha Noura bint Isa al-Khalifa (? – 2018), married and divorced Sheikh Isa bin Ali bin Hamad al-Khalifa, had two sons
Embed from Getty Images
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain and his son and heir Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, the UK in 1968, after the Commissioning Parade, where the Hamid  was commissioned into the Bahrain Royal Guard

The Kingdom of Bahrain is an island country in the Persian Gulf, situated between the Qatar peninsula and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia. In the 1800s, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom and remained so until independence was declared in 1971. The House of Khalifa has reigned in Bahrain since 1783.

Isa became Hakim of Bahrain upon the death of his father on November 2, 1961. On August 15, 1971, Bahrain declared its independence from the United Kingdom and signed a new treaty of friendship with the United Kingdom. Isa changed the title of the ruler of Bahrain to the Emir of Bahrain and appointed his brother Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa as the first Prime Minister of the newly sovereign country, the Emirate of Bahrain.

Embed from Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip with Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain, following dinner at the Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama, Bahrain in 1979

In 1973, Isa introduced a moderate form of parliamentary democracy, and men (but not women) were allowed to vote in parliamentary elections. However, parliamentary democracy was short-lived. In August 1975, however, Isa dissolved Parliament because it refused to pass the State Security Law of 1974 which caused a period of political suppression with the torture of political prisoners and human rights violations. In 2001, Isa’s son Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, who had succeeded him as Emir of Bahrain in 1999, abolished the State Security Law, declared Bahrain a constitutional monarchy following a national referendum, and changed the title of the ruler of Bahrain to King of Bahrain.

Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain, during a visit to the Pentagon in 1998; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 6, 1999, at the Al-Sakhir Palace in Sakhir, Bahrain, 65-year-old Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain died of a heart attack just minutes after concluding a meeting with the United States Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Isa had suffered heart problems in the past. In 1998, he visited Cleveland, Ohio to undergo heart treatment.

Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain was buried at the Al-Rifa’a Cemetery with crowds of people showering the 12-mile funeral route with flowers in a traditional display of mourning. Isa’s son and successor Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, now Emir of Bahrain, and Isa’s brother Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, attended the funeral which was held within hours of Isa’s death following the Islamic custom of quick burial. Many of the 10,000 mourners at the royal cemetery pushed forward to help members of the royal family carry the wooden bier on which Isa’s cloth-wrapped body was carried from an ambulance to his grave.

Although he had dissolved Parliament in 1975 and took on absolute power, during Isa’s 38 years as Emir, Bahrain was transformed into a modern nation and became an important financial center in the Persian Gulf area. President Bill Clinton called him “a good friend of peace” and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan described him as “a force for stability” in the region.

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

  • Ar.wikipedia.org. 2020. عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة. [online] Available at: <https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%89_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A2%D9%84_%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A9> [Accessed 3 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_bin_Salman_Al_Khalifa> [Accessed 3 August 2020].
  • Nytimes.com. 2020. Bahrain Emir Dies In Palace After Meeting On U.S. Arms. [online] Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/07/world/bahrain-emir-dies-in-palace-after-meeting-on-us-arms.html?ref=oembed> [Accessed 3 August 2020].
  • Royalark.net. 2020. Bahrain Royal Genealogy. [online] Available at: <https://www.royalark.net/Bahrain/bahrain10.htm> [Accessed 3 August 2020].
  • Tulsa World. 1999. Bahrain’s Emir Dies Suddenly. [online] Available at: <https://tulsaworld.com/archive/bahrains-emir-dies-suddenly/article_72c18e9d-2f63-5b15-a2a5-31a932fb68a7.html> [Accessed 3 August 2020].

Why did former King Juan Carlos leave Spain?

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Embed from Getty ImagesThis tablet will start to show the effect sale on viagra late or sometimes you may fail to experience the effect. Treating the underlying cause can help restore the erectile function. india viagra online Janumet 50 500 mg tablets are one sided film-coated with 78 debossed, bi-convex oval and light blue in color. viagra uk sale http://amerikabulteni.com/2012/12/03/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-is-pregnant/ You can use this herbal remedy both cialis professional no prescription internally and externally.

