compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Smallpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus. The initial symptoms of the disease included fever and vomiting. This was followed by the formation of sores in the mouth and a skin rash. The skin rash turned into fluid-filled bumps with a dent in the center. The bumps then scabbed over and fell off, leaving scars

Smallpox, now eradicated, was a serious contagious disease that killed many and left many survivors scarred. The disease knew no class boundaries and royalty was as likely to suffer from it as the common folk. Smallpox was a leading cause of death in the 18th century. It killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans each year in the 18th century.

A number of sovereigns died from smallpox including (in death order): Willem II, Prince of Orange; Johann Georg IV, Elector of Saxony; Queen Mary II of England; Emperor Higashiyama of Japan; Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor; King Luis I of Spain; Peter II, Emperor of All Russia; Louise Hippolyte, Sovereign Princess of Monaco; Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden; King Louis XV of France; and Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria.

Many royal children also succumbed to smallpox. King Ferdinand IV of Naples and Sicily and Maria Carolina of Austria lost seven children to smallpox.

King William III of England, born Willem III, Prince of Orange, who reigned England jointly with his first cousin and wife Queen Mary II following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which Mary’s father and William’s uncle King James II was deposed, has a particularly sad smallpox history. William was born eight days after his father Willem II, Prince of Orange died from smallpox. His mother Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange died from smallpox when William was ten-years-old. William’s wife Queen Mary II also died from smallpox.

Before Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine that contained the cowpox virus in 1796 and that ultimately lead to the eradication of smallpox, there was another way to possibly prevent smallpox called variolation and it was first seen in China in the fifteenth century. In 1716, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu accompanied her husband to Turkey where he was to serve as the British ambassador. While she was in Turkey, Lady Mary observed the Turkish practice of smallpox variolation or inoculation. Live smallpox virus in the liquid taken from a smallpox blister in a mild case of the disease was put into a cut of a healthy person.

After the inoculation, Lady Mary observed that those inoculated “are well for eight days. Then the fever seizes them and they keep their beds two days seldom three. They have rarely more than twenty or thirty pustules on their face, which leave no mark, and then they are as well as before their inoculation.” However, there was some risk using a live virus. About 3% of those inoculated developed serious smallpox and died. Others spent weeks recovering, but that was preferable to catching smallpox with its mortality rate of 20–40% and scarred survivors.

When she returned to England, Lady Mary persuaded Caroline, Princess of Wales (wife of the future King George II) to arrange to have the inoculation tested using prisoners and orphans, all of whom survived the inoculation. In 1722, King George I allowed two of his grandchildren, the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, to be inoculated, and they survived. The inoculation gained acceptance and was used until Edward Jenner developed his much safer vaccination using the cowpox virus instead of the smallpox virus.

This does not purport to be a complete list. All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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Franz Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

• Born: June 20, 1530
• Parents: Ernst I, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg and Sophie from Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Married: Elisabeth Magdalene of Brandenburg in 1559
• Died: April 29, 1559, aged 28
• Buried: Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
• Wikipedia: Franz Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Franz Otto died from smallpox shortly after his marriage

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Aleksander Karol Vasa of Poland

• Born: November 14, 1614, in Warsaw, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, now in Poland
• Parents: King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and Constance of Austria
• Died: November 19, 1634, aged 20, in Wielkie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, now in Poland
• Buried: Krakow in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, now in Poland
• Wikipedia: Aleksander Karol Vasa of Poland

Aleksander caught smallpox from his elder brother Jan Kazimierz Vasa who survived.

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Baltasar Carlos of Spain, Prince of Asturias

• Born: October 17, 1629 at the Royal Alcázar in Madrid, Spain
• Parents: King Felipe IV of Spain and Elisabeth of France
• Died: October 9, 1646, aged 16, in Zaragoza, Spain
• Buried: Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
• Wikipedia: Baltasar Carlos, Prince of Asturias

Baltasar Carlos was his parents’ only son and the heir to the throne of Spain. On October 5, 1629, the eve of the second anniversary of his mother’s death, Baltasar Carlos and his father attended vespers in her memory. The next day, Baltasar Carlos was too ill to attend his mother’s memorial mass. The disease, smallpox, spread quickly and he was given the Last Rites on October 9, 1629. Baltasar Carlos died that evening.

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Willem II, Prince of Orange

• Born: May 27, 1626, in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands
• Parents: Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
• Married: Mary, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, in 1641
• Died: November 6, 1650, aged 24, in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands
• Buried: Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands
• Unofficial Royalty: Willem II, Prince of Orange

Willem II fell ill with smallpox while his wife Mary was pregnant with her first child. Eight days after Willem’s death, Mary gave birth to her only child Willem III, Prince of Orange who went on to marry his first cousin Mary, the eldest surviving child of the future King James II of England. Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which James II was deposed, they jointly reigned as King William III and Queen Mary II. Sadly, William III’s mother and wife also died from smallpox.

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Prince Henry of England, Duke of Gloucester

• Born: July 8, 1640 at Oatlands Palace in Surrey, England
• Parents: King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France
• Died: September 13, 1660, aged 20, at the Palace of Whitehall in London, England
• Buried: Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Wikipedia: Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

In 1660, when the monarchy was restored in England, Henry accompanied his eldest brother King Charles II back to their homeland. In early September 1660, a smallpox epidemic was raging in London and Henry contracted the disease and died. Two months after Henry’s death, his sister Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, who was visiting London, also died from smallpox.

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Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange

• Born: November 4, 1631 at St. James Palace in London, England
• Parents: King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France
• Married: Willem II, Prince of Orange in 1641
• Died: December 24, 1660, aged 29, at the Palace of Whitehall in London, England
• Buried: Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Unofficial Royalty: Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange

In May 1660, Mary watched as her brothers Charles, James, and Henry sail away from The Hague in the Dutch Republic (now the Netherlands) returning to England upon the restoration to the throne of Charles (King Charles II). Mary returned to her birth country in September 1660. Although the court was in mourning for her brother Henry, Duke of Gloucester who had died of smallpox, her brothers Charles and James traveled down the River Thames to meet her.

Sadly, Mary did not have much time to celebrate her brother’s restoration. On December 20, 1660, Mary fell ill with smallpox, and by the next day she was dangerously ill. Mary died four days later. Her son William was just ten years old and had lost both parents to smallpox. William’s wife and co-ruler Queen Mary II would also die of smallpox.

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Louis-Armand of Bourbon, Prince of Conti

• Born: April 30, 1661 at the Hôtel de Conti in Paris, France
• Parents: Armand of Bourbon, Prince of Conti and Anne Marie Martinozzi
• Married: Marie Anne of Bourbon, illegitimate daughter of King Louis XIV of France and his mistress Louise de La Vallière, in 1680
• Died: November 9, 1685, aged 24, at the Palace of Fontainebleau in Seine-et-Marne, France
• Buried: Conti Mausoleum at St. Thomas of Canterbury Church in Vallery, France
• Wikipedia: Louis-Armand of Bourbon, Prince of Conti

Louis-Armand’s wife was ill with smallpox and he then contracted the disease. While his wife survived, Louis-Armand died five days later.

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Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, Princess of Beira

• Born: January 6, 1669 at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
• Parents: King Pedro II of Portugal and Maria Francisca of Savoy
• Died: October 22, 1690, aged 21, at Palhavã Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
• Buried: Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
• Wikipedia: Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, Princess of Beira

Isabel Luísa was the heir presumptive to the throne of Portugal between 1668 and 1689, when her half-brother, the future King João V was born. During that period, she was styled Princess of Beira. She died from smallpox the year after her half-brother was born.

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Johann Georg IV, Elector of Saxony

• Born: October 18, 1668 in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Parents: Johann Georg III, Elector of Saxony and Anna Sophie of Denmark
• Married: Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach in 1692
• Died: April 27, 1694, aged 25, in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Buried: Freiberg Cathedral in Freiberg, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Wikipedia: Johann Georg IV, Elector of Saxony

Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz, Johann Georg’s mistress, died from smallpox, in his arms. Johann Georg caught smallpox from Magdalena Sibylla and died 23 days later.

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Queen Mary II of England

• Born: April 30, 1662 at St. James’ Palace in London, England
• Parents: James, Duke of York (the future King James II of England) and his first wife Anne Hyde
• Married: Willem III, Prince of Orange, the future King William III of England in 1677
• Died: December 28, 1694, aged 32, at Kensington Palace in London, England
• Buried: Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Unofficial Royalty: Queen Mary II of England

Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which Mary’s father King James II of England was deposed, Mary and her husband jointly reigned as King William III and Queen Mary II. Mary’s husband William was her first cousin, the only child of her paternal aunt Mary, Princess of Wales. William was third in the line of succession to the English throne after Mary and her sister Anne (the future Queen Anne).

