Category Archives: Current Monarchies

Contemporary Monarchs of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

compiled by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

 

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the longest-reigning British monarch having surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria on September 9, 2015. Having reigned 70 years, 214 days, she is the second longest-reigning monarch ever on a list of monarchs of states that were internationally sovereign for most or all of their reigns and have verifiable reigns by an exact date.

Only one monarch is ahead of Queen Elizabeth II:

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Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom – reigned February 6, 1952 – September 8, 2022

Many monarchs have come and gone and some monarchies have been abolished during the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The following monarchs reigned during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The links on the names of the monarchies lead to that monarchy’s content area at Unofficial Royalty. Note that not all monarchies have content areas. The content area for the United Kingdom can be found here.

Kingdom of Afghanistan (monarchy abolished 1973)

Kingdom of Bahrain

Kingdom of Belgium

Kingdom of Bhutan

Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace

Kingdom of Burundi (monarchy abolished 1966)

Kingdom of Cambodia

Kingdom of Denmark

Kingdom of Egypt (monarchy abolished 1953)

Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)

Note: King Sobhuza is not on the list of longest reigning internationally recognized monarchs of a sovereign state. He was an internationally recognized monarch of a sovereign state for fourteen years, from when Swaziland was granted independence in1968 until his death in 1982. However, he is number one on the list of longest reigning monarchs of dependent or constituent states.

Empire of Ethiopia (monarchy abolished 1975)

Kingdom of the Hellenes (Greece) (monarchy abolished 1973)

  • King Paul of the Hellenes (reigned 1947 – 1964)
  • King Constantine II of the Hellenes (reigned 1964 – 1973, a military junta ruled Greece from 1967 – 1974, in 1967 King Constantine II attempted a counter-coup against the military junta which failed, King Constantine II remained the head of state in exile until June 1, 1973, when the junta abolished the monarchy)

Imperial State of Iran (monarchy abolished 1979)

State of Japan

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

State of Kuwait

Kingdom of Laos (monarchy abolished 1975)

Kingdom of Lesotho

Kingdom of Libya (monarchy abolished 1969)

Principality of Liechtenstein

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Malaysia

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as head of state. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected to a five-year term by and from the nine hereditary rulers of the Malay states. See the following link for a list of the Yang di-Pertuan Agongs: Wikipedia: Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultanate of the Maldives (monarchy abolished in 1968)

Principality of Monaco

Kingdom of Morocco

Kingdom of Nepal (monarchy abolished 2008)

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Kingdom of Norway

Sultanate of Oman

State of Qatar

Kingdom of Rwanda (monarchy abolished 1961)

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Sikkim (monarchy abolished 1975)

Kingdom of Spain

Kingdom of Sweden

Kingdom of Thailand

Kingdom of Tonga

Kingdom of Tunisia (monarchy abolished in 1957)

United Arab Emirates

Kingdom of Yemen (monarchy abolished 1966)

Sultanate of Zanzibar (monarchy abolished 1964)

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Queen Elizabeth II meets Liz Truss, her 15th Prime Minister on September 6, 2022, two days before her death; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook Page

In addition to all those monarchs, Queen Elizabeth II had fifteen Prime Ministers and reigned during the terms of fourteen Presidents of the United States and seven pontificates of Popes.

Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign

  • Sir Winston Churchill: (October 26, 1951 – April 5, 1955)
  • Sir Anthony Eden: (April 6, 1955 – January 9, 1957)
  • Harold Macmillan: (January 10, 1957 – October 18, 1963)
  • Sir Alec Douglas-Home: (October 19, 1963 – October 16, 1964)
  • Harold Wilson; (October 16, 1964 – June 19, 1970)
  • Edward Heath: (June 19, 1970 – March 4, 1974)
  • Harold Wilson: (March 14, 1974 – April 5, 1976)
  • James Callaghan: (April 5, 1976 – May 4, 1979)
  • Margaret Thatcher: (May 4, 1979 – November 28, 1990)
  • John Major: (November 28, 1990 – May 2, 1997)
  • Tony Blair: (May 2, 1997 – June 27, 2007)
  • Gordon Brown: (June 27, 2007 – May 11, 2010)
  • David Cameron: (May 11, 2010 – July 13, 2016)
  • Theresa May: (July 13, 2016 – July  24, 2019)
  • Boris Johnson: (July 24, 2019 – September 6, 2022)
  • Liz Truss: (September 6, 2022 – October 25, 2022)

Presidents of the United States during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign

  • Harry S. Truman: (April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953)
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower: (January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961)
  • John F. Kennedy: (January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963, assassinated)
  • Lyndon B. Johnson: (November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969)
  • Richard Nixon: (January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974, resigned)
  • Gerald Ford: (August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977)
  • Jimmy Carter: (January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981)
  • Ronald Reagan: (January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989)
  • George H.W. Bush: (January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993)
  • Bill Clinton: (January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001)
  • George W. Bush: (January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009)
  • Barack Obama:( January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017)
  • Donald Trump: (January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021)
  • Joseph Biden: (January 20, 2021 – )

Popes during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign

  • Pope Pius XII: March 2, 1939 – October 9, 1958
  • Pope (Saint) John XIII: October 28, 1958 –  June 3, 1963
  • Pope (Saint) Paul VI: June 21, 1963 – August 6, 1978
  • Pope (Blessed) John Paul I: August 26, 1978 – September 28, 1978
  • Pope (Saint) John Paul II: October 16, 1978 – April 2, 2005
  • Pope Benedict XVI: April 19, 2005 – February 28, 2013, resigned
  • Pope Francis: March 13, 2013 –

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.

Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Credit – Wikipedia

Margravine Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach was the wife of Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway. She was born at Schloss Schönberg in Lauf an der Pegnitz near the Imperial City of Nuremberg, now in the German state of Bavaria, on November 28, 1700. Sophia Magdalene was the ninth of the fourteen children and the fourth of the seven daughters of Margrave Christian Heinrich of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Sophie Christiane of Wolfstein.

Sophia Magdalene had thirteen siblings but seven did not survive childhood. Several of her siblings lived in Denmark and/or were appointed to Danish positions once Sophia Magdalena’s husband became King of Denmark and Norway.