In March 2020, Swiss authorities began investigating former King Juan Carlos of Spain, who abdicated in favor of his son King Felipe VI in 2014,  concerning a $100 million donation given to the former king’s alleged mistress Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn in 2012. This donation was linked to alleged kick-back fees from Saudi Arabia for Juan Carlos’ role as a facilitator in the construction of a high-speed rail connecting Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

On March 15, 2020, King Felipe VI announced that he would renounce any future inheritance from his father that was connected with his foreign bank accounts. He also stripped Juan Carlos of his annual stipend.

In June 2020, Spain’s prosecutor general decided that prosecutors from the Supreme Court of Spain should investigate Juan Carlos’ role in the Saudi Arabia case to determine whether there is sufficient evidence that Juan Carlos committed a crime after his abdication. As King of Spain, Juan Carlos was immune from prosecution via crown immunity from 1975 to 2014.

On August 3, 2020, Juan Carlos I informed his son, King Felipe VI, via a letter, of his decision to leave Spain because of increased media press concerning his business dealings in Saudi Arabia. By the time the letter had been made public, Juan Carlos had already left Spain. Juan Carlos’ location is unclear but the Dominican Republic, Portugal, France, and Italy have been suggested. Juan Carlos said he would be available if prosecutors needed to interview him.

Queen Sofia will remain in Spain, staying at her home, Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, and continuing with her activities.

On August 3, 2020, the following letter was sent to King Felipe VI from his father, Juan Carlos, the former King of Spain:

Your Majesty, Dear Felipe, with the same zeal to serve Spain that inspired my reign and faced with the public impact that certain past actions of my private life are causing, I wish to show you my absolute willingness to contribute to helping the exercise of your functions with the peace and tranquility required of your high level of responsibility. My legacy, and my own dignity as a person, demands it.

A year ago, I told you of my willingness and desire to stand down from my institutional activities. Now, guided by the conviction to provide the best service to Spaniards, its institutions, and to you as King, I am informing you of my well-considered decision to move away from Spain.

It is a decision I take, with deep feeling but great calm. I was king of Spain for 40 years and during all those years I have always wanted the best for Spain and the Crown.

With my loyalty always.

With great affection, your father.

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Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova, Mistress of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova; Credit – Wikipedia

Patronymics

  • In Russian, a patronymic is the second name derived from the father’s first name: the suffix -vich means “son of” and the suffixes -eva, -evna, -ova, and -ovna mean “daughter of”.

A mistress of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia, Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova was born on August 24, 1739, the second of the three daughters and the second of the five children of Count Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov, who served in the Senate of the Russian Empire and as Governor-General of several provinces, and Marfa Ivanovna Surmina, daughter of a wealthy merchant. Elizaveta’s paternal uncle was Count Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov who served as Vice-Chancellor and then Chancellor of the Russian Empire.

Elizaveta had four siblings:

  • Maria Romanovna Vorontsova (1737 – 1779), married Count Peter Alexandrovich Buturlin, had two children
  • Alexander Romanovich Vorontsov (1741 – 1805), married his second cousin Anna Artemievna Vorontsova, had nine children
  • Ekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova (1743 – 1810), married Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Dashkov, had three children, was Princess Dashkova, the closest female friend of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia
  • Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov, Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1744 – 1832), married Ekaterina Alekseevna Senyavina, had two children

Elizaveta’s elder brother Count Alexander Romanovich Vorontsov; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizaveta’s younger brother Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizaveta’s father, Count Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov, took part in the 1741 coup that brought Elizabeth Petrovna, the only surviving child of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, to the throne as Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia. During the reign of Empress Elizabeth, Vorontsov, who owned estates and factories, became one of the wealthiest people in Russia. In 1746, when Elizaveta’s mother died, her father had no desire to marry again or raise his children, and his children were sent to be raised by relatives. In 1750, Elizaveta and her elder sister Maria were sent to court to serve as maids of honor.