In December 1694, smallpox was spreading through London and Mary contracted the disease. The first thing Mary did was to send away everyone who had not had smallpox. Her husband William, who had survived the disease, had a bed put in Mary’s room and oversaw her medical care. On the evening of Christmas Day 1694, Mary’s condition worsened and the doctors told her she would die. On December 27, 1694, Mary lapsed into unconsciousness. In the early morning of December 28, 1694, Mary peacefully died. William was terribly grief-stricken, collapsed at Mary’s bedside, and had to be carried, nearly insensible, from the room. William had lost both his parents and his wife to smallpox.

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Prince Christian of Denmark

• Born: March 25, 1675 at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Parents: King Christian V of Denmark and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel
• Died: June 27, 1695, aged 20, in the Free Imperial City of Ulm, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Buried: Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
• Wikipedia: Prince Christian of Denmark

While on his first major trip outside of Denmark, to Italy, Christian contracted smallpox. He was taken to Ulm where he died.

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Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria

• Born: August 22, 1684 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleonore Magdalene of Neuberg
• Died: September 28, 1696, aged 12 at Palais Ebersdorf in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria

Her younger sister Maria Josepha died from smallpox seven years later.

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Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria

• Born: March 6, 1687 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleonore Magdalene of Neuberg
• Died: April 14, 1703, aged 16, in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria

Her elder sister Maria Theresa died from smallpox seven years earlier.

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Prince Christian Karl of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg

• Born: August 20, 1674 in Magdeburg, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
• Parents: August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg and Elisabeth Charlotte of Anhalt-Harzgerode
• Married: Dorothea Christina of Aichelberg in 1702
• Died: May 23, 1706, aged 31, in Sonderburg, Duchy of Schleswig, now in Denmark
• Buried: Royal Crypt in Plön, Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
• Wikipedia: Prince Christian Karl of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg

Christian Karl was an officer in the Brandenburg-Prussian army. He died from smallpox.

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Emperor Higashiyama of Japan

• Born: October 21, 1675
• Parents: Emperor Reigen of Japan and Matsuki Muneko
• Married: Princess Yukiko
• Died: January 16, 1710, aged 34
• Buried: Moon Ring Tomb in Kyoto, Japan
• Wikipedia: Emperor Higashiyama of Japan

The two leaders of Japan, Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi and Emperor Higashiyama, both died of smallpox in the same year.

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Louis of France, Le Grand Dauphin

• Born: November 1, 1661, at the Château de Fontainebleau in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France
• Parents: King Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain
• Married: Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria in 1680
• Died: April 14, 1711, aged 49, at the Château de Meudon in Meudon, Hauts-de-Seine, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis outside Paris, France
• Unofficial Royalty: Louis of France, Le Grand Dauphin

Louis was the only surviving legitimate son of King Louis XIV of France. In the spring of 1711, Louis caught smallpox, apparently from a priest who was distributing Holy Communion after he had visited a smallpox victim. As Louis had always been healthy and robust, his illness shocked the people of France, the French court, and the royal family.

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Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor

• Born: July 26, 1678 in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleonore Magdalena of Neuburg
• Married: Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1699
• Died: April 17, 1711, aged 32, in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor

Joseph had two sisters who both died from smallpox: Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria in 1696 and Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria in 1703. In the spring of 1711, a smallpox epidemic reached Austria and Joseph succumbed to smallpox. He had promised his wife to stop having affairs if he survived.

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Princess Élisabeth Charlotte of Lorraine, Hereditary Prince Louis of Lorraine, and Princess Marie Gabrièle Charlotte
Louis, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine

• Born: Élisabeth Charlotte on October 21, 1700 at the Ducal Palace of Nancy in the Duchy of Lorraine, now in France; Marie Gabrièle Charlotte on December, 30, 1702; Louis on January 28, 1704 at the Château de Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Parents: Leopold, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d’Orléans
• Died: Élisabeth Charlotte on May 4, 1711, aged 10; Louis on May 10, 1711, aged 7; Marie Gabrièle Charlotte on May 11, 1711, aged 8; all died at the Château de Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Buried: Ducal Crypt at the Église Saint-François-des-Cordeliers in Nancy, Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Wikipedia: Princess Élisabeth Charlotte of Lorraine
• Wikipedia: Louis, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine

The smallpox epidemic of 1711 had already killed Louis of France, Le Grand Dauphin, heir to the French throne, and Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor and now it struck the household of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine. Élisabeth Charlotte developed smallpox and passed it on to her sister Marie Gabrièle Charlotte and brother Louis, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine. All three children died within a week of each other. When Louis died, his younger brother Léopold Clement Charles became Hereditary Prince, but he too died of smallpox in 1723. (See below.)

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Louisa Maria Stuart

• Born: June 28, 1692, at the Château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
• Parents: the deposed King James II of England and his second wife Maria Beatrice of Modena
• Died: April 18, 1712, aged, at the Château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
• Buried: Chapel of Saint Edmund in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue St. Jacques in Paris, France which was destroyed during the French Revolution. Some remains were discovered after the French Revolution and reburied in 1824 at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
• Unofficial Royalty: Louisa Maria Stuart

In 1688, Louisa Maria’s Catholic father was overthrown during the Glorious Revolution in favor of his Protestant daughter Queen Mary II from his first marriage and her husband and paternal first cousin William III, Prince of Orange who reigned jointly with his wife as King William III. King Louis XIV of France, her father’s first cousin, provided the Chtâeau of Saint-Germain-en-Laye as a residence for exiled James II and his family. In April 1712, Louisa Maria and her brother James Francis Edward both fell ill with smallpox. Her brother recovered, but Louisa’s condition became steadily worse and she died.

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Charles Joseph of Lorraine, Archbishop and Prince Elector of Trier

• Born: November 24, 1680 in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Charles V, Duke of Lorraine and Eleanor of Austria
• Died: December 4, 1715, aged 35, in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Charles Joseph of Lorraine, Archbishop and Prince Elector of Trier

Charles Joseph died from smallpox while on a visit to Vienna.

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Vittorio Amedeo of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont

• Born: May 6, 1699 at the Royal Palace of Turin in Turin, Duchy of Savoy, now in Italy
• Parents: Vittorio Amedeo II, Duke of Savoy and Anne Marie d’Orléans
• Died: March 22, 1715, aged 15, at the Royal Palace of Turin in Turin, Duchy of Savoy, now in Italy
• Buried: Royal Basilica of Superga in Turin, Duchy of Savoy, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Vittorio Amedeo of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont

Vittorio Amedeo, the heir to the throne of Savoy, died from smallpox.

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Léopold Clément, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine

• Born: 25 April 25, 1707 at the Château de Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Parents: Leopold, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d’Orléans
• Died: June 4, 1723, aged 16, at the Château de Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Buried: Ducal Crypt at the Église Saint-François-des-Cordeliers in Nancy, Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
• Wikipedia: Léopold Clément, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine

In May 1711, three of Léopold Clément’s siblings died from smallpox including his elder brother Louis, Hereditary Prince of Lorraine. Léopold Clément became the Hereditary Prince of Lorraine upon his brother’s death. As he was preparing for a trip to Vienna, Léopold Clément became ill with smallpox and quickly died. His younger brother François Étienne became the Hereditary Prince of Lorraine and succeeded his father as Duke of Lorraine. François Étienne, better known as Franz, married Maria Theresa, the Habsburg heiress and future Queen Regnant of Hungary and Bohemia and was elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1745.

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King Luis I of Spain

• Born: August 25, 1707 at the Palacio del Buen Retiro in Madrid, Spain
• Parents: King Felipe V of Spain and Maria Luisa of Savoy
• Married: Louise Élisabeth d’Orléans in 1722
• Died: August 31, 1724, aged 17, at the Palacio del Buen Retiro in Madrid, Spain
• Buried: Royal Crypt of the Monastery of El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
• Wikipedia: King Luis I of Spain

In August 1724, Luis contracted smallpox. His 15-year-old wife took care of him and remained with him until his death, months after he ascended the throne. Louise Élisabeth also contracted smallpox but she recovered.

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Peter II, Emperor of All Russia

• Born: October 23, 1715 in St. Petersburg, Russia
• Parents: Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg
• Died: January 30, 1730, aged 14, in Moscow, Russia
• Buried: Cathedral of the Archangel in the Moscow Kremlin in Moscow, Russia
• Unofficial Royalty: Peter II, Emperor of All Russia

Peter II was the grandson of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. On January 17, 1730, a frigid day, Peter II attended a parade. When he returned to the palace, he had a fever that developed into smallpox. On January 30, 1730, which was supposed to be his wedding day, the delirious Peter ordered his sleigh to be readied so he could go see his sister Natalia, forgetting that she had died a little more than a year earlier. Peter died a few minutes later.

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Louise Hippolyte, Sovereign Princess of Monaco

• Born: November 10, 1697 at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco
• Parents: Antonio I, Prince of Monaco and Marie de Lorraine-Armagnac
• Married: Jacques François Goyon, Count de Matignon, (Jacques I, Prince of Monaco 1731-1733) in 1715
• Died: December 29, 1731, aged 34, at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco
• Buried: St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco
• Wikipedia: Louise Hippolyte, Sovereign Princess of Monaco

When Louise Hippolyte died from smallpox on December 29, 1731, her husband became Sovereign Prince of Monaco. However, he neglected the affairs of Monaco and left for France in May 1732. The next year, he abdicated in favor of his thirteen-year-old son who reigned Honoré III.