Sophia Magdalene’s father Christian Heinrich of Brandenburg-Kulmbach was the father of two reigning Margraves of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and a Queen Consort of Denmark and Norway but never ruled as a sovereign himself. His title of Margrave was a nominal title. Because Christian Heinrich had few resources and was in debt, in 1694 he accepted the invitation of his relative, Georg Friedrich II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, to move in with his family at Schloss Schönberg where Sophia Magdelena was born in 1700.

In 1703, Christian Heinrich signed the Contract of Schönberg. Under the terms of this contract, he renounced his succession rights in Anhalt and Bayreuth in favor of Prussia. Friedrich I, King in Prussia then granted Christian Heinrich the use of Schloss Weferlingen (link in German) now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Four-year-old Sophia Magdalene moved to Schloss Weferlingen with her family. When she was eight-years-old, Sophia Magdalene’s father died at the age of 47, three months before the birth of his last child.

Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Queen of Poland, Electress of Saxony, who raised Sophia Magdalene; Credit – Wikipedia

After her father’s death, Sophia Magdalene was raised at Pretzsch Castle in Pretzsch, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, by the wife of Augustus II, King of Poland, Elector of Saxony and Sophie Magdalene’s distant relative, Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.  Christiane Eberhardine’s husband converted to Catholicism to become King of Poland, however, she remained a staunch Lutheran throughout her life. Besides Sophia Magdalene, Christiane Eberhardine took in several relatives to educate them including Sophia Magdalene’s sister Sophie Caroline and Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel who married Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia. the son and heir of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia.

The future King Christian VI, husband of Sophia Magdalene; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1721, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark and Norway, the son and heir of Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway, was traveling throughout Europe seeking a princess to become his wife. At the court of Augustus II, King of Poland, Elector of Saxony, he fell in love with Sophia Magdalene who was then serving as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Christiane Eberhardine. Although Sophia Magdalene came from an insignificant, poor family, King Frederik IV granted permission for the couple to marry. Christian and Sophie Magdalene were married on August 7, 1721, at Pretzsch Castle in the Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

Christian and Sophia Magdalene had one son and two daughters:

Family of Christian VI, 1744, (left to right) Crown Prince Frederik (future Frederik V) King Christian VI; Queen Sophia Magdalene, and Crown Princess Louise (Frederik’s wife); Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia Magdalene’s husband succeeded his father upon his death on October 12, 1730, as Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway. The coronation of the new King and Queen of Denmark and Norway was held on June 6, 1731, at the Fredensborg Palace Chapel in Fredensborg, Denmark. A new crown was made for Sophia Magdalene because she refused to wear the crown that the despised Queen Anna Sophie, her husband’s stepmother and longtime mistress of King Frederik IV, had worn. The vast majority of the Danish crown jewels come from Sophia Magdalene’s collection. Sophie Magdalen’s crown and other crown jewels can be seen today, at  Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Left: The crown made for Queen Sophia Magdalene; Right: The Crown made for King Christian V, on display at Rosenborg Palace; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

Sophia Magdalene never forgot that she came from a poor family and she never forgot that more fortunate people helped her family. She was responsible for bringing several family members to Denmark. Sophie Magdalen’s mother, Sophie Christiane of Wolfstein, came to Denmark during her daughter’s first pregnancy in 1723 and remained in Denmark, living at Sorgenfri Palace in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. When she died in 1737, she was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, the burial site of the Danish royal family. Two of the Queen’s brothers became Danish admirals. Her widowed sister Sophie Caroline was brought to the Danish court in 1735. In 1737, Sophia Magdalene founded the Vallø Stift (Noble Vallø Foundation for Unmarried Daughters).  The foundation was headed by an abbess from a princely house and Sophia Magdalene appointed her sister Sophie Caroline as the first abbess.

Hirschholm Palace designed by Lauritz de Thurah for King Christian VI & Queen Sophia Magdalene; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway died at the age of 46 on August 6, 1746, the day before his 25th wedding anniversary, at Hirschholm Palace located in present-day Hørsholm municipality just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. He was buried in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Sophia Magdalene survived her husband by twenty-four years. She lived for the entire reign of her son King Frederik V and was alive for the first four years of the reign of her grandson King Christian VII. Her summers were spent at Hirschholm Palace and during the winters, she lived at Christiansborg Palace. Queen Sophia Magdalene, aged 69, died at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 27, 1770. At her request, she was buried in a simple ceremony in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of Queen Sophia Magdalene; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sophie Magdalene Af Danmark. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Magdalene_af_Danmark> [Accessed 1 May 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sophie Magdalene Von Dänemark. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Magdalene_von_D%C3%A4nemark> [Accessed 1 May 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sophie Magdalene Of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Magdalene_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach> [Accessed 1 May 2020].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sofia Magdalena Av Danmark. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_Magdalena_av_Danmark> [Accessed 1 May 2020].

Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Credit – Wikipedia

Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway was born on November 30, 1699, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen Denmark. He was the second of the five children and the second but the only surviving of the four sons of Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow.

Christian VI had three brothers and one sister but only his sister survived infancy:

  • Christian of Denmark and Norway (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
  • Frederik Carl of Denmark and Norway (1701 – 1702), died in infancy
  • Jørgen of Denmark and Norway (1703 – 1704), died in infancy
  • Charlotte Amalie of Denmark and Norway (1706 – 1782), unmarried

Christian had more of a Germanic upbringing than a Danish one which was not unusual as the language of the Danish royal court at that time was German. He could understand Danish but spoke and wrote in German. It was not until the time of his daughter-in-law, Louisa of Great Britain who learned Danish and insisted that her children learn Danish, that the native language of Denmark regained a foothold at court.

Christian’s mother Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow had been brought up as an adherent to Pietism, a movement that originated in the Lutheran Church in the 17th century in Germany that stressed personal piety over religious formality and orthodoxy. Christian followed his mother’s religious views. The adultery and bigamy of his father Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway, and the effect it had upon his mother deeply affected and disturbed Christian.

In 1699, the year of Christian’s birth, King Frederik IV began a relationship with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, lady-in-waiting to his unmarried sister Sophia Hedwig. In 1703, without divorcing his wife Louise, Frederik made a bigamous marriage to Elisabeth. After Elisabeth died in 1704 due to childbirth complications giving birth to a son who lived only nine months, Frederik gave her an elaborate funeral.