Eleven-year-old Elizaveta was assigned to the court of Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich (the future Peter III, Emperor of All Russia) at his palace Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg, where she was to serve Peter’s wife Grand Duchess Ekaterina (Catherine) Alexeievna. Peter had been born Prince Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, the son of Karl Friedrich, reigning Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia, the elder of the two surviving daughters of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Peter’s mother died at the age of 20, three months after his birth. His father died when Peter was eleven-years-old and he became the reigning Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. Three years later, in 1742, Peter’s life dramatically changed when his unmarried maternal aunt, his mother’s younger sister, Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia, declared him her heir and brought him to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Peter and his wife Catherine; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duchess Ekaterina (Catherine) Alexeievna (the future Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia) had been born Princess Sophie Auguste Friederike of Anhalt-Zerbst. It was important to Empress Elizabeth that Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich, the grandson of Peter the Great, marry so that the Romanov dynasty could be continued. Empress Elizabeth picked Sophie to marry her nephew. Peter and Catherine’s marriage was not a happy one but Catherine did have one son, Paul, the future Emperor of All Russia, and one daughter Anna Petrovna, who died in early childhood. Peter took Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova as his mistress and Catherine had affairs.

Elizaveta did not have a positive reputation. A member of Peter’s court said of her that she “swore like a soldier, squinted her eyes, smelled bad, and spit while talking.” Peter’s wife Catherine said that Elizaveta was “a very ugly, extremely unscrupulous child with olive skin color, and after suffering smallpox, she became even more ugly because her features were completely disfigured and her whole face was covered not with smallpox, but with scars.” However, Peter developed a fondness for Elizaveta and fondly called her “my Romanova” – a pun on her patronymic derived from her father’s first name Romanovna and Peter’s surname Romanov. Eventually, Peter and Elizaveta became lovers.

On January 3, 1762, Empress Elizabeth had a massive stroke and the doctors agreed she would not recover. Upon her death two days later, her nephew became Peter III, Emperor of All Russia and his wife Catherine became the Empress Consort. As the death of Empress Elizabeth was announced to the court, the room was filled with moans and weeping. Peter was unpopular and few were looking forward to his reign. During the religious ceremonies for the lying-in-state of the deceased empress, Peter “made faces, acted the buffoon and imitated poor old ladies.”

Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon his accession, Peter granted his mistress Elizaveta her own maids of honor and assigned her rooms in the Winter Palace next to his rooms. On June 9, 1762, Peter bestowed the Order of Saint Catherine upon Elizaveta. Instituted in 1714 by Peter the Great, it was an honor reserved for female members of the Romanov family. Every Russian Grand Duchess was given the Order of St. Catherine at her christening or upon her marriage into the Romanov family. Princesses of the Imperial Blood were given the order when they reached the age of 18. According to those standards, Elizaveta was not entitled to receive the Order of Saint Catherine.

Contemporary memoirs describe Elizaveta as the “official favorite” of the emperor and “a participant in his entertainment”. According to Andrey Timofeyevich Bolotov, a well-known memoir writer, Peter “spent most of his time with her” and “did not hide before anyone an exorbitant love for her.” Foreign ambassadors in St. Peterburg reported that Peter intended to imprison his wife Catherine in a convent and marry Elizaveta.

Elizaveta’s sister Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, a close friend of Empress Catherine; Credit – Wikipedia

During the reign of Empress Elizabeth, Catherine became a close friend of Elizaveta’s sister Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova who introduced Catherine to several powerful political groups that opposed her husband Peter. Catherine had maintained contact with those groups. As Emperor, Peter did little to gain support. At the time of Elizabeth’s death, Russia was on the verge of defeating Prussia in the Seven Years’ War. Instead, because Friedrich II (the Great), King of Prussia was his idol, Peter withdrew Russian troops from Berlin and marched against the Austrians, Russia’s ally. The last straw for Peter may have been how he treated the Russian army. Peter abolished “the guard within the guard”, a group within the Preobrazhensky Regiment, created by Empress Elizabeth as her personal guard in remembrance for their support in the coup which brought her to the throne. He replaced “the guard within the guard” with his own Holstein guard and often spoke about their superiority over the Russian army.

