Moniek Bloks, Author at History of Royal Women

Hohenzollern crypt in Berliner Dom to be restored

Friday, 17 August 2018, 18:39 Moniek Bloks 2

The Hohenzollern crypt in the Berliner Dom is to be restored. The crypt contains sarcophaguses of almost 100 members of the family. The restoration is estimated to cost 17 million euro and will start in the second half of 2019. It will take about two years. Among other things, the entrance to the crypt will [read more]

The Bonaparte Women – Hortense de Beauharnais (Part 1)

Friday, 17 August 2018, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Hortense de Beauharnais was born on 10 April 1783 as the daughter of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la Pagerie but by that time her parents’ marriage was already in deep trouble. When her mother wrote to her father informing him of her birth, he wrote back, “If I had written to [read more]

The Romanovs’ canonisation as passion bearers

Wednesday, 15 August 2018, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 3

After Nicholas II and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks on 1918, the Ipatiev House was torn down, and The Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land was built on top of the site. The family was canonised as new martyrs on 1 November 1981 by the Russian [read more]

Jackie, Janet & Lee by J. Randy Taraborrelli Book Review

Tuesday, 14 August 2018, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

“Do you know what the secret to happily-ever-after is?” Janet Bouvier Auchincloss would ask her daughters Jackie and Lee during their tea time. “Money and Power,” she would say. It was a lesson neither would ever forget. They followed in their mother’s footsteps after her marriages to the philandering socialite “Black Jack” Bouvier and the [read more]

Lost Kingdoms – Kingdom of Finland

Monday, 13 August 2018, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

The Kingdom of Finland is perhaps one of the most shortlived Kingdoms in history. Finland declared independence from the Russian Empire on 6 December 1917, but as monarchists were in the minority, it was originally declared a republic. This was followed by a civil war after which Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse was elected King of [read more]

Tsarevich Alexei – The boy with haemophilia

Sunday, 12 August 2018, 0:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Alexandra Feodorovna was under immense pressure to produce an heir to the throne, and after four healthy daughters, the relief at the birth of Alexei must have been tremendous. On 12 August 1904 (O.S. 30 July), Alexandra gave birth to a son. Nicholas wrote in his diary, “A great never-to-be-forgotten day when the mercy of God [read more]