After the death of Elisabeth, Frederik began an affair with her lady-in-waiting, Charlotte Helene von Schindel. In 1709, Frederik wanted to again make a bigamous marriage but received strong opposition from the church leaders who told him that the law against bigamy also applied to kings. Charlotte and Frederik had a daughter in 1710 who died in infancy.

After losing interest in Charlotte Helene von Schindel in 1711, Frederik IV then fell in love with 19-year-old Anna Sophie Reventlow, daughter of Grand-Chancellor Conrad Reventlow who held a position similar to Prime Minister. In 1712, Frederik abducted Anna Sophia from her parents’ home and took her to Skanderborg Castle where they were married bigamously while Queen Louise was still alive.

After the death of Queen Louise in 1721, King Frederik IV and Anna Sophie Reventlow married again in a second formal wedding conducted with great ceremony. Although the marriage was still scandalous, it was not declared morganatic and Anna Sophie was crowned Queen of Denmark and Norway less than a month after Queen Louise’s death. Anna Sophie and King Frederick IV had six children. Three were born before the legal marriage in 1721 but none survived. The three children born after the 1721 marriage were styled as Prince/Princess of Denmark and Norway but none of them survived infancy either. The deaths of the six children were seen by many as divine punishment for the bigamy of Frederik IV and Anna Sophie. Christian distanced himself from his father and he came to detest his stepmother.

Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian’s father allowed him to choose his wife. Accompanied by Count Ulrik Adolf von Holstein of Holsteinsborg, the husband of Anna Sophie’s half-sister, Christian traveled through the courts of Europe seeking a princess to become his wife. At the court of Augustus II, King of Poland, Elector of Saxony, he fell in love with Margravine Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, a lady-in-waiting to Augustus II’s wife Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, and had been raised at her court. She was the daughter of Christian Heinrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth-Kulmbach and Countess Sophie Christiane of Wolfstein.  Although Sophia Magdalene came from an insignificant, poor family, King Frederik IV granted permission for the couple to marry. Christian and Sophie Magdalene were married on August 7, 1721, at Pretzsch Castle (link in German), the site of the court of Augustus II, King of Poland, Elector of Saxony, then in Pretzsch, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Christian and Sophia Magdalene had one son and two daughters:

Family of Christian VI, 1744, (left to right) Crown Prince Frederik (future Frederik V) King Christian VI; Queen Sophia Magdalene, and Crown Princess Louise (Frederik’s wife); Credit – Wikipedia

Christian became King of Denmark and Norway upon the death of his father Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway on October 12, 1730. Frederik IV was buried at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial place for the Danish royal family, a tomb adjacent to the tomb of his first wife, Christian’s mother, Queen Louise.

The Coronation of King Christian VI and Queen Sophia Magdalene; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1725, King Frederik IV made an addition to his will that guaranteed Anna Sophie’s rights as Queen Dowager after his death and made his son Crown Prince Christian sign it. However, once he became King of Denmark and Norway, Christian VI did not follow the instructions in his father’s will. Christian VI’s opinion was that his stepmother Anna Sophie had taken advantage of his father during his ill health and that she had caused his family pain and suffering during the years of her open adultery.

Anna Sophie Reventlow, Christian’s stepmother; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian VI granted Anna Sophie an allowance, confiscated her property, and banished her to Clausholm Castle, her family home. She was allowed to be styled Queen Anna Sophie but not Queen Anna Sophie of Denmark and Norway or Queen Dowager. Anna Sophie spent the remainder of her life under house arrest at Clausholm Castle and was never granted permission to leave. When Anna Sophie died in 1743, Christian VI allowed her to be buried at Roskilde Cathedral but in the Trolle Chapel which is on the opposite side of the cathedral, far away from his parents’ tombs in the chancel of the cathedral. Her three children, born after her 1721 marriage, were also re-buried in the Trolle Chapel on Christian VI’s orders.

Christian VI is known as a religious ruler and remained devoted to Pietism. His court was considered dull. Only religious music was played and dancing was not allowed. Christian was a shy person, anxious about responsibility and decisions, and uncomfortable about carrying out his ceremonial obligations as the king. He never traveled except for one trip to Norway in 1733.

The first Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1744, on the site of Copenhagen Castle, Christian VI built a namesake palace, the first Christiansborg Palace as his new main residence. The palace was nearly completely destroyed by a fire in 1794. A second Christiansborg Palace was built on the site but was also destroyed by a fire in 1884. A third Christiansborg Palace was built in the early 20th century and today it houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and Prime Minister’s Office. Other places named after King Christian VI include Christian’s Church in Copenhagen, the town of Christiansted on the island of Saint Croix in the United States Virgin Islands, formerly the Danish West Indies, and Fort Christiansværn also on Saint Croix.

Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway died at the age of 46 on August 6, 1746, at Hirschholm Palace located in present-day Hørsholm municipality just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. He was buried in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. His wife Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach survived him by 24 years, dying in 1770 at the age of 69.

Tomb of King Christian VI; Photo by Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian 6.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_6> [Accessed 30 April 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian VI. (Dänemark Und Norwegen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_VI._(D%C3%A4nemark_und_Norwegen)> [Accessed 30 April 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian VI Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_VI_of_Denmark> [Accessed 30 April 2020].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2020. Kristian VI Av Danmark. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristian_VI_av_Danmark> [Accessed 30 April 2020].

Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

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

Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was the first wife of Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway, who made two bigamous marriages during Louise’s lifetime. She was born on August 28, 1667, in Güstrow, then in the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Louise was the ninth of the eleven children and the sixth of the eight daughters of Gustav Adolf, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Magdalene Sibylle of Holstein-Gottorp. Louise’s father was the last Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Gustav Adolf survived his two sons and upon his death, there was an inheritance dispute that eventually led to the creation of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Louise had eight older siblings and two younger siblings:

Güstrow Castle, Louise’s childhood home; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise grew up at her father’s modest court at Güstrow Castle. Her parents were adherents to Pietism, a movement that originated in the Lutheran Church in the 17th century in Germany that stressed personal piety over religious formality and orthodoxy. Louise met her future husband Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Norway, son of Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel when he was looking for a wife at German Protestant courts. Frederik was instructed by his father to ask his aunt Anna Sophia of Denmark and Norway, Electress of Saxony for advice. Anna Sophia advised Frederik to marry Louise. Frederik was already partial to Louise and readily agreed. Like Frederik, Louise was a great-great-grandchild of King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway. On December 5, 1695, their wedding took place at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise and Frederik had four sons and one daughter. Sadly, three sons died in infancy.

Frederik’s father King Christian V died on August 25, 1699, due to the after-effects of a hunting accident, ten months after he had suffered very severe injuries from being kicked by a deer. Frederik acceded to the Danish throne as King Frederik IV. Frederik and Louise were anointed King and Queen of Denmark and Norway on April 15, 1700, at the Frederiksborg Castle Chapel.

Queen Louise; Credit – Wikipedia

Growing up with parents who strictly adhered to Pietism, it was no surprise that Louise was very religious throughout her life. Her main interest was reading religious books and her 400-book collection, consisting largely of German ascetic writings, went to the Royal Library after her death. As dower properties, Louise owned Hirschholm Palace and the estates Rungstedgård and Ebberødgård, all near Copenhagen. In 1704, Louise built a gunpowder mill that was in operation until 1910.

Louise found it difficult to endure her husband’s infidelities and even worse, his two bigamous marriages. At times, Louise reproached her husband which often led to embarrassing situations at the court. It is suspected that Louise’s deep religiousness was also an escape from her disappointing marriage. Louise took part in the official court life and fulfilled her ceremonial duties. Otherwise, she led a withdrawn and quiet life.

In 1699, King Frederik IV began a relationship with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, a lady-in-waiting to his unmarried sister Sophia Hedwig. In 1703, without divorcing his wife Louise, Frederik made a bigamous marriage to Elisabeth. After Elisabeth died in 1704 due to childbirth complications giving birth to a son who lived only nine months, Frederik gave her an elaborate funeral.

After the death of Elisabeth, Frederik began an affair with her lady-in-waiting, Charlotte Helene von Schindel. In 1709, Frederik wanted to again make a bigamous marriage but received strong opposition from the church leaders who told him that the law against bigamy also applied to kings. Charlotte and Frederik had a daughter in 1710 who died in infancy.

After losing interest in Charlotte Helene von Schindel in 1711, Frederik then fell in love with 19-year-old Anna Sophie Reventlow, daughter of Grand-Chancellor Conrad Reventlow who held a position similar to Prime Minister. In 1712, Frederik abducted her from her parents’ home and took her to Skanderborg Castle where they were married bigamously while Louise was still alive.

Queen Louise died on March 15, 1721, aged 53, at Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow; Photo by Susan Flantzer

After the death of Louise, King Frederik IV and Anna Sophie Reventlow were married in a second formal wedding conducted with great ceremony. Although the marriage was still scandalous, it was not declared morganatic and Anna Sophie was crowned Queen of Denmark and Norway less than a month after Louise’s death. Anna Sophie and King Frederick IV had six children. Three were born before the legal marriage in 1721 but none survived. This was seen by many as divine punishment for their bigamy. The three children born after the 1721 marriage were styled as Prince/Princess of Denmark but none of them survived infancy either. Anna Sophie was hated by Frederik’s two surviving children from his first marriage.

Upon Frederik IV’s death, his son and successor King Christian VI banished Anna Sophie from the court and kept her under house arrest at Clausholm Castle, her family home. When Anna Sophie died in 1743, King Christian VI allowed her to be buried at Roskilde Cathedral but in the Trolle Chapel, on the opposite side of the cathedral, far away from his parents’ tombs – so Louise got some revenge in death.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louise Af Mecklenburg-Güstrow. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_af_Mecklenburg-G%C3%BCstrow> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louise Zu Mecklenburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_zu_Mecklenburg> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louise Of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_of_Mecklenburg-G%C3%BCstrow> [Accessed 29 April 2020].

Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway is known for making two bigamous marriages. He was the eldest of the four sons and the eldest of the seven children of Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel. He was born on October 11, 1671, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. Frederik was the Crown Prince of Denmark from birth.

Frederik had six younger siblings:

King Christian V with his eldest son Frederik and his other sons Christian and Carl; Credit – Wikipedia

From his father’s 30-year affair with Sophie Amalie Moth, Frederik had six half-siblings who were all raised at court:

Frederik as Crown Prince of Denmark by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1693; Credit – Wikipedia

When it came time for Frederik to marry, his father decided that he should follow the tradition of the family and marry a German princess. He visited many Protestant northern German courts and was instructed by his father to ask his aunt Anna Sophia of Denmark and Norway, Electress of Saxony for advice. Anna Sophia advised Frederik to marry Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Frederik was partial to Louise and readily agreed. Louise was the daughter of Duke Gustav Adolph of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Magdalene Sibylle of Holstein-Gottorp. Like Frederik, Louise was a great-great-grandchild of King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway. On December 5, 1695, their wedding took place at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik and Louise had four sons and one daughter. Sadly, three sons died in infancy.

King Christian V died on August 25, 1699, due to the after-effects of a hunting accident, ten months after he had suffered very severe injuries from being kicked by a deer. Frederik acceded to the Danish throne as King Frederik IV. Frederik and his wife were anointed King and Queen of Denmark and Norway on April 15, 1700, at the Frederiksborg Castle Chapel.

Despite having inadequate training, Frederik was a fairly successful ruler. He selected his advisors carefully and held audiences in which ordinary people could speak to him and present letters with complaints or requests. However, Frederik was not very familiar with the Danish language, which he only used on state occasions. He usually spoke and wrote in German and French. For a good part of Frederik IV’s reign, Denmark, along with Russia and Saxony, was engaged in the Great Northern War (1700 – 1721) against Sweden. He did not achieve his main goal, to regain the former eastern Danish provinces lost to Sweden in the 17th century. Denmark also had to return Holstein-Gottorp to its duke.

Fredensborg Palace; Credit – By Glån – https://www.flickr.com/photos/84554176@N00/5251098650/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12668133

Frederik IV was interested in Italian architecture and traveled to Italy several times and so he had two palaces built in the Italian Baroque style. Frederiksberg Palace, located in Frederiksberg, close to Copenhagen, was built 1699 – 1735 and served as the Danish royal family’s summer residence until the mid-19th century. It was vacant for several years but since 1869, it has been the home of the Royal Danish Military Academy. Fredensborg Palace built 1720 – 1726, is located on Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. Today, it is the Danish royal family’s spring and autumn residence and is often the site of state visits and family events in the Danish royal family.

Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1699, Frederik began a relationship with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, a lady-in-waiting to his unmarried sister Sophia Hedwig. In 1703, without divorcing his wife Louise, Frederik made a bigamous marriage to Elisabeth. After Elisabeth died in 1704 due to childbirth complications giving birth to a son Frederik Gyldenløve, Frederik IV gave her an elaborate funeral. Little Frederik Gyldenløve lived for only nine months.

After the death of Elisabeth, Frederik began an affair with her lady-in-waiting, Charlotte Helene von Schindel. In 1709, Frederik wanted to again make a bigamous marriage but received strong opposition from the church which told him that the law against bigamy also applied to kings. Charlotte and Frederik had a daughter in 1710 who died in infancy.

After losing interest in Charlotte Helene von Schindel in 1711, Frederik then fell in love with 19-year-old Anna Sophie, daughter of Grand-Chancellor Conrad Reventlow who held a position similar to Prime Minister. In 1712, Frederik abducted her from her parents’ home and took her to Skanderborg Castle where they were married bigamously as Frederik’s wife Queen Louise was still alive. The adultery and bigamy of Frederik IV and the effect it had upon Queen Louise deeply affected and disturbed Crown Prince Christian. Christian distanced himself from his father and he came to detest Anna Sophie.

After the death of Queen Louise on March 15, 1721, Frederik and Anna Sophie were married in a second formal wedding conducted with great ceremony on April 4, 1721. Although the marriage was still scandalous, it was not declared morganatic and Anna Sophie was crowned as Queen at Frederiksberg Palace in May 1721.

Anna Sophie Reventlow; Credit – Wikipedia

Anna Sophie Reventlow and King Frederick IV had six children. Three were born before the legal marriage in 1721 but none survived. This was seen by many as divine punishment for their bigamy. The three children born after the 1721 marriage were styled as Prince/Princess of Denmark but none of them survived infancy either.

  • Frederika Sophie Reventlow (born and died before1721), died in infancy
  • Frederica Conradine Reventlow (born and before 1721), died in infancy
  • Stillborn (before 1721)
  • Princess Christiana Amalia (1723 – 1724), died in infancy
  • Prince Frederik Christian (1726 – 1727), died in infancy
  • Prince Karl (1728 – 1729), died in infancy

Toward the end of his life, Frederik IV suffered from edema, then called dropsy. He died on October 12, 1730, the day after his 59th birthday, at Odense Palace in the city of Odense on the Danish island of Funen. Frederik IV was buried at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial place for the Danish royal family, in Roskilde Cathedral.

King Frederik IV’s tomb; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederik 4.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_4.> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich IV. (Dänemark Und Norwegen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_IV._(D%C3%A4nemark_und_Norwegen)> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick IV Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_IV_of_Denmark> [Accessed 29 April 2020].

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Queen Charlotte Amalie with one of her children circa 1675; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel was the wife of Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway. During Christian V’s reign, colonies were established in the Caribbean. The islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island were originally a Danish colony, the Danish West Indies.  The city of Charlotte Amalie, on the island of St. Thomas, was named after Christian V’s wife. Denmark sold the islands to the United States in 1917 and now they are known as the United States Virgin Islands, and Charlotte Amalie is the capital.

Born on April 27, 1650, in Kassel, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in the German state of Hesse, Charlotte Amalie was the eldest of the seven children and the eldest of the three daughters of Wilhelm VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg.

Charlotte Amalie had six younger siblings:

Charlotte Amalie  circa 1667; Credit – Wikipedia

Unlike many other German royals of the time who were Lutheran, Charlotte Amalie’s parents followed Reformed Christianity which adhered to the teachings of John Calvin. Charlotte Amalie was a strict adherent to Reformed Christianity her whole life. She was well-educated in French, Italian, geography, history, and philosophy and was interested in physics and pharmacy.

Charlotte Amalie’s husband Christian V, circa 1675; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 25, 1667, at Nykøbing Castle in Falster, Denmark, 17-year-old Charlotte Amalie married 21-year-old Crown Prince Christian of Denmark, the son of Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Charlotte Amalie is the only post-Reformation Danish queen who was not Lutheran or did not convert to the Lutheran religion. Because of her strict adherence to Reformed Christianity, the marriage contract stated that she was allowed to keep her religion and that she was allowed to hold services in an enclosed room with her own Reformed minister.

The couple had seven children:

Christian V with his eldest son Frederik and his other sons Christian and Carl; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte Amalie’s husband succeeded his father in 1670 as Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway. Christian was anointed at Frederiksborg Palace Chapel on June 7, 1671, but Charlotte Amalie did not participate because it violated her religious beliefs.

Double portrait of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte Amalie’s relationship with her husband cannot be described as a love affair but rather a mutual, respected friendship. In 1672, King Christian V began a long-term affair with 16-year-old Sophie Amalie Moth. Sophie Amalie, the daughter of King Frederik III’s doctor Paul Moth, had grown up at court with her siblings so she and Christian were well acquainted. Christian had five children with Sophie Amalie whom he publically acknowledged. In 1677, Sophie Amalie was recognized as Christian’s official mistress and was created Countess of Samsø. Although Christian V’s public adultery caused an embarrassing situation for Charlotte Amalie, she always made the most of her position as queen, both in her public life as well as in her private interactions with her husband.

During her tenure as Queen, Charlotte Amalie worked for the rights of those who practiced Reform Christianity, especially for displaced Huguenots from France who had settled in Denmark. In 1685, Christian V issued orders for a certain degree of religious freedom for religious refugees. In 1689, the first Reformed Church in Denmark was consecrated in Copenhagen and Charlotte Amalie was instrumental in its planning and funding. The church had a burial crypt, residences for the ministers, and later, two schools. Although Charlotte Amalie was deeply devoted to her faith, her view on religion was a Protestant ecumenical one and she corresponded with Protestants of different churches.

Charlottenborg Palace by Jacob Coning, 1694; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian V died in 1699 and was succeeded by his son King Frederik IV. Charlotte Amalie allowed her daughter-in-law, Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, to take her rightful place as Queen. Charlotte Amalie kept a separate court and during the winter lived at Charlottenborg Palace, which is named after her, and then during the summer, she lived at Nykøbing Castle. She owned several estates and became quite wealthy from their income. In 1703, when her son Frederik IV made a bigamous marriage by marrying his mistress Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg while his wife was still living, Charlotte Amalie was deeply grieved by his behavior but never expressed her great displeasure to her son.