The devotion of the Preobrazhensky Regiment to Catherine was never in doubt because her lover Grigory Orlov and his four brothers were all members of the Guard. A conspiracy to overthrow Peter was planned and centered around the five Orlov brothers. Peter was arrested at his palace Oranienbaum, and taken by Alexei Orlov to Ropsha, a country estate outside of St. Petersburg, and his wife became Catherine II, Empress of All Russia.

Catherine II on a balcony of the Winter Palace on 28 June 1762, the day of the coup; Credit – Wikipedia

Catherine showed Peter some sympathy by allowing him his bed, his dogs, his violin, and his personal doctor. However, she declined the thing Peter wanted the most – to see Elizaveta. Eight days after the coup, Peter was dead. The true circumstances of Peter’s death at the age of 34 on July 17, 1762, are unclear. It is possible Alexei Orlov murdered Peter. Another story is that Peter had been killed in a drunken brawl with one of his jailers. At the time, the official cause was “an acute attack of colic during one of his frequent bouts with hemorrhoids.” It is doubtful that Catherine played any role in Peter’s death.

Elizaveta had been at Oranienbaum at the time of Peter’s arrest and was also arrested. The original plan had been for Peter to be exiled in his homeland, the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, where Peter was still the reigning Duke, and Elizaveta wished to accompany him. Instead, Elizaveta was sent to her father’s Konkovo estate near Moscow. Her maids of honor and her Order of Saint Catherine were taken from her. Empress Catherine ordered Elizaveta’s father to ensure she “lived in silence without giving people any reasons to talk about her.”

Eventually, Empress Catherine arranged a marriage for Elizaveta to Alexander Ivanovich Polyansky (1721 – 1818), a middle-aged army colonel of humble background who was eighteen years older than Elizaveta. In Russian society, the marriage was seen as a mockery of Empress Catherine’s former rival. The wedding took place on September 18, 1765, at the Konkovo estate of Elizaveta’s father near Moscow.

Elizaveta and Alexander had two children:

  • Anna Alexandrovna Polyanskaya (1766 – 1845), married Baron Wilhelm d’Hogger, Dutch ambassador in St. Petersburg, had three children
  • Alexander Alexandrovich Polyansky (1774 – 1818), married Elizaveta Ivanovna Ribopier, had five children

Lazarevskoe Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, Russia; Credit – By Christian Bickel (Fingalo) – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10620059

Initially, Elizaveta and Alexander were ordered to live away from St. Petersburg. However, in 1765, they were allowed to return to St. Petersburg, and Alexander received several civil service positions. Elizaveta never again appeared at court but did have contact with Empress Catherine’s close friend Countess Anna Stepanovna Protasova. Elizaveta died on February 2, 1792, at the age of 52. She was buried at the Lazarevskoe Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her husband Alexander Ivanovich Polyansky survived her by twenty-six years, dying at the age of 97 on November 28, 1818, shortly after the death of his only son, and was buried with his wife Elizaveta.

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Catherine the Great. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_the_Great [Accessed 19 Jan. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Elizaveta Vorontsova. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizaveta_Vorontsova> [Accessed 4 June 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Peter III of Russia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_III_of_Russia [Accessed 10 Jan. 2018].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2018. Catherine II (The Great), Empress Of All Russia. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/empress-catherine-ii-the-great-of-russia/> [Accessed 4 June 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2018. Peter III, Emperor Of All Russia. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/emperor-peter-iii-of-russia/> [Accessed 4 June 2020].
  • Lincoln, W. Bruce. (1981). The Romanovs: Autocrats of  All the Russias. New York, NY.: Doubleday
  • Massie, R. (2016). Catherine the Great. London: Head of Zeus.
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Воронцова, Елизавета Романовна. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0,_%D0%95%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%B0> [Accessed 4 June 2020]. (Russian Wikipedia article on Elizaveta Vorontsova)

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione, Mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione was the mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France from 1856-1857.

