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Kings, Queens and Royalty
700 Years of Grimaldi - Monaco's Grimaldi dynasty has ruled this small principality for the past seven hundred years! Your grandparents may remember how exciting it was in 1956, when the dashing Prince Rainier III married the American film star Grace Kelly. You can read about the stirring history of the Grimaldis, including biographies of Rainier and Prince Albert, his son. Surprisingly, Monaco did not join the United Nations until 1993.
A Glossary of European Noble, Princely, Royal and Imperial Titles - Can you tell a baronet from a marquis? How about a duchess from a countess? This interesting site tries to make sense of it all across various European nobility systems. If you're confused about how to address a sovereign, check here. That way you'll know if you should use Highness, Royal Highness, or Most Serene Highness.
Alexander Palace Time Machine - Once, a second-grade boy visited the library and found a book about the great tsars of Russia. He became fascinated with their stories and their palace lifestyle. As time went on, he read everything he could about the great palace, hoping someday to visit Russia to see it for himself. Incredibly, this boy grew up to do that very thing, and now he's written a comprehensive Web page all about it. This outstanding multimedia tour will give you a look into the past as you explore the life and times of Tsar Nicholas II and his family and friends.
H.M. Queen Noor of Jordan - Her Majesty Queen Noor is involved in many national and international projects, including leadership in improving the education and health of Jordan's children. On top of all that, she's a mom of seven, including four of her own children, two step-children, and an adopted daughter. This page includes material on her late husband, His Majesty King Hussein, and the final days before his death in 1999.
Heraldica - Wondering if you have a coat of arms? This site gives hints on how you might find out, as well as discover something about your family tree. Learn about chivalry, royal families, the Society for Creative Anachronism, and much more at this site. One oddity is the heraldry of car logos, like Porsche and BMW. Another section is on famous Americans and their coats of arms. For example, John F. Kennedy's arms are described as follows: "In 1961, the Chief Herald of the Republic of Ireland granted arms to John F. Kennedy, then President of the United States. The arms are: Sable three tilting helms in profile or lined gules and a bordure per saltire gules and ermine. The crest is an arm proper, armed argent, holding four arrows proper." What does that mean? Use the information on this site to puzzle it out.
His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal - This is the official site of Jordan's Royal Family. From it we learn that His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal was the 42nd-generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the male line of the Prophet's grandson Al-Hassan. He ascended the throne on May 3, 1953. King Hussein married Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein on June 15, 1978, and they have four children. Committed to peace in the Middle East, King Hussein was a tireless advocate and mediator. He died on February 7, 1999.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria; His Life and Art - Ludwig II was known as "the Mad King" as well as "the Dream King." You have probably seen his fairy-tale castle, Neuschwanstein, on many a travel poster. They say it even inspired one of the Disney castles. Net-mