Moniek Bloks, Author at History of Royal Women

Queens Regnant – Ranavalona III of Madagascar

Friday, 14 July 2017, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

The future Ranavalona III of Madagascar was born as Princess Razafindrahety as the daughter of Andriantsimianatra and his wife, Princess Raketaka on 22 November 1861. When she was older, she was taken into the custody of her aunt, Queen Ranavalona II, who made sure that Razafindrahety was given a private education. At an unknown date, she [read more]

Empress Regnant of the Zhou Dynasty – Wu Zetian

Thursday, 13 July 2017, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 1

Wu Zetian was born around 624 as the daughter of Wu Shihuo, Duke Ding of Ying and Lady Yang. She was born into a rich family with connections to the ruling dynasty, and because of this, she was also rather well-educated. When she was 14 years old, she was taken to be an imperial concubine [read more]

Experts confirmed authenticity of ‘Yekaterinburg remains’ in meeting with patriarch in June

Thursday, 13 July 2017, 6:30 Moniek Bloks 0

Interfax is reporting that experts have confirmed the authenticity of the “Yekaterinburg remains” to members of the Romanov family. Ivan Artsishevsky, an official representative of the Romanov Family Association informed Interfax. “Progress has been made on this issue. There was a meeting with the Patriarch [Kirill of Moscow and All Russia] in June, where all [read more]

Bianca Maria Visconti – The illegitimate duchess

Wednesday, 12 July 2017, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Bianca Maria Visconti was born on 31 March 1425 as the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and Agnese del Maino. Her mother served as lady-in-waiting to Filippo’s wife, Beatrice di Tenda, who was tortured and executed on her husband’s orders before Bianca’s birth. Agnese and Filippo had a second daughter, named Caterina Maria or [read more]

The Warrior Queen: The Life and Legend of Aethelflaed, Daughter of Alfred the Great by Joanna Arman Book Review

Tuesday, 11 July 2017, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 2

Æthelflæd, eldest daughter of Alfred “the Great,” has gone down in history as an enigmatic and almost legendary figure. To the popular imagination, she is the archetypal warrior queen, a Medieval Boudicca, while in fiction she has also been cast as the mistreated wife who seeks a Viking lover, and struggles to be accepted as [read more]

The Ceding of Lorraine

Sunday, 9 July 2017, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

The marriage of Maria Theresa and Francis of Lorraine came with quite a few consequences. Francis had succeeded his father as Duke of Lorraine in 1729, but as part of a solution to the War of the Polish Succession, Emperor Charles VI asked that Francis give away Lorraine to the deposed King of Poland for [read more]