March 2015 - History of Royal Women

Alexander, Napoleon & Joséphine: A Story of Friendship, War and Art

Tuesday, 31 March 2015, 19:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Last week I was invited to view the new Alexander, Napoleon & Josephine: A Story of Love, War and Art exhibition at the Hermitage Amsterdam. The exhibition holds many art objects collected by Empress Joséphine after her divorce from Napoleon and also treasures such as Napoleon’s death mask, a briefcase used by Alexander I and [read more]

The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki Book Review

Monday, 30 March 2015, 13:15 Moniek Bloks 0

The story of Sisi still lives on today because of the many movies and books made about her. The Accidental Empress is one such book. Though it has a similar name to a biography of her, The Reluctant Empress, The Accidental Empress is actually a historical novel. I must admit that I don’t usually read [read more]

Burial places of the Queens of France

Saturday, 28 March 2015, 23:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Basilica of St. Denis Ermentrude of Orléans – Basilica of St. Denis (Paris, France) Richilde of the Ardennes – Basilica of St. Denis (Paris, France) Adelaide of Paris – Saint-Corneille Abbey (Compiègne,France) Richardis of Swabia – Andlau Abbey (Alsace, France) Théodrate of Troyes – Unknown Frederuna – Abbey of Saint-Remi (Reims, France) Eadgifu of Wessex – Abbey of Saint-Médard de Soissons (Picardie, France) Partially in [read more]

Burial places of the Queens of England

Thursday, 26 March 2015, 20:39 Moniek Bloks 0

Funeral cortege of Elizabeth I of England Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury – Shaftesbury Abbey (Shaftesbury, UK) Ruins Ælfgifu – Winchester Cathedral (Winchester, UK) Elfrida – Wherwell Abbey (Wherwell, UK) Demolished Ælfgifu of York – Unknown Ealdgyth (wife of Edmund Ironside) – Unknown Emma of Normandy – First in Old Minster Cathedral (Winchester,UK). Bones now in Winchester Cathedral (Winchester, UK) [read more]

St. Stephen’s Church and Catherine of Bourbon’s tomb

Tuesday, 24 March 2015, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

There is still some local history left to discover and this one had been on my list for a while. St. Stephen’s Church in Nijmegen is home to the tomb of Catherine of Bourbon. She was born the daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy in 1440. She married Adolf, Duke [read more]

Margaret of Austria and the Princess of Asturias who never was

Saturday, 21 March 2015, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 1

Margaret of Austria is perhaps best known as the governor of the Habsburg Netherlands. She was born on 10 January 1480 as the second child of Archduke Maximilian of Austria and Mary of Burgundy. Mary had named her daughter after her stepmother Margaret of York. Before her tenure as governor young Margaret was married twice [read more]