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Philippine Élisabeth of Orléans, Mademoiselle de Beaujolais

• Born: December 18, 1714 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France and Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
• Died: May 21, 1734, aged 19, at Château de Bagnolet in Bagnolet, France
• Buried: Church of the Val-de-Grâce in Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Philippine Élisabeth of Orléans

Philippine Élisabeth Charlotte was named after her paternal grandparents, Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (brother of King Louis XIV of France) and his second wife Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. Her mother was a legitimized daughter of King Louis XIV and his mistress Madame de Montespan. While living at her mother’s favorite residence, the Château de Bagnolet, she died of smallpox. Her sister Louise Adélaïde died from smallpox in 1743.

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Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden

• Born: January 23, 1688 at the Castle Tre Kronor in Stockholm, Sweden
• Parents: King Carl XI of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
• Married: Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, later King Frederik I of Sweden
• Died: November 24, 1741, aged 53, Wrangelian Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
• Buried: Ridderholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
• Unofficial Royalty: Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden

Ulrika Eleanora reigned as Queen of Sweden in her own right from 1718 until 1720 when she abdicated in favor of her husband. She was then Queen Consort of Sweden for the rest of her life. Ulrika Eleonora died of smallpox. There were rumors that she had been poisoned but these rumors were dispelled when the effects of smallpox were visible during her public lying-in-state.

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Louise Adélaïde of Orléans, Abbess of Chelles

• Born: August 13, 1698 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France and Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
• Died: February 10, 1743, aged 44, at the Convent de la Madeleine de Traisnel in Paris, France
• Buried: Church of the Val-de-Grâce in Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Louise Adélaïde of Orléans, Abbess of Chelles

Louise Adélaïde’s father was the son of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (brother of King Louis XIV of France) and his second wife Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. Her mother was a legitimized daughter of King Louis XIV and his mistress Madame de Montespan. Louise Adélaïde became a nun in 1717 and then became the Abbess of Chelles, a post she held until her death. She died from smallpox at the Convent de la Madeleine de Traisnel in Paris, France.

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Princess Thérèse of France

• Born: May 16, 1736 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: King Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska
• Died: September 28, 1744, aged 8, at the Royal Abbey of Fontevrault in Fontevrault-l’Abbaye, France
• Buried: Royal Abbey of Fontevrault in Fontevrault-l’Abbaye, France
• Wikipedia: Thérèse of France

Thérèse was sent to Fontevrault Abbey with her sisters Victoire, Sophie, and Louise to economize on their maintenance at court and to prevent their mother, supported by her daughters, from having too much influence at court. Except for Thérèse who died from smallpox, the sisters spent the years 1738 to 1750 at the abbey before returning to Versailles. Thérèse’s older twin sisters Henriette and Élisabeth and her father also died from smallpox.

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Henriette of France

• Born: August 14, 1727 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: King Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska
• Died: February 10, 1752, aged 24, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis outside Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Henriette of France

Henriette was the twin sister of Élisabeth (below). Louis XV’s eldest children, the twins Élisabeth and Henriette, Marie-Louise, Adélaïde and their brother, Louis, Dauphin of France, were raised in Versailles. The four younger siblings Victoire, Sophie, Therese, and Louise were sent to be raised at the Abbey of Fontevrault. In early February, Henriette had been feeling unwell but agreed to accompany her father on a sled ride. Just three days later, Henriette was dead from smallpox. Her younger sister Thérèse, her twin sister Élisabeth and her father also died from smallpox.

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Élisabeth of France, Duchess of Parma

• Born: August 14, 1727 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: King Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska
• Married: Felip of Spain, Infante of Spain, Duke of Parma
• Died: December 6, 1759, aged 32, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis outside Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Élisabeth of France, Duchess of Parma

Élisabeth was the twin sister of Henriette (above). She married the third son of King Felipe V of Spain. At the beginning of December 1759, when Élisabeth was visiting the Palace of Versailles, smallpox broke out. Élisabeth died from smallpox within several days. Her younger sister Thérèse, her twin sister Henriette and her fathers also died from smallpox.

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Archduke Carl Josef of Austria

• Born: February 1, 1745 at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Franz, Duke of Lorraine, later Holy Roman Emperor Franz I and Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Bohemia, Hungary and Croatia in her own right
• Died: January 18, 1761, aged 15, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduke Carl Josef of Austria

Carl Josef was the first of three siblings to die from smallpox. His sister Maria Johanna died in 1762 and his sister Maria Josepha died in 1767.

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Archduchess Maria Johanna of Austria

• Born: February 4, 1750 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Franz I, Duke of Lorraine, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Bohemia, Hungary and Croatia in her own right
• Died: December 23, 1762, aged 12, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduchess Maria Johanna of Austria

Johanna’s older brother Karl Joseph died of smallpox in 1761 and her mother Maria Theresa became a strong supporter of inoculation, as mentioned in the above introduction of this article. In order to set an example, Maria Theresa ordered the inoculation of all her remaining children, hoping it would protect them against smallpox. Unfortunately, Johanna was one of the 3% of those inoculated who developed a serious case of smallpox and died. Johanna’s younger sister Maria Josepha died from smallpox in 1767 despite receiving the inoculation.

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Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony

• Born: September 5, 1722 at the Residenzschloss in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Parents: Friedrich August II, Elector of Saxony and Maria Josepha of Austria
• Married: Maria Antonia of Bavaria in 1747
• Died: December 17, 1763, aged 41, at the Residenzschloss in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Buried: Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Wikipedia: Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony

After a reign of only 74 days, Friedrich Christian died from smallpox.

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Prince Heinrich of Prussia

• Born: December 30, 1747 in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
• Parents: Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia, son of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, and Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
• Died: May 26, 1767, aged 19, in Protzen, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
• Buried: ?
• Wikipedia: Prince Heinrich of Prussia

Heinrich was the nephew of King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia who thought his nephew had a promising career in the Prussian army. In May 1767, Heinrich was leading his squadron to Berlin for a parade and review when he stopped at the town Protzen, northwest of Berlin where he caught smallpox and died within several days.

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Isabella of Parma, Archduchess of Austria

• Born: December 31, 1741 at Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain
• Parents: Infante Felipe of Spain,  Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, and Louise Élisabeth of France
• Married: the future Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1760 (first wife)
• Died: November 27, 1763, one month and three days before her 22nd birthday, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Unofficial Royalty: Isabella of Parma, Archduchess of Austria

Six months pregnant with her second child, Isabella developed a fever on November 18, 1763, and it soon became clear that she had smallpox. Isabella’s high fever induced labor three months early, and on November 22, 1763, she gave birth to a premature second daughter. The baby was baptized Maria Christina, as Isabella requested, but died the same day. On November 27, 1763, one month and three days before her 22nd birthday, Isabella died from smallpox. Because her body was still infectious, it was buried quickly without an autopsy or embalming.

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Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress

• Born: March 20, 1739 in Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
• Parents: Karl Albrecht, Elector of Bavaria, the future Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII, and Maria Amalie of Austria
• Married: Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1765 (2nd wife)
• Died: May 28, 1767, aged 28, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress

After only two years of marriage, Maria Josepha died of smallpox as had her predecessor Isabella of Parma (see above) . Her husband did not visit her during her illness but her mother-in-law Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Bohemia, Hungary and Croatia in her own right, did. In doing so, Maria Theresa also caught smallpox but she survived.

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Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria

• Born: March 19, 1751 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Franz I, Duke of Lorraine, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Bohemia, Hungary and Croatia in her own right
• Died: October 15, 1767, aged 16, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria

Maria Josepha’s siblings Carl Josef and Maria Johanna had died of smallpox as had her sister-in-law Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress earlier in 1767. She had long been terrified of getting smallpox. Maria Josepha was engaged to marry Ferdinand of Naples and Sicily, the future King of the Two Sicilies, and was preparing to leave Vienna to get married. Before she was to leave Vienna, Maria Josepha made a visit to the Imperial Crypt to pray at the tomb of her sister-in-law Empress Maria Josepha because they shared the same name. Two days later, Maria Josepha came down with smallpox. At the time, there was a popular belief that she caught smallpox because her sister-in-law’s tomb was improperly sealed. This cannot be true because there is an incubation period of about one week before smallpox symptoms appear.

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King Louis XV of France

• Born: February 15, 1710 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: Louis, Duke of Burgundy, grandson of King Louis XIV of France, and Marie Adélaïde of Savoy
• Married: Marie Leszczyńska of Poland in 1725, divorced 1768
• Died: May 10, 1774, aged 64, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France
• Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XV of France

Three of Louis XV’s children had died from smallpox and Louis succumbed to the same disease. On April 26, 1774, the symptoms of smallpox appeared while Louis XV was at the Petit Trianon near the Palace of Versailles. He returned to the palace but ordered his heir, his grandson, the future King Louis XVI, and his wife Marie Antoinette to leave the palace because they had not had smallpox. Louis XV was given the last rites on May 7 and died on May 10, 1774.