On March 27, 1714, Charlotte Amalie, Queen of Denmark and Norway, aged 63, died of scarlet fever after being ill for six days at Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was buried in a baroque marble tomb designed by Christoph Sturmberg next to King Christian V’s tomb in the nave of Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial place of the Danish royal family, in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of Charlotte Amalie in Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Charlotte Amalie Af Hessen-Kassel. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Amalie_af_Hessen-Kassel> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Charlotte Amalie Von Hessen-Kassel. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Amalie_von_Hessen-Kassel> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Charlotte Amalie Of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Amalie_of_Hesse-Kassel> [Accessed 29 April 2020].

Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian V of Denmark and Norway was born on April 15, 1646, at Duborg Castle (link in Danish) in Flensburg, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. He was the eldest of the seven children and the eldest of the three sons of Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Christian had seven siblings. His brother George (Jørgen) married Queen Anne of Great Britain and his sister Ulrika Eleonora married King Carl XI of Sweden.

As a teenager, Christian went on a Grand Tour of Europe, visiting Holland, England, France, and various German monarchies. In 1663, soon after his return, he became involved in government affairs as preparation for his future duties as king. In 1665, a hereditary, absolute monarchy was confirmed by law.

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 25, 1667, at Nykøbing Castle in Falster, Denmark, Christian married Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, the daughter of Wilhelm VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg.

King Christian V with his eldest son Frederik and his other sons Christian and Carl; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian and Charlotte Amalie had seven children:

The anointing of Christian V in the palace chapel of Frederiksborg Castle by Michael van Haven,1671; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon his father’s death in 1670, Christian succeeded him as Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway. Christian was anointed at Frederiksborg Castle Church on June 7, 1671. During the time of the elected monarchs, the clergy and nobility placed the crown on the king’s head at the coronation ceremony. After the introduction of the absolute monarchy, the crowning was replaced by anointing. The king arrived at the church wearing the crown and was consecrated by being anointed with oil. The regalia used at Christian V’s anointing, except for a new crown, had been made for the crowning of Christian V’s father.

Crown of King Christian V (on the right) and the Queen’s Crown made in 1731 (on the left); Credit – Susan Flantzer

A magnificent throne chair had been constructed during his father’s reign, ready Christian V’s use. The throne chair was used at anointings between 1671 and 1840. When the absolute monarchy was replaced by a constitutional monarchy in 1849, Danish monarchs were no longer anointed. The throne chair and regalia are now on display at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. Christian V’s crown and the regalia are still displayed on the coffin of the monarch while lying in state.

The Throne Chair of Denmark; Credit – By Sven Rosborn – This file has been extracted from another file: Rosenborg castle 8.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29203851

Shortly after Christian became king, 16-year-old Sophie Amalie Moth became his mistress. Sophie Amalie, the daughter of King Frederik III’s doctor Paul Moth, had grown up at court with her siblings. In 1677, she was recognized as Christian’s official mistress and was created Countess of Samsø. Christian and Sophie Amalie had six children who were all publicly acknowledged. Following the practice of his grandfather and father, Christian also gave his illegitimate children the surname Gyldenløve which means Golden Love.

Sophie Amalie Moth, Christian V’s mistress; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian’s major disappointment was his unsuccessful attempt in the Scanian War to regain Skåne, Halland, and Blekinge, which had been annexed by Sweden during his father’s reign. Christian introduced the 1683 Danish Code (Danske Lov), the first law code for all of Denmark. He also introduced a similar 1687 Norwegian Code (Norske Lov) to replace Christian IV’s 1604 Norwegian Code in Norway. During Christian’s reign, colonies were established in Africa and the Caribbean as part of the Danish triangle trade. The city of Charlotte Amalie, on the island of St. Thomas, is the capital and the largest city of the United States Virgin Islands and was named after Christian V’s wife.

Christian V died from the after-effects of a hunting accident that occurred on October 19, 1698. Christian was hunting with his two surviving sons and his half-brother. While they were taking a break, they received the news that the hunting dogs had exhausted and surrounded a deer. Christian immediately left to give the deer the death blow. Instead, he missed and the deer kicked him. The injuries were severe and Christian never recovered, dying on August 25, 1699, aged 53, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was buried in The Chancel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of King Christian V; Credit – Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian 5.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_5.> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian V. (Dänemark Und Norwegen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_V._(D%C3%A4nemark_und_Norwegen)> [Accessed 29 April 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian V Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_V_of_Denmark> [Accessed 29 April 2020].

Assassination of Abdullah I, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (1951)

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

On July 20, 1951, King Abdullah I was shot and killed while attending prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Jordan. He was succeeded by his eldest son, King Talal.

King Abdullah I of Jordan. source: Wikipedia

King Abdullah I

King Abdullah was the first King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He was born in February 1882 to the Emir of Mecca and his first wife. Following the Great Arab Revolt in 1916, Abdullah was named King of Iraq but he refused the throne. The Iraqi throne went instead to his brother Faisal. In 1921, Abdullah was recognized by the United Kingdom as Emir of Transjordan, a British protectorate. In 1946, Transjordan ceased to be a British protectorate and became the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan (later renamed Jordan in 1949), with Abdullah as its first King. He had three wives and five children, including his successor, King Talal. The only Arab ruler to accept the UN’s plan for Palestine, Abdullah later took part in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, annexing the territories of the West Bank captured by Jordanian troops in Palestine. He later entered into secret peace negotiations with Israel, which likely led to his assassination.

For more information, see Unofficial Royalty: King Abdullah I of Jordan

The Assassin – Mustafa Shukri Ashu

Mustafa Shukri Ashu was a 21-year old tailor’s apprentice, who was described as a “former terrorist” and had been recruited to kill the King. While he was the one who pulled the trigger, ten men were tried for the part in the assassination, including Colonel Abdullah at-Tell who had been the Governor of Jerusalem, and Musa Ahmad al-Ayubbi, a vegetable merchant. At-Tell and al-Ayubbi were found guilty and sentenced to death, despite having fled the country.

