Their descendants currently occupy the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and of course the United Kingdom. At the beginning of the first World War, their grandchildren ruled: Denmark, Germany, Greece, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom. Few remember that Kaiser Wilhelm I was Queen Victoria's grandson through her eldest daughter (also named Victoria) and that the fabled Anastasia of Russia and all the children of Czar Nicholas II were also the great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria through their mother.
Makes for a tangled family tree, yes?
So what great royal families do you know?
The Windsors
This is an easy one. The Windsors are the current monarchs of Great Britain, though they were once considered the House of Hanover, the family house title was changed to Windsor after war with Germany. The head of the family is Queen Elizabeth II, her son Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir with Prince William and now Prince George to follow. The Windsors are the family most Americans know because we remain so closely tied with Great Britain.
The Hapsburgs
The House of Habsburg was an important royal house of Europe and is best known as supplying all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1452 and 1740, as well as rulers of Spain and the Austrian Empire. Originally from Switzerland, the dynasty first reigned in Austria, which they ruled for over six centuries, but a series of dynastic marriages brought Burgundy, Spain, Bohemia, Hungary and other territories into the inheritance. The dynasty’s motto is “Let others wage wars, but you, happy Austria, shall marry”, which indicates the talent of the Habsburgs to have their members intermarry into other royal houses, to make alliances and inherit territory.
The Romanovs
The
Russian royal family dates back centuries and came to an abrupt end in
one bloody night during World War I after the Bolsheviks rebelled and
overthrew the royal family. The name Romanov however immediately
conjures the image of Anastasia, the princess most hoped had survived
the slaughter as rumors of her existence continued for years
afterwards.
The Tudors
When
Henry Tudor (House of Lancaster) married Elizabeth of York (House of
York) it united the two warring factions (War of the Roses) and began a
new dynasty. His son, Henry VIII is probably one of the most infamous
kings in England's history. Henry VIII was married six times, and
beheaded two of his wives. All three of his children that survived from
infancy also ruled after his death. His son Edward VI died while a young
man and his eldest sister Mary I took the throne. She tried to undo all
the changes her father did (including the schism with the Catholic
Church), but she died without issue and her sister, Elizabeth I ascended
the throne. The last of the Tudors, Elizabeth ruled England for nearly
forty-five years, longer than any other Tudor monarch.
The Plantagenets
Remember
all the Shakespearean plays about the Plantagenets? Sure you do--look
for any title that has a Henry in it. One of the longest ruling
dynasties in England's history, the Plantagenet dynasty ended in the War
of the Roses when the Houses of York and Lancaster (both cadet branches
of the family) warred over who would hold the throne. It only took
nearly wiping out most of the family to solve the issue and thus the
House of Tudor was born from the ashes.
The Merovingians
The Merovingians
What
do you know about them that didn't come from a Dan Brown book? The
first Merovingians were Chieftains of the Franks (from which France gets
its name) and among the Franks, when a Chieftain died, his possessions
and holdings were divided among his sons. Needless to say, this caused
some disagreements.
Other notable royal families:
The Grimaldis
Though
they are better known by their first names: Prince Albert II (son of
Prince Ranier and Princess Grace.) The Grimaldi's rule Monaco, a
principality.
The Medicis
Not
a royal family originally, this powerful Italian family rose to wealth
and prominence through trade and banking. They sponsored some of the
greatest artists of their age, had several Popes and Cardinals come from
their line and married into the wealthiest families in Europe including
an alliance with France through Catherine d'Medici when she married the
King.
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