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Princess Caroline of Gloucester

• Born: June 24, 1774 at Gloucester House, Piccadilly Street in London, England
• Parents: Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Maria Walpole
• Died: March 14, 1775, aged 8 months, at Gloucester House, Piccadilly Street in London, England
• Buried: St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Wikipedia: Princess Caroline of Gloucester

Caroline’s father was the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales who predeceased his father King George II of Great Britain. Prince William Henry became ill with smallpox and quarantined himself. He wanted to make sure that his children would not suffer from smallpox and so he had them inoculated as described in the introduction to this article above. The inoculation was done on March 3, 1775. Two-year-old Princess Sophia had no side effects from the inoculation. However, Princess Caroline was one of the 3% of those inoculated who developed serious smallpox and she died.

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Philip of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Calabria, Infante of Spain

• Born: June 13, 1747 at the Palace of Portici in Portici, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Parents: King Carlos III of Spain and Maria Amalia of Saxony
• Died: September 19, 1777, aged 30, at the Palace of Portici in Portici, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Buried: Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Infante Felipe of Spain, Duke of Calabria

Philip was his father’s eldest son and heir but he was excluded from the succession to the thrones of Spain and Naples due to his mental disabilities. When Philip contracted smallpox, his parents fled the palace fearing contagion.

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Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria

• Born: March 28, 1727 in Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
• Parents: Karl Albrect, Elector of Bavaria, the future Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII, and Maria Amalie of Austria
• Married: Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony in 1747
• Died: December 30, 1777, aged 50, in Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
• Buried: Theatine Church in Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
• Wikipedia: Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria

In December 1777, Maximilian became ill but his doctors could diagnose his illness. He was initially treated for measles but by Christmas, it was obvious that he had a virulent strain of smallpox. Maximilian died after three weeks of suffering. He had always rejected the smallpox inoculation for himself (described in the introduction to this article) although he had prescribed for his subjects. Maximilian’s sister Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress also died from smallpox.

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Children of King Ferdinand IV of Naples and Sicily and Maria Carolina of Austria

Ferdinand and Maria Carolina had sixteen children and seven of them died from smallpox. All were buried at the Church of Santa Chiara in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy. They are listed below in death order. Ironically, Maria Carolina of Austria’s sister Maria Josepha of Austria was betrothed to Ferdinand but she died from smallpox right before she was to leave for Naples. Maria Carolina was sent as Ferdinand’s bride instead.

Prince Carlo of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Calabria

• Born: January 4, 1775 at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: December 17, 1778, aged 3, at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Buried: Church of Santa Chiara in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Prince Carlo of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Calabria

Princess Maria Anna of Naples and Sicily

• Born: November 23, 1775 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: February 22, 1780, aged 4, at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Princess Maria Anna of Naples and Sicily

Prince Giuseppe of Naples and Sicily

• Born: June 18, 1781 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: February 19, 1783, aged 2, at Caserta Palace, Kingdom of Naples
• Wikipedia: Prince Giuseppe of Naples and Sicily

Prince Gennaro of Naples and Sicily

• Born: April 12, 1780 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: January 1, 1789, aged 8 at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Prince Gennaro of Naples and Sicily Prince Gennaro of Naples and Sicily

Prince Carlo of Naples and Sicily

• Born: August 26, 1788 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: February 1, 1789, aged 5 months, at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy

Princess Maria Clothilde of Naples and Sicily

• Born: February 18, 1786 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: September 10, 1792, aged 6, at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Princess Maria Clothilde of Naples and Sicily

Princess Maria Enricheta of Naples and Sicily

• Born: July 31, 1787 at the Royal Palace in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Died: September 20, 1792, aged 5, at Caserta Palace in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Princess Maria Enricheta of Naples and Sicily

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Prince Alfred of Great Britain

• Born: September 22, 1780 at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Parents: King George III of Great Britain and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
• Died: August 20, 1782, aged 23 months, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Buried: first at Westminster Abbey in London, England; his remains were moved to St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in 1820, shortly after his father’s death
• Unofficial Royalty: Prince Alfred of Great Britain

In 1782, Alfred received the smallpox inoculation as described in the introduction to this article. He did not recover as he should have, so he was taken to Deal in hopes that the sea air and saltwater would help. However, the air and water did not help. Alfred’s face and his eyelids had smallpox eruptions and he had difficulty with breathing. There was not much improvement when Alfred returned to Windsor Castle. The doctors agreed that he would survive for only a few weeks more which came as a great shock to his family. After suffering from prolonged bouts of fever, Alfred died, a month short of his second birthday.

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Princess Maria Carolina of Savoy, Electoral Princess of Savoy

• Born: November 17, 1764 at the Royal Palace of Turin in Turin
• Parents: King Vittorio Amedeo III of Sardinia and Maria Antonietta of Spain
• Married: Anton, Electoral Prince of Saxony in 1781
• Died: December 28, 1782, aged 18, in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Buried: Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
• Wikipedia: Maria Carolina of Savoy, Electoral Princess of Savoy

Married in 1781, Maria Carolina did not leave for Saxony until September 1782. She was reluctant to leave her home. In Saxony, her husband and his brother did their best to make her feel welcome but Maria Carolina was homesick. Two months later, she died from smallpox.

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Prince Octavius of Great Britain

• Born: February 23, 1779, at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) in London, England
• Parents: King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg- Strelitz
• Died: May 3, 1783, aged four, at Kew Palace in London, England
• Buried: first at Westminster Abbey in London, England; his remains were moved to St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in 1820, shortly after his father’s death
• Unofficial Royalty: Prince Octavius of Great Britain

In 1783, Octavius and his sister Sophia had their smallpox inoculations as described in the introduction above. Sophia recovered without incident, but four-year-old Octavius became ill with a serious case of smallpox and died several days later. King George III was heartbroken and said, “There will be no heaven for me, if Octavius is not there.”

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José, Prince of Brazil, Duke of Braganza

• Born: August 20, 1761 at the Real Barraca in Ajuda, Portugal
• Parents: Infante Pedro of Portugal (King Pedro II of Portugal) and Queen Maria I of Portugal
• Married: Infanta Benedita of Portugal in 1777
• Died: 11 September 11, 1788, aged 27, at the Real Barraca in Ajuda, Portugal
• Buried: Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
• Wikipedia: Prince José of Brazil, Duke of Braganza

José was his parents’ eldest child and heir to the throne of Portugal. His death from smallpox greatly distressed his wife and mother. His sister Mariana Victoria (below) also died from smallpox less than two months later.

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Infanta Mariana Victoria of Portugal, Infanta of Spain

• Born: December 15, 1768 at the Royal Palace of Queluz in Lisbon, Portugal
• Parents: Parents: Infante Pedro of Portugal (King Pedro II of Portugal) and Queen Maria I of Portugal
• Married: Infante Gabriel of Spain in 1785
• Died: November 2, 1788, aged 19, at Casita del Infante in El Escorial, Spain
• Buried: Monastery of San Lorenzo of El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
• Wikipedia: Infanta Mariana Victoria of Portugal, Infanta of Spain

Mariana Victoria gave birth to her third child on October 28, 1788, and died from smallpox five days later. It is possible that she was already ill with smallpox when she gave birth. Her newborn son Infante Carlos of Spain died from smallpox on November 9, 1788. Mariana Victoria’s husband also died from smallpox. (See below)

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Infante Gabriel of Spain

• Born: May 12, 1752 at the Palace of Portici in Naples, Kingdom of Naples
• Parents: King Carlos III of Spain and Maria Amalia of Saxony
• Married: Infanta Mariana Victoria of Portugal
• Died: November 23, 1788, aged 36, at Casita del Infante in El Escorial, Spain
• Buried: Monastery of San Lorenzo of El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
• Wikipedia Infante Gabriel of Spain

Gabriel’s wife Mariana Victoria (above) gave birth to her third child on October 28, 1788, and died from smallpox five days later. Their newborn son Infante Carlos of Spain died from smallpox on November 9, 1788. Two weeks later, Gabriel also died from smallpox, leaving his only surviving child Infante Pedro Carlos of Spain an orphan. Pedro Carlos was raised by his maternal grandmother Queen Maria I of Portugal who made him an Infante of Portugal.

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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.

compiled by Susan Flantzer

This does not purport to be a complete list. All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz

• Born: April 20, 1936 at Saint Anna Clinic in Rome, Italy
• Parents: Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia (second son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, granddaughter of Queen Victoria) and Emanuela de Dampierre
• Married: María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco, 2nd Duchess of Franco in 1972
• Died: January 30, 1989, aged 52, at the Vail Valley Medical Center in Vail, Colorado, USA
• Buried: Chapel of Saint John the Baptist at the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain
• Wikipedia: Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz

A first cousin of King Juan Carlos of Spain, Alfonso had been President of the Spanish Skiing Federation and President of the Spanish Olympic Committee. He traveled to the United States for the 1989 Alpine World Ski Championships which were being held at Beaver Creek Resort, in Beaver Creek, Colorado. His death occurred while he was inspecting the Beaver Creek slopes during the competition with his friend, former Austrian skiing champion Toni Sailer. Alfonso and Sailer went down the slopes together but Sailer stopped when he saw that the cable from which the finish line banner was hanging was too low. Sailer went to warn the others on the slopes of the danger but Alfonso passed Sailer on the left, collided with the low-hanging cable, and suffered severe neck lacerations. Members of the Ski Patrol and emergency personnel attended to Alfonso at the scene, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Vail Valley Medical Center in Vail, Colorado.