The Assassination

Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. photo: By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29652325

On July 16, 1951, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Riad Bey Al Solh, was assassinated in Amman, Jordan. Four days later, on July 20, King Abdullah – accompanied by his grandson, the future King Hussein – traveled to Jerusalem to attend Al Solh’s funeral at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. While waiting for Friday prayers to begin, the king was approached by a Palestinian activist, Mustafa Shukri Ashu, who fired three shots, hitting the king in the chest and head and killing him instantly. The young Hussein was also caught in the gunfire – miraculously escaping harm when a bullet ricocheted off a medal he was wearing at his grandfather’s insistence.

What happened to King Abdullah?

The mausoleum of King Abdullah I (center)

The King died instantly from his wounds. His body was returned quickly to Amman, where his funeral and burial took place. As his son and successor, Talal, was in a hospital in Switzerland being treated for mental illness, Abdullah’s second son, Naif, was appointed as Regent until Talal could return to Jordan. Naif, along with the Regent of Iraq, presided over the funeral services, after which Abdullah’s body was interred in a mausoleum at the Royal cemetery near Raghadan Palace.

Abdullah’s grandson, King Hussein, circa 1953. source: Wikipedia

Just a year later, Talal was forced to abdicate due to his mental illness and was succeeded by his eldest son, King Hussein, who was just 16 years old at the time.

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.

Assassination of Willem I the Silent, Prince of Orange (1584)

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

On July 10, 1584, 51-year-old Willem I the Silent, Prince of Orange was shot and killed by Balthasar Gérard, who acted on King Philip II of Spain’s offer of 25,000 crowns to anyone who killed Willem.

Willem I the Silent, Prince of Orange

Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia

In the Netherlands, Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange is known as the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland), and the Dutch national anthem, the Wilhelmus, was written in his honor. He got his nickname “the Silent” (in Dutch De Zwijger) not because he was quiet, but because of his habit to hold his tongue in difficult situations. Willem is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs, the British monarchs from King George I forward and other European royal families.

Born in 1533, Willem was the eldest of the twelve children of Willem, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg and his second wife Juliana of Stolberg-Wernigerode. Willem was being raised as a Lutheran but when he was eleven years old, his childless cousin René of Châlon, Prince of Orange died and left the Principality of Orange to Willem. Willem would receive land in present-day France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. However, Charles V, Lord of the Netherlands and Holy Roman Emperor, attached the condition that eleven-year-old Willem would convert to Roman Catholicism and receive a Roman Catholic education. Because of the immense inheritance, Willem would receive, his parents agreed.

As a young man, Willem served at the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in Brussels and became a confidant of Charles. When Charles V abdicated, his younger brother Ferdinand became the Holy Roman Emperor and received Charles’ Austrian lands. The Spanish Empire, including the possessions in the Netherlands and Italy, was inherited by Charles’s son King Philip II of Spain.

In 1559, Philip appointed Willem stadtholder (governor) of the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht (all in the present-day Netherlands) which greatly increased his political power. Willem had been brought up as a Lutheran but had converted to Roman Catholicism. However, he was a strong proponent of freedom of religion and was increasingly disturbed by the persecution of Protestants by the Catholic Spaniards in the Netherlands. In addition, Willem wanted to see the end of Spanish troops in the Netherlands.

In 1568 the Netherlands, led by Willem, revolted against Philip II. This disagreement eventually caused the Eighty Years War which resulted in the independence of the northern United Provinces in 1581. The United Provinces, also known as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation of seven provinces, now in the present-day Netherlands, which had their own governments and were very independent.

For more information, see Unofficial Royalty: Willem I the Silent, Prince of Orange

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Roots of the Assassination

Philip II berating William the Silent, by Cornelis Kruseman; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1573, Willem left the Roman Catholic Church and became a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, a Calvinist reformed religion that followed the practices of John Calvin. He was declared an outlaw in 1580 by Philip II, who called Willem “a pest on the whole of Christianity and the enemy of the human race.” Philip offered 25,000 crowns to anyone who killed Willem. Willem responded with a document, Apology, which defended his actions, attacked Philip II, and restated his allegiance to the Protestant reform religion.

On March 18, 1582, Juan de Jáuregui, a Spaniard, attempted to assassinate Willem. Willem was severely wounded but survived due to the care of his third wife Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier and his sister Maria. Unfortunately, while William slowly recovered, Charlotte became exhausted from providing intensive care and died.

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The Assassin

Balthasar Gérard; Credit – Wikipedia

Balthasar Gérard was born circa 1557 in Vuillafans, Franche-Comté, in eastern France. He was the ninth of eleven children from a strict Roman Catholic family. The struggle between the Catholics and the Protestants in those years did not affect Franche-Comté but nevertheless, it aroused Gérard ‘s anger. He firmly believed in the cause of the Catholic Church and in King Philip II of Spain and regarded Willem the Silent as a traitor. Gérard studied law at the University of Dole. He then worked in Dole as a clerk at the Registry of the Court and as secretary to Count Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort, Governor of Luxembourg.

When Gérard heard of King Philip’s offer of 25,000 crowns to kill Willem the Silent, he decided he would be the one to kill Willem. He served in the army of his former employer Count Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort, for two years, hoping to get close to Willem when the armies met. This never happened, and Gérard left the army in 1584. He then went to the Duke of Parma to present his plans for the assassination but the Duke was unimpressed. In May 1584, Gérard presented himself to Willem as François Guyon, a Protestant nobleman who had fled from France and wanted to join Willem. Gérard showed Willem forged letters with the seal of Count Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort and gained Willem’s trust.

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The Assassination

Site of the assassination, bullet holes are still in the wall; Credit – Door Looi uit nl, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2287221

On Sunday, July 8, 1584, Gérard loitered in the courtyard of the Prinsenhof, the royal palace in Delft, examining the premises. The next day he purchased two wheel-lock pistols from a soldier. Gérard went to the Prinsenhof at noon on Tuesday, July 10, 1584, with the announcement that he wanted to speak to Willem. He was told that Willem was at lunch and would speak to him afterward. Gérard went to his inn to get the pistols and then returned to the Prinsenhof. By that time, Willem had finished his lunch and made his way to the stairs to his second-floor chamber where he worked and slept. Gérard, who had been hiding behind a pillar, jumped out and fired two shots, hitting Willem in the chest at close range. Willem collapsed and died instantly.

