Empress Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick was born on 21 April 1673 and was brought up in France by her great-aunt. Aside from being a recognised beauty, she was also noted for her pious and serene personality. These traits caught the attention of the Imperial couple, who were seeking a suitable bride for their eldest son, […]
Ferdinand I of Austria was born on 19 April 1793. He was the eldest son of Francis II (later Francis I of Austria) and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Due to his parents’ close consanguinity (they were double first cousins), Ferdinand had only four great-grandparents instead of the usual eight. In the mildest terms, […]
Infanta Isabella Clara of Spain and Archduke Albert VII of Austria married on 18 April 1599. Both spouses had notable histories — politically speaking. From her teenage years onwards, Isabella Clara had been active as an assistant and translator for her father, Philip II of Spain, becoming involved in state affairs and international politics to […]
Emperor Joseph I, not yet 33 years old, passed away on 17 April 1711, after only six years on the throne. His death was one of those rare events that dramatically altered the political landscape of Europe. Joseph had been a vigorous and determined ruler. Even as Crown Prince, he had shown strong opposition to […]
Joanna of Castile, known to history as “the Mad”, died on 12 April 1555. She was highly intelligent and well educated in languages, philosophy, mathematics, law, and the arts. As the daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, she married Philip, the son of Emperor Maximilian I. The […]
Maria Christina of Austria and Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen were married on 8 April 1766. It was one of the very rare Habsburg unions based on mutual affection and consent. Maria Christina was the second surviving daughter of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa, and — much to the resentment […]
In Maria Theresa’s closest family circle, 7 April was a meaningful day of celebration for at least two reasons. First, in 1768, Maria Theresa chose this date for the wedding of her tenth daughter, Maria Karolina, to Ferdinand of Naples. The ceremony by proxy took place in Vienna but was legally binding, after which the […]
Empress Bianca Maria Sforza, daughter of the Duke of Milan, was born on 5 April 1472. The little girl was first married off by her relatives at the age of two and widowed at ten. The kings of Hungary and Scotland were later considered as her potential suitors before, in 1494, Maximilian — then King […]
Margaret of Austria, the daughter of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, was married to John, Prince of Asturias on 3 April 1497. She was seventeen years old, and it was her second marriage. Between the ages of three and twelve, she had nominally been the wife of Charles VIII of France, ten years her senior […]
The Emperor Ferdinand III died on 2 April 1657. He was the third but eldest surviving son of Ferdinand II and Maria Anna of Bavaria. As a sickly child, he grew up in a loving family circle and received a careful education in languages and sciences. From an early age, he was praised for his […]
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