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Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau

• Born: September 25, 1968 at the University Medical Center Utrecht in Utrecht, the Netherlands
• Parents: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Claus of the Netherlands (born Claus von Amsberg)
• Married: Mabel Wisse Smit in 2004
• Died: August 12, 2013, aged 44, at Huis ten Bosch, in The Hague, the Netherlands
• Buried: Dutch Reformed Cemetery in Lage Vuursche, the Netherlands near Drakesteijn Castle where he had spent his childhood
• Unofficial Royalty: Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau was the second son of former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Claus von Amsberg, and a younger brother of King Willem-Alexander. On February 17, 2012, while on the royal family’s annual skiing holiday in Lech, Austria, Prince Friso was buried under an avalanche. According to medical reports, he had been buried for 25 minutes, suffered neurological injuries due to the lack of oxygen, and was in a coma. On March 1, 2012, he was moved to Wellington Hospital in London, England nearer to his family’s home. In the summer of 2013, he was declared to be in a minimally conscious state and no longer in need of hospital care. Friso was then moved to Huis ten Bosch Palace, his mother’s residence in The Hague and it was there that he died.

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compiled by Susan Flantzer

Scarlet fever is a streptococcus infection with symptoms that include a sore throat, fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, a red and bumpy tongue and the typical red rash that feels like sandpaper. Complications include kidney disease, rheumatic heart disease, and arthritis. More serious complications that may result in death include endocarditis, pneumonia, or meningitis. Today, the disease is treatable with antibiotics, which prevent most complications but before antibiotics, the death rate was high.

Of course, without modern medical diagnostic tools, it was impossible to accurately diagnose illnesses and so this does not purport to be a complete list. Until the development of antibiotics and other drugs, it was impossible to successfully treat many infectious diseases. Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, physician, microbiologist, and pharmacologist, developed Penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic in 1928. Antibiotics are only effective against diseases caused by bacteria. They are not effective against diseases caused by viruses.

All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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

• Born: April 27, 1650, in Kassel, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in the German state of Hesse
• Parents: Wilhelm VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg
• Married: King Christian V of Denmark and Norway in 1667
• Died: March 27, 1714, aged 63, at Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Buried: Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
• Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark and Norway

Charlotte Amalie died from scarlet fever after being ill for six days.

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Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway

• Born: July 22, 1751 at Leicester House in London, England
• Parents: Frederick, Prince of Wales, who died four months before Caroline Matilda’s birth, and Augusta of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg
• Married: King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway in 1766, marriage dissolved in 1772
• Died: May 10, 1775, aged 23, at Celle Castle in Celle, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
• Buried: Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, next to his great-grandmother Sophie Dorothea of Celle who suffered a similar fate
• Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway

Due to the mental illness of her husband and first cousin King Christian VII, Caroline Matilda had an affair with her husband’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Eventually, the affair was discovered. Struensee was condemned to death and suffered a brutal execution.

Caroline Matilda and Christian’s marriage was dissolved, she lost her title of Queen, and was forcibly separated from her two children whom she never saw again. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775 at the age of 23.

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Princess Maria of Romania

• Born: September 8, 1870 in Bucharest, Romania
• Parents: King Carol I of Romania and Elisabeth of Wied
• Died: April 9, 1874, aged 3, at Peleș Castle in Sinaia, Romania
• Buried: First in the palace gardens at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, Romania, transferred to Curtea de Argeș Cathedral in Curtea de Argeș, Romania in 1916
• Wikipedia: Princess Maria of Romania

In the early spring of 1874, a scarlet fever epidemic was spreading through Bucharest, the capital of Romania. On April 5, 1874, Princess Maria, the only child of King Carol II and Queen Elisabeth of Romania, came down with the disease. She was sent to Peleș Castle and despite excellent care from doctors, Maria died four days later. Her parents were devastated by their daughter’s death and Queen Elisabeth never fully recovered from the loss of her only child. When Queen Elisabeth died in 1916, according to her wishes, her daughter’s remains were exhumed and Maria’s casket placed on Elisabeth’s casket for the public procession. Mother and daughter were then buried together in the same tomb at the Cathedral of Curtea de Argeș.

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compiled by Susan Flantzer

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by a bacteria or virus. Symptoms include a combination of productive and dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia was and still can be a secondary infection. It often shortens suffering among those already close to death and has thus been called “the old man’s friend.” With the introduction of antibiotics and vaccines in the 20th century, the survival rate has greatly improved. Nevertheless, in developing countries, among the very old, the very young, and the chronically ill, pneumonia remains a leading cause of death.

This does not purport to be a complete list. All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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Mary Stuart
Mary’s tomb in Westminster Abbey

• Born: April 8, 1605 at Greenwich Palace in Greenwich, London, England
• Parents: King James I of England (also James VI, King of Scots) and Anne of Denmark
• Died: September 16, 1607, aged 2, at Stanwell Park in Stanwell, Surrey, England
• Buried: Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Wikipedia: Mary Stuart

Mary was the first child born to King James I after he succeeded Queen Elizabeth I of England. She caught a bad cold that developed into pneumonia.

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Elizabeth Stuart

• Born: December 28, 1635 at St. James’s Palace in London, England
• Parents: King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France
• Died: September 8, 1650, aged 14, at Carisbrooke Castle in Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, England
• Buried: St. Thomas’s Church in Newport, Isle of Wight, England
• Wikipedia: Elizabeth Stuart

13-year-old Elizabeth and her 8-year-old brother Henry were able to see their father King Charles I, the day before his execution. They were his only children who were still in England. After Charles’ death, Elizabeth and Henry were not allowed to leave England. Parliament eventually moved Elizabeth to Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight. On August 23, 1650, less than a week after her arrival at Carisbrooke Castle, Elizabeth became ill with a fever. By September 1, 1650, she was so ill that she never left her bed again. A week later, Elizabeth died from pneumonia. Ironically, three days after Elizabeth died, the Council of State granted permission for her to join her sister Mary, who had married Willem II, Prince of Orange, in the Netherlands not knowing that she had died.

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Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, Queen of Prussia

• Born: October 30, 1668 at Iburg Castle, Osnabrück, Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
• Parents: Ernst August, Elector of Hanover and Sophia of the Palatinate
• Married: Friedrich I, King in Prussia in 1684
• Died: February 1, 1705, aged 36, in Hanover, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
• Buried: Berlin Cathedral in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
• Unofficial Royalty: Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, Queen of Prussia

Sophia Charlotte was the sister of King George I of Great Britain and the mother of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia. She died from pneumonia while visiting her mother in Hanover.

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Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

• Born: 30 March 30, 1633 at Bad Homburg Castle in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in Hesse, Germany
• Parents: Friedrich I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg
• Married: (1) Margarethe Brahe in 1661 (2) Luise Elisabeth of Courland in 1670 (3) Sophie Sybille of Leiningen-Westerburg in 1691
• Died: January 23, 1708, aged 74, at Bad Homburg Castle in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in Hesse, Germany
• Buried: in the crypt of the Crypt in the castle church at Bad Homburg Castle
  in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in Hesse, Germany
• Wikipedia: Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

Friedrich died from pneumonia after returning home from a journey to Leipzig, Kingdom of Prussia to meet King Karl XII of Sweden.

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King Willem II of the Netherlands

• Born: December 6, 1792 at Noordeinde Palace, The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands
• Parents: King Willem I of the Netherlands and Wilhelmine of Prussia
• Married: Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia in 1816
• Died: March 17, 1849, aged 56, in Tilburg, Netherlands
• Buried: Royal Vault of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
• Unofficial Royalty: King Willem II of the Netherlands

On February 13, 1849, when Willem addressed parliament, it was noted that he looked ill and his voice was weak. He was probably suffering from an upper respiratory illness. He decided to spend some time in his favorite town Tilburg resting. On March 13, 1849, Willem said goodbye to his wife and drove in a carriage to Rotterdam to visit a steam yacht under construction. At the top of some stairs, he became confused, his boot became stuck in his cloak, and he fell. Once Willem reached Tilburg, his health problems got worse. It is likely that his upper respiratory illness had developed into pneumonia. Willem was no longer able to concentrate on state papers. For two days, he was seriously short of breath. On March 17, 1849, Willem’s condition was very critical. Around three o’clock in the afternoon, Willem had such a severe attack of breathlessness that he jumped into his doctor’s arms. The king was put back into his chair, and then he died.