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione; source: Wikipedia

Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoïni was born on March 22, 1837 in Florence. She was the only daughter of Marquis Filippo Oldoïni – later the Italian Ambassador to Portugal – and Isabella Lamporecchi. At the age of 17, she married Francesco Verasis, Count of Castiglione on January 9, 1854. A year later she gave birth to her only child, a son Georgio.

Elsewhere in Europe at the time, an effort was made to establish a unified and independent Kingdom of Italy. Virginia’s cousin Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, who served as a minister to King Vittorio Emanuele II of Sardinia (and later as the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy), saw the young beautiful Virginia as a way to gain the attention and support of the French Emperor Napoleon III. At her cousin’s request, Virginia and her husband traveled to Paris on Christmas Day in 1855. Just a few weeks later, she was presented to Emperor Napoleon III at a ball held at the home of Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, and within a few months, she had become his mistress. While such relationships were usually maintained with some level of discretion, Virginia and the Emperor made no secret of theirs. The scandal and humiliation led to a formal separation between Virginia and her husband.

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione; source: Wikipedia

Virginia’s affair with Emperor Napoleon III ended in 1857, and she returned to Italy. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was established, and Virginia maintained that her influence had, in part, contributed to the unification. By 1861, she had moved to France where she settled in Passy before returning to Paris. By then a very wealthy woman, she devoted much of her time and fortune to her newfound passion – photography.

La Dame de Coeurs. source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

In 1856, Virginia began posing for Pierre-Louis Pierson, a photographer favored by the Imperial Court. Many of the photographs depicted specific moments from her life, while others were recreations of historical figures. One, shown above, titled La Dame de Coeurs (The Lady of Hearts), was displayed in the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. Over the next forty years, Virginia sat for more than 700 photographs, all very carefully choreographed by Virginia herself. After her death, Robert de Montesquiou, a noted poet and art collector, amassed over 400 of these photographs, many of which are now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Countess of Castiglione, photographed in 1893. source: Wikipedia

In her later years, following the death of her estranged husband in 1867 and her son in 1879, Virginia became a virtual recluse, rarely leaving her apartments in Paris. No longer having the immense beauty of her youth, she had all her mirrors covered and refused to go out in public until after dark, always draping herself in scarves to avoid anyone seeing her face. In the mid-1890s, perhaps in an attempt to recapture her youth, she collaborated with Pierson once again for a series of photographs, many of them in the same costumes and outfits from years earlier.

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione died on November 28, 1899, at the age of 62. She is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

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Update on the condition of Prince Joachim of Denmark

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The Danish Royal House released the following update on the condition of Prince Joachim of Denmark on July 28, 2020:

His Royal Highness Prince Joachim underwent an operation for a blood clot in the brain in the early morning hours of Saturday, 25 July at University Hospital in Toulouse, France. After the recent days of hospitalization and treatment in the intensive care unit, it is the doctors’ assessment that Prince Joachim will not have any physical effects or other injuries as a result of the blood clot.

The blood clot in the brain was due to a sudden dissection of an artery, and the hospital’s medical team assesses that the risk of recurrence is very small when the artery has healed. Prince Joachim is expected to be moved out of the intensive care unit as soon as possible but will continue to be hospitalized for some time to come. It is still the royal family’s hope that the media will comply with the wish for calm and respect for privacy.

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie would like to express thanks for the support and the many warm greetings they have received over the past few days. It means a great deal. Her Majesty The Queen also expresses warm thanks for all of the sympathy that has been shown to the royal family.

Prince Joachim is the younger of the two sons of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

Learn more about the Danish Royal Family, past and present at Unofficial Royalty: Kingdom of Denmark Index.