Moniek Bloks, Author at History of Royal Women

Maria Antonia of Austria – The bewitched King’s heir

Monday, 19 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Maria Antonia of Austria was born on 18 January 1669 as the second child but eventually the only surviving child of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife and niece Margaret Theresa of Spain. Her mother was the only full sibling of King Charles II of Spain, and she had retained her succession rights [read more]

The Duchess of Windsor – The China dossier and a botched abortion

Saturday, 17 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

In 1924, Wallis was estranged from her first husband, Earl Winfield Spencer Jr., known as Win. While they were apart, Wallis had an affair with an Argentine diplomat named Felipe Espil, but this soon ended. Wallis was then asked to accompany her recently widowed cousin Corinne on a trip to Paris, and when they returned [read more]

Margaret Theresa of Spain – The Imperial Pawn

Friday, 16 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Margaret Theresa of Spain was born on 12 July 1651 as the first child of King Philip IV of Spain from his second marriage with his niece Mariana of Austria. At the time of her birth, just one elder half-sibling from her father’s first marriage to Elisabeth of France was still alive – Maria Theresa [read more]

Eleonora Gonzaga the Younger – The influential widow

Wednesday, 14 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

With the death of his second wife, Maria Leopoldine, in 1649, Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, needed to find a third wife. The name of his future third wife would have sounded familiar to him, as she was the namesake of his stepmother, Eleonora Gonzaga (known as the Elder). In fact, the two Eleonoras were [read more]

Maria Leopoldine of Austria – Empress of 401 days

Monday, 12 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

After the death of his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain, Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, sought to marry again. Like his first wife, his second wife would be another first cousin. Maria Leopoldine of Austria was the daughter of Leopold V, Archduke of Austria, and Claudia de’ Medici. Born on 6 April 1632, Maria [read more]

Vicereines of Ireland: Portraits of Forgotten Women Exhibition

Saturday, 10 July 2021, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

*contains affiliate links* Until 5 September 2021, Dublin Castle will shine a light on a group of forgotten women – the Vicereines of Ireland. Though not necessarily of royal blood or descent, these women were the faces of the British monarchy in Ireland and were often in contact with monarchs, such as Queen Victoria, as [read more]