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Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France, Duchess of Angoulême

• Born: December 19, 1778 at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
• Parents: Louis XVI, King of France and Maria Antonia, Archduchess of Austria (better known as Marie Antoinette)
• Married: her first cousin Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angoulême in 1799
• Died: October 19, 1851, aged 72, Schloss Frohsdorf in Lanzenkirchen, Austria
• Buried: Kostanjevica Monastery, then in Gorizia, Italy, later in Nova Gorica, then in Yugoslavia, now in Slovenia
• Unofficial Royalty: Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France, Duchess of Angoulême

Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte was the only one of the four children of King Louis XVI of France and Maria Antonia, Archduchess of Austria (better known as Marie Antoinette), to reach adulthood. She married her first cousin Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême, the eldest son of the future Charles X, King of France, who was her father’s younger brother. Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte died of pneumonia, three days after the fifty-eighth anniversary of the execution of her mother.

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Ida of Saxe-Meiningen, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

• Born: August 13, 1794 at Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
• Parents: Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
• Married: Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1816
• Died: April 4, 1852, aged 57, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
• Buried: Ducal Burial Chapel of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
• Wikipedia: Ida of Saxe-Meiningen, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Ida was the younger sister of Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen who married King William IV of the United Kingdom. She died of pneumonia. Her last words were, “But I hope to sleep well tonight.”

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Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant

• Born: June 12, 1859 at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
• Parents: Leopold II, King of the Belgians and Marie Henriette of Austria
• Died: January 22, 1869, aged 9, at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
• Buried: Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
• Wikipedia: Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant

Leopold was his parents’ only son. Unfortunately, he died young from pneumonia. King Leopold II blamed his wife Marie Henriette for their son’s death. Little Leopold had fallen into a pond, developed pneumonia, and died. Upon his death, Leopold II was succeeded by his nephew, Albert I.

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Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden

• Born: August 5, 1828 in The Hague, the Netherlands
• Parents: Prince Frederik of the Netherlands and Princess Luise of Prussia
• Married: King Carl XV of Sweden
• Died: March 30, 1871, aged 42, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
• Buried: Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden
• Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden

Louise traveled to the Netherlands to be at her mother’s deathbed in late 1870. Upon returning, her husband fell ill and she nursed him back to health. Physically drained, Lovisa contracted pneumonia and died.

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Prince August of Sweden, Duke of Dalarna

• Born: August 24, 1831 at Drottningholm Palace in Drottningholm, Sweden
• Parents: King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg
• Married: Princess Therese of Saxe-Altenburg
• Died: March 4, 1873, aged 41, at Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
• Buried: Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden
• Wikipedia: Prince August of Sweden, Duke of Dalarna

August was the youngest of his parents’ five children. He died from pneumonia.

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Prince Joseph Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

• Born: May 21, 1869 at the Leopoldina Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Parents: Prince Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Leopoldina of Brazil
• Died: August 13, 1888, aged 19 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria
• Buried: St. Augustine’s Church in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
• Wikipedia: Prince Joseph Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Also known by his Portuguese name José Fernando, Joseph Ferdinand was a prince of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, the Catholic cadet branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His paternal grandfather Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a first cousin of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Joseph Ferdinand’s mother was the daughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil. At the age of 19, Joseph Ferdinand died from pneumonia

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Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale

• Born: January 8, 1864 at Frogmore House in Windsor, England
• Parents: King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark
• Died: January 14, 1892, aged 28, at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England
• Buried: Albert Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England
• Unofficial Royalty: Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale

Known as Eddy in his family, he was the elder of two surviving sons of the future King Edward VII and the grandson of Queen Victoria. The month before his death, Eddy became engaged to Princess Mary of Teck. In the midst of the wedding preparations, Eddy developed a high fever on January 7, 1892. His sister Victoria and other household members already had been ill with influenza, which Eddy also developed. Two days later, his lungs became inflamed and pneumonia was diagnosed. In his delirium, Eddy frequently shouted out the name “Hélène”, the name of the woman he originally wanted to marry.

In the early morning hours of January 14, 1892, a chaplain was summoned to Eddy’s bedroom at Sandringham. There, surrounded by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, his brother George, his sisters Louise, Victoria, and Maud, his fiancée Mary, and her mother the Duchess of Teck, Eddy died at 9:35 a.m His fiancée married his brother George and they and eventually became the beloved King George V and Queen Mary.

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King Milan I of Serbia

• Born: August 22, 1854, in Mărășești, in Moldavia, Ottoman Empire, now in Romania
• Parents: Miloš Obrenović and Marija Obrenović, born Elena Maria Catargiu
• Married: Natalija Keschko
• Died: February 11, 1901, aged 46, in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Krušedol Monastery in Vojvodina, Serbia
• Unofficial Royalty: King Milan I of Serbia

In 1889, Milan suddenly abdicated the Serbian throne without any apparent reason and his twelve-year-old son Alexander became king. After his abdication, Milan was mostly exiled from Serbia. While in Vienna, he became ill with pneumonia. The doctors who examined determined there was no hope. Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria provided a comfortable house for Milan and sent Hungarian Count Ergeni Zici to be with him during his final days. Despite requesting not to be buried in Serbia, Milan was buried there.

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Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria

• Born: January 17, 1831 in Buda, Hungary, now Budapest, Hungary
• Parents: Archduke Joseph of Austria, Palatine of Hungary and Maria Dorothea von Württemberg
• Married: (1) Archduke Ferdinand Karl Viktor of Austria-Este in 1847, died 1849 (2) Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria in 1854
• Died: February 14, 1903, aged 72, at the Albertina Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: St. Helena’s Cemetery in Baden bei Wien, Austria
• Wikipedia: Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria

Elisabeth Franziska is an ancestor of the Spanish royal family via her daughter Maria Christina who married King Alfonso XII of Spain. She developed pneumonia while staying with her eldest son Archduke Friedrich of Austria, Duke of Teschen at his Vienna palace. Although the family wanted her buried at the traditional burial site, the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Elisabeth Franziska had made arrangements for her burial in nearby Baden bei Wein, Austria where she lived most of the time.

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Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia

• Born: January 14, 1850 at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia
• Parents: Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine (Empress Maria Alexandrovna)
• Died: November 27, 1908, aged 58, in Paris, France
• Buried: Grand Ducal Mausoleum adjacent to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
• Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia

Alexei, who never married, is most well-known for his coast-to-coast official visit to the United States in 1871 where one of the highlights was buffalo hunting with Buffalo Bill Cody, General George Armstrong Custer, and General Philip Sheridan. During the later part of his life, Alexei lived in Paris where he was a familiar figure in restaurants and theaters. He died of pneumonia in Paris, the city he loved.

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Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Countess of Flanders

Born: November 17, 1845 at Schloss Sigmaringen in Sigmaringen, Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Parents: Sovereign Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Princess Josephine of Baden
Married: Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders in 1867
Died: November 26, 1912, aged 67, in Brussels, Belgium
Buried: Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Countess of Flanders

Marie is an ancestor of the Belgian royal family. She married Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders, the third but second surviving son of King Leopold I of Belgium. Because of the death of the only son of King Leopold II, the brother of Marie’s husband, Marie’s son Albert succeeded his uncle King Leopold II upon his death as King Albert I. Marie lived to see her son become King Albert I of Belgium in 1909. She died three years later after suffering from pneumonia for several days.

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Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria

• Born: August 18, 1830, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Parents: Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophia of Bavaria
• Married: Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria in 1854
• Died: November 21, 1916, aged 86 at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
• Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
• Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria

The fourth longest-reigning European monarch, Franz Joseph saw much tragedy in his family: the execution of his brother Emperor Maximilian of Mexico in 1867, the suicide of his only son Crown Prince Rudolf in 1889, the assassination of his wife Empress Elisabeth in 1898, and the assassination of his nephew and heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. After catching a cold, Franz Joseph developed pneumonia and died.

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Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught

• Born: July 25, 1860, at the Marmorpalais (Marble Palace) in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
• Parents: Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau
• Married: Prince Arthur of the United Kingdom, Duke of Connaught
• Died: March 14, 1917, aged 56, at Clarence House in London, England
• Buried: first at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England; transferred in 1928 to the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England
• Unofficial Royalty: Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught

Louise Margaret was ill with bronchitis that developed into pneumonia and caused her death. She became the first member of the British Royal Family to be cremated, which was done at Golders Green Crematorium. Burying ashes in an urn was still unfamiliar at the time, and her urn was placed in a coffin during the funeral.

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Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich of Russia

Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich with his wife

• Born: February 14, 1850 in St. Petersburg, Russia
• Parents: Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich of Russia and Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg
• Married: Nadezhda Aleksandrovna von Dreyer in 1882
• Died: January 26, 1918, aged 67, in Tashkent, Russia, now in Uzbekistan
• Buried: in a park next to St. George’s Cathedral in Tashkent, Russia, now in Uzbekistan
• Wikipedia: Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich of Russia

A grandson of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia, Nicholas stole three valuable diamonds from an icon that belonged to his mother. He was declared insane and was banished to Tashkent, Russia, now in Uzbekistan. Konstantin suffered from asthma. Shortly after the October Revolution and the establishment of Soviet power in Tashkent, Nicholas, already compromised with asthma, died in a summer house from pneumonia.