Bullet holes from the assassination of Willem the Silent at the Prinsenhof in Delft; Credit – By Juvarra – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10297655

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What happened to Balthasar Gérard?

Balthasar Gérard fled the Prinsenhof, chased by soldiers and servants. He climbed over the city wall but before he could jump into the water he was caught. He was imprisoned and made a long written statement at his own request about his motives. He was interrogated that same day but did not give much information.

Gérard was brutally tortured. During the first night of his imprisonment, Gérard was hung on a pole and whipped. His wounds were covered with honey so that a goat would lick his skin with its shape tongue and scrape the skin away but the goat was uncooperative. Gérard’s hands and feet were then bound together to make his sleep difficult.

During the next three days, Gérard was hung on a pole with his hands tied behind his back. Then a 330-pound (150 kg) was attached to his big toes for thirty minutes. After the thirty minutes, Gérard was fitted with too-small shoes made of oiled, uncured leather and then he was placed before a fire. When the shoes warmed up, they contracted, crushing his feet. The shoes were removed and his broiled skin was torn off. Next, torches were held under his armpits and he was then dressed in a shirt soaked in alcohol. Burning bacon fat was poured over him and sharp nails were stuck between the flesh and the nails of his hands and feet. Gérard is said to have remained calm during his torture and refused to answer any questions.

Gérard’s trial was held on July 13, 1584. To make an example of him, he was sentenced to an extremely cruel execution. On July 14, 1584, Gérard was executed. His right hand, which committed the crime, was burned off with a red-hot iron. His flesh was torn from his bones with pincers in six different places. He was quartered and disemboweled alive. His heart torn from his chest and thrown in his face, and finally, he was beheaded.

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Willem the Silent’s Funeral and Burial

Memorial to Willem the Silent; Photo Credit – Door Zairon – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56280054

Willem had been planned to be buried at the Grote Kerk in Breda, where the House of Orange was traditionally buried, but Breda was under Spanish control. Instead, Willem was buried in the Old Crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Delft, located in South Holland (Zuid-Holland), now in the Netherlands. His memorial was originally very modest but it was replaced in 1623 by a new one, made by Hendrik de Keyser and his son Pieter. Since then, most of the members of the House of Orange-Nassau, including all Dutch kings, queens, and consorts, have been buried in the same church in the royal vault whose entrance, sealed by a large stone cover with four brass rings, is behind the tomb of Willem the Silent. Willem’s fourth wife Louise de Coligny was buried with him.

The Old Crypt with the body-like lead sarcophagus of Louise de Coligny on the bottom right and Willem I, Prince of Orange’s coffin on the bottom left; Credit – Wikipedia

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Aftermath

Reward letter of King Philip II of Spain to the family of Balthasar Gérard, 1590; Credit – Wikipedia

Balthasar Gérard’s parents claimed the 25,000 crowns (around 3,000,000 euros or 3,240,000 US dollars) that King Philip II of Spain had promised the murderer of Willem the Silent. However, Philip II could not afford to pay that amount of money. Instead, Philip II gave Gérard’s parents three country estates in Lievremont, Hostal, and Dampmartin in the Franche-Comté, and the family was raised to the peerage. The estates remained with the Gérard family.

Sasbout Vosmeer, the first apostolic vicar to the Dutch Mission, the Roman Catholic missionary district in the Dutch Republic, obtained the head of Balthasar Gérard and kept it in Cologne. He took it to Rome in a failed attempt to have Gérard canonized as a saint.

The village of Vuillafans, France renamed the street where Balthasar Gérard was born “Rue Gérard” in his memory.

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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). Balthasar Gérard. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balthasar_G%C3%A9rard [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2020). William the Silent. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_the_Silent [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020].
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Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, husband of Princess Beatrice of York

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

 

Born on November 19, 1983, at Portland Hospital in London, England, Edoardo Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi is the younger of the two children of Count Alessandro (Alex) Mapelli Mozzi and his first wife Nicola (Nikki) Burrows. Eduardo has a sister Natalia Alice Yeomans (born 1981) and a half-brother Alby Shale (born 1991) from his mother’s second marriage to Christopher Shale, British businessman and Conservative politician, who died in 2011. Edoardo’s father made a second marriage to Ebba Eckermann and his mother made a third marriage to sculptor David Williams-Ellis.

Edoardo’s family seat Villa Mapelli Mozzi; Credit – Wikipedia

Edoardo’s father is a member of an Italian noble family, whose family seat is the Villa Mapelli Mozzi located in Ponte San Pietro, Bergamo, Italy. The title was given to his family in the nobility of Italy in 1913 by Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy. Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi’s title, which he uses as a courtesy, is not officially recognized in either Italy or the United Kingdom. He holds both Italian and British citizenship and competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics in three alpine skiing events as a member of the British Olympic team.

Edoardo attended Radley College, a boys’ independent boarding school near Radley, Oxfordshire, England, which was founded in 1847. He received a master’s degree in politics at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburg, Scotland.

When he was 23-years-old, Edoardo founded Banda Property, a property development and interior design company that focuses on designing homes for affluent clients in undervalued parts of London. He is also a co-founder of the British-Rwandan charity Cricket Builds Hope whose goal is to use cricket as a tool for positive social change in Rwanda.

Edoardo had a three-year relationship and was engaged to American architect Dara Huang. The couple had a son Christopher, born in 2016, but broke up in 2018. In 2018, Edoardo started dating Princess Beatrice. Their families had been close friends for decades. In May 2019, Beatrice and Edoardo attended their first royal family event together, the wedding of Beatrice’s second cousin once removed, Lady Gabriella Windsor.

Engagement Photo of Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi; Photo Credit – https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily © Princess Eugenie

On September 26, 2019, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Princess Beatrice of York to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a multi-millionaire property tycoon.  Beatrice and Edoardo’s wedding, scheduled for May 29, 2020, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Princess Beatrice is a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the elder of the two daughters of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York. Edoardo and Beatrice, who had known each other since childhood, started dating in 2018.

Photo Credit – https://www.instagram.com/p/CC05fTMH_HJ/ Photograph by Benjamin Wheeler

Edoardo and Beatrice were married in a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, on July 17, 2020.

Buckingham Palace announced on September 20, 2021, that Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo welcomed a daughter into their family. Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi was born on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, England and weighed 6 lb. 2 oz.

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