The Royal Women Archives - Page 563 of 584

The Sister Queens: Isabella & Catherine de Valois by Mary McGrigor Book Review

Wednesday, 17 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 1

I’ve been looking forward to this book for quite some time, so I was very happy to receive ‘The Sister Queens: Isabella & Catherine de Valois’ by Mary McGrigor in the mail from the publishers. Isabella and Catherine were the daughters of Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. They were born 12 years apart, [read more]

Queens Regnant – Melisende of Jerusalem

Monday, 15 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Melisende was born in 1105 in Edessa (modern-day Turkey) to the future Baldwin II of Jerusalem and Morphia of Melitene. Her father was elected King of Jerusalem in 1118. Baldwin and Morphia had four daughters, of whom Melisende was the eldest. Though Baldwin had been encouraged to set aside Morphia to make a better political [read more]

A love to remember – Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan

Sunday, 14 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Mumtaz Mahal was born as Arjumand Banu into Persian nobility. She was just 19 years old when she was married to Prince Khurram on 10 May 1613. He would go on to become Emperor Shah Jahan. They were actually betrothed five years before but had to wait for a date selected by court astrologers as [read more]

Egmond Abbey & The Countesses of Holland

Friday, 12 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Egmond Abbey is the oldest abbey in the Netherlands. It was founded in the early tenth century by Dirk I, Count of Holland. The original abbey was destroyed in 1573 on the orders of William of Orange. Before then it housed the graves of several counts and countesses of Holland. The abbey was rebuilt after [read more]

Anne of Kyiv – The first female regent of France

Wednesday, 10 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 4

Anne of Kyiv was born into obscurity. There is no certainty about her date of birth, though it’s estimated to be between 1024 and 1036 to Yaroslav the Wise and Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden. Henry I of France had recently lost his wife, Matilda of Frisia, and he was looking for a new wife who [read more]

Queens Regnant – Joanna II of Naples

Monday, 8 February 2016, 7:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Joanna was born on 25 June 1371 as the daughter of Charles III of Naples and Margaret of Durazzo. She was their eldest surviving child, and she also had a younger brother Ladislaus. Her parents became King and Queen of Naples when her father deposed Margaret’s aunt Joanna I of Naples in 1382. He did [read more]