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Emperor Karl I of Austria

• Born: August 17, 1887 at Persenbeug Castle in Persenbeug-Gottsdorf, Austria
• Parents: Archduke Otto Franz of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony
• Married: Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma in 1911
• Died: April 1, 1922, aged 34, in Madeira, Portugal
• Buried: Church of Our Lady of Monte in Madeira, Portugal
• Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Karl I of Austria

Karl was the last Emperor of Austria, reigning for only two years because the Austro-Hungarian Empire was abolished at the end of World War I. Karl and his family were exiled to the island of Madeira in Portugal. In March 1922, Karl caught a cold which developed into bronchitis and further developed into pneumonia. After suffering two heart attacks and respiratory failure, Karl died. On October 3, 2004, Pope John Paul II beatified Karl and he is known as Blessed Karl of Austria. Beatification is the third of four steps toward sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

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Charlotte of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria, Empress Carlota of Mexico

• Born: June 7, 1840 at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
• Parents: Leopold I, King of the Belgians (formerly Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and Louise of Orléans
• Married: Archduke Maximilian of Austria, the future Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, in 1857
• Died: January 19, 1927, aged 86, at Bouchout Castle in Meise, Belgium
• Buried: Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
• Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria, Empress Carlota of Mexico

After the execution of her husband by a firing squad in Mexico, Charlotte returned to her homeland, Belgium. Charlotte began to have suspicions that everyone wanted to poison her. She was examined by doctors who declared her insane. Today, it is impossible to determine the exact nature of her mental illness. Charlotte spent the rest of her life at Bouchout Castle in Meise, Belgium where her brother King Leopold II and later her nephews oversaw her care. Over the years, her mental illness seemed to lessen and Charlotte developed a passion for collecting objects that had belonged to her husband. Charlotte became ill with influenza which developed into pneumonia, causing her death.

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Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, formerly Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

• Born: April 30, 1909 at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands
• Parents: Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
• Married: Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld in 1937
• Died: March 20, 2004, aged 94, at Soestdijk Palace in Baarn, the Netherlands
• Buried: Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
• Unofficial Royalty: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

Juliana abdicated in favor of her daughter Beatrix in 1980 and indicated that she wanted to be styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Juliana. After 1995, when Juliana’s general health began to decline, she made fewer public appearances. Her last public appearance was in 1998 at the wedding of her grandson Prince Maurits. By 2001, Juliana no longer recognized her family and had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Juliana died in her sleep at the age of 94 due to pneumonia, in the presence of her three eldest children.

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King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

• Born: August 1, 1924, in Riyadh, Emirate of Nejd, now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Parents: Abdulaziz, Emir of Nejd, later the first King of Saudi Arabia (also known as Ibn Saud) and Sheikha Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim
• Married: more than eleven wives
• Died: January 23, 2015, aged 90, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Buried: Al-Oud Cemetery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Unofficial Royalty: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Abdullah died at the age of 90, three weeks after being hospitalized for pneumonia.

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compiled by Susan Flantzer

The bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, the Pestilence, and the Plague, is estimated to have killed 30% to 60% of Europe’s population. Bubonic plague was mainly spread by fleas, infected with the bacteria Yersinia pestis, on small animals. Symptoms include chills, general ill feeling, high fever, muscle cramps, and seizures. The best-known symptom is a smooth, painful lymph gland swelling called a bubo, commonly found in the groin, but may occur in the armpits or neck, most often near the site of the initial infection – bite or scratch. Without treatment – and there was no treatment until the advent of antibiotics – plague resulted in the death of 30% to 90% of those infected.

In the Late Middle Ages, Europe experienced the most deadly disease outbreak in history when the Black Death, the infamous pandemic of bubonic plague, hit in 1347. From 1347 to 1665, the Black Death was responsible for about 25 million deaths in Europe.

This does not purport to be a complete list. All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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Joan of England

• Born: February 1335 at Woodstock Palace
• Parents: King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault
• Died: September 2, 1348, aged 13
• Buried: Bayonne Cathedral in Bayonne, France
• Wikipedia: Joan of England

In 1345, Joan was betrothed to Pedro of Castile, the son and heir of King Alfonso XI of Castile (who would die of the plague in 1350). In the summer of 1348, Joan left England to travel to Castile. As Joan started her journey, the plague had not yet appeared in England, and it is unlikely that those traveling with Joan knew of the danger.

The travel schedule included a stop at her family’s castle in Bordeaux, France. The outbreak of the plague was severe in Bordeaux but it did not occur to Joan or her companions to leave the town until members of their entourage began falling sick and dying. They moved to the small village of Loremo but Joan soon became ill with the plague, suffered greatly, and then died.

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Eleanor of Portugal, Queen of Aragon

• Born: February 3, 1328 in Portugal
• Parents: King Afonso IV of Portugal and Beatrice of Castile
• Married: King Pedro IV of Aragon in 1347
• Died: October 29, 1348, aged 20, in Jérica, Kingdom of Aragon, now in Spain
• Buried: Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet in Vimbodí i Poblet, now in Catalonia, Spain
• Wikipedia: Eleanor of Portugal, Queen of Aragon

Eleanor died on the way to Jérica, Kingdom of Aragon after having contracted the plague while in Teruel, Kingdom of Aragon.

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Jeanne of Burgundy, Queen of France

• Born: June 24, 1293
• Parents: Robert II, Duke of Burgundy and Agnes of France
• Married: King Philippe VI of France in 1313
• Died: December 12, 1349 in Paris, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Jeanne of Burgundy, Queen of France

Jeanne died of the plague as a result of the epidemic that affected France since 1347.

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Bonne of Luxembourg, Duchess of Normandy

Bonne with her husband

• Born: May 20. 1315 in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
• Parents: John the Blind, King of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg and Elisabeth of Bohemia
• Married: Jean, Duke of Normandy, the future King Jean II of France, in 1322
• Died: September 11, 1349, aged 34, at the Abbey of Maubuisson in Maubuisson, France
• Buried: Abbey of Maubuisson in Maubuisson, France
• Wikipedia: Bonne of Luxembourg, Duchess of Normandy

Bonne died of the plague as a result of the epidemic that affected France since 1347.

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Queen Jeanne II of Navarre

• Born: January 28, 1312 in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, France
• Parents: King Louis X of France/King Louis I of Navarre and Margaret of Burgundy
• Married: Philip of Évreux in 1318
• Died: October 6, 1349, aged 37, at the Castle in Bréval, Paris, France
• Buried: Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France
• Wikipedia: Queen Jeanne II of Navarre

Jeanne was a victim of the plague.

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King Alfonso XI of Castile

• Born: August 13, 1311 in Salamanca, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain
• Parents: King Ferdinand IV of Castile and Constance of Portugal
• Married: (1) Constance of Peñafiel in 1325, annulled 1327 (2) Maria of Portugal in 1328
• Died: March 26, 1350, aged 38, in Gibraltar, Emirate of Granada, now a British Overseas Territory
• Buried: Royal Collegiate Church of Saint Hippolytus in Córdoba, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain
• Wikipedia: King Alfonso XI of Castile

Alfonso was the would-be father-in-law of Joan of England who died on the plague while on her way to marry his eldest son. (See above.) He died of the plague during the Fifth Siege of Gibraltar.

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Louis, King of Sicily

• Born: February 4, 1338 in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Parents: King Peter II of Sicily and Elisabeth of Carinthia
• Died: October 16, 1355, aged 17, at the Castle of Aci in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Buried: Cathedral of St. Agatha in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Louis, King of Sicily

Louis became King of Sicily when he was four-year-old. Following the death of his cousin Federico, Lord of Aci from the plague, Louis sought shelter from the disease at the Castle of Aci in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily. However, he was already infected with the plague and died.

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Erik Magnuson, (rival) King of Sweden

• Born: 1339
• Parents: King Magnus IV of Sweden and Blanche of Namur
• Married: Beatrix of Bavaria in 1356
• Died: June 21, 1359, aged 19–20
• Buried: ?
• Wikipedia: Erik Magnusson of Sweden

Sometimes incorrectly called Erik XII, Erik was a rival king of Sweden, competing against his father Magnus IV, from 1356 to his death in 1359 from the plague. His wife died from the plague six months later. (See below.)

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Beatrix of Bavaria, Queen of Sweden

• Born: circa 1344
• Parents: Ludwig IV of Bavaria, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, and Margaret of Holland
• Married: Erik Magnuson, (rival) King of Sweden in 1356
• Died: December 25, 1359, aged 15, in Sweden
• Buried: Black Friars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden
• Wikipedia: Beatrix of Bavaria, Queen of Sweden

Six months after her husband died from the plague (see above), Beatrix died from the same disease. She had recently given birth to a son who also died from the plague.

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Philip I, Duke of Burgundy

• Born: 1346 at Rouvres-en-Plaine Castle in Rouvres-en-Plaine, Duchy of Burgundy, now in France
• Parents: Philip I, Count of Auvergne and Joan I, Countess of Auvergne
• Married: Margaret III, Countess of Flanders
• Died: November 21, 1361, aged 15, at Rouvres-en-Plaine Castle in Rouvres-en-Plaine, Duchy of Burgundy, now in France
• Buried: ?
• Wikipedia: Philip I, Duke of Burgundy

Philip died from the plague or possibly from a riding accident.

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King Louis I of Naples

• Born: 1320 in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Parents: Philip I, Prince of Taranto, and Catherine of Valois
• Married: his first cousin Queen Joanna I of Naples in 1347
• Died: May 26, 1362 in the Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Buried: Territorial Abbey of Montevergine in Montevergine, Kingdom of Naples, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: King Louis I of Naples

Louis gained the crown of Naples by marrying his first cousin Queen Joanna I of Naples. After his death from the plague, his wife reasserted her authority.

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Blanche of Lancaster, Duchess of Lancaster
Blanche of Lancaster and John of Gaunt

• Born: March 25, 1342 at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, England
• Parents: Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Isabel de Beaumont
• Married: John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III of England
• Died: September 12, 1368, aged 26, at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire, England
• Buried: Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England which was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
• Unofficial Royalty: Blanche of Lancaster, Duchess of Lancaster

The first of the three wives of John of Gaunt, Blanche was the mother of King Henry IV of England. Blanche died of the plague while John was away at sea. Despite the fact that John of Gaunt married two more times, when he died in 1399, he was buried with Blanche.

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Edward of Angoulême

Edward of Angouleme and his mother Joan of Kent, depicted on the Wilton Diptych, 1395

• Born: January 27, 1365 at the Château d’Angoulême in Angoulême, Duchy of Aquitaine, now in France
• Parents: Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, the Black Prince, eldest son of King Edward III of England, and Joan of Kent, 4th Countess of Kent, Princess of Wales
• Died: circa September 20, 1370, aged 5, in Bordeaux, Duchy of Aquitaine, now in France
• Buried: first in Bordeaux; moved to England 1388/9 and buried at Kings Langley Palace in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England; re-buried at the Church of the Austin Friars in London, England
• Wikipedia: Edward of Angoulême

Edward was the elder son of Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, the Black Prince, who predeceased his father King Edward II of England. Because of young Edward’s death from the plague, it was his younger brother King Richard II who succeeded their grandfather.

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Anne of Bohemia, Queen of England

Anne of Bohemia with her husband King Richard II of England

• Born: May 11, 1366 in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
• Parents: Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, and Elizabeth of Pomerania
• Married: King Richard II of England in 1382
• Died: June 7, 1394, aged 28, at Sheen Palace in Richmond Upon Thames, England
• Buried: Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Unofficial Royalty: Anne of Bohemia, Queen of England

Anne became ill with the plague while at Sheen Palace with her husband and died three days later. King Richard II was so devastated by Anne’s death that he ordered Sheen Palace to be destroyed. For almost 20 years, it lay in ruins until King Henry V started a rebuilding project in 1414.

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Enguerrand VII, Lord of Coucy

• Born: 1340 at Coucy Castle in Picardy, Lordship of Coucy, now in France
• Parents: Enguerrand VI, Lord of Coucy and Catherine of Austria
• Married: (1) Isabella of England, eldest daughter of King Edward III of England, in 1365 (2) Isabelle of Lorraine in 1386
• Died: February 18, 1397, aged 56–57, in captivity, in Bursa, Anatolia, Ottoman Empire, now in Turkey
• Buried: Soissons, France
• Wikipedia: Enguerrand VII, Lord of Coucy

Enguerrand fought in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 as part of a failed crusade against the Ottoman Empire and was taken prisoner. While imprisoned, he developed the plague and died.

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Erik I, Duke of Mecklenburg

• Born: circa 1365
• Parents: Albert, King of Sweden, Duke of Mecklenburg and Richardis of Schwerin
• Married: Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast in 1396
• Died: July 26, 1397, aged circa 32, in Klintehamn, Gotland Island, Sweden
• Buried: Visby Cathedral in Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden
• Wikipedia: Erik I, Duke of Mecklenburg

Erik was the heir to the Swedish throne. He died of the plague at his estate Klintehamn, Gotland Island, Sweden.

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Queen Maria I of Sicily

• Born: July 2, 1363 in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Parents: King Frederick III of Sicily and Constance of Aragon
• Married: Martin of Aragon “the Younger” in 1392
• Died: May 25, 1401, aged 37, at the Castle of of Lentini in Lentini, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Buried: Cathedral of St. Agatha in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
• Wikipedia: Maria, Queen of Sicily

The year before her death from the plague, Maria’s only child, one-year-old Pietro, was killed by a spear blow to the head during a tournament, throwing Maria into a deep depression.

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Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr

• Born: circa 1375
• Parents: Owain Glyndŵr, Prince of Wales and Marred ferch Dafydd
• Died: circa 1412 at the Tower of London in London England
• Buried: ?
• Wikipedia: Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr

Gruffudd’s father Owain Glyndŵr (anglicized to Owen Glendower) was Prince of Wales and Hereditary Prince of Powys Fadog in Wales. He led the Welsh during a long-running, but unsuccessful war of independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wales from 1400 – 1416. He was the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales. During the unsuccessful war of independence, Gruffudd was taken prisoner by Henry of Monmouth, the future King Henry V of England. He was imprisoned at the Tower of London and died there seven years later of the plague.

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Queen Margrethe I of Denmark

• Born: March 15, 1353 at Søborg Castle in North Zealand, Denmark
• Parents: King Valdemar IV of Denmark and Helvig of Schleswig
• Married: King Haakon VI of Norway in 1363
• Died: October 28, 1412, aged 59, aboard a ship in the harbor of Flensburg, Schleswig, Denmark, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
• Buried: Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
• Wikipedia: Queen Margrethe I of Denmark

Margrethe became suddenly and violently ill probably with the plague, and died soon afterward.

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Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal

• Born: March 31, 1359 at Leicester Castle in Leicestershire, England
• Parents: John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III of England, and Blanche of Lancaster
• Married: King Joáo I of Portugal in 1387
• Died: July 19, 1415, aged 55, at the Odivelas Monastery in Odivelas, Portugal
• Buried: Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, in Batalha, Portugal
• Unofficial Royalty: Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal

Like her mother, Philippa died from the plague. In 1415, the plague has invaded Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. King Joáo and Queen Philippa took refuge in Sacavém, Portugal but Philippa’s long and frequent fasts, prayers, and vigils weakened her. The plague eventually reached Sacavém. King Joáo took shelter in Odivelas, Portgual but Philippa chose to go later. When she arrived in Odivelas, she was already ill with the plague and she died at the Odivelas Monastery.

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King Duarte of Portugal

• Born: October 31, 1391 in Viseu, Portugal
• Parents: King Joáo I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster
• Married: Eleanor of Aragon in 1428
• Died: September 9, 1438, aged 46, in Tomar, Portugal
• Buried: Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, in Batalha, Portugal
• Wikipedia: King Duarte of Portugal

Like his mother Philippa of Lancaster and his maternal grandmother Blanche of Lancaster, Duarte died from the plague. In 1438, while the court was in Évora, the plague reached the city. Trying to escape the plague, Duarte, his pregnant wife, and their two youngest children went to Avis, then to Ponte de Sor, and finally to Tomar where he died of the plague.

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Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond

• Born: June 11, 1430 at Much Hadham Palace in Hertfordshire, England
• Parents: Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois, Dowager Queen of England
• Married: Lady Margaret Beaufort in 1455
• Died: November 2, 1456, aged 26, at Carmarthen Castle in Carmarthen, Wales
• Buried: St. David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales
• Wikipedia: Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond

Edmund Tudor and his wife Lady Margaret Beaufort were the parents of Henry Tudor, better known as King Henry VII of England, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Through his mother, the widow of King Henry V of England, Edmund was descended from the Kings of France. His wife Lady Margaret Beaufort was a descendant of King Edward III of England.

In 1455, twelve-year-old Margaret married 24-year-old Edmund. The Wars of the Roses, the fight for the English throne between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, had just started and Edmund, a Lancastrian, was taken prisoner by the Yorkists less than a year later. He died of the plague in captivity at Carmarthen Castle, leaving a 13-year-old widow who was seven months pregnant with their child.

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George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Bedford

• Born: March 1477 at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Parents: King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville
• Died: March 1479, aged 2, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Buried: St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
• Wikipedia: George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Bedford

Little George was a victim of an outbreak of the plague.

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Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy

• Born: January 12, 1562 in Castle of Rivoli in Rivoli, Piedmont, Duchy of Savoy, now in Italy
• Parents: Carlo Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy and Catherine Michelle of Spain, daughter of King Felipe II of Spain
• Died: August 4, 1624, aged 36, in Palermo, Sicily, now in Italy
• Buried: Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
• Wikipedia: Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy

In 1622, King Felipe IV of Spain appointed Emanuele Filiberto Viceroy of Sicily. He died two years later during the plague epidemic of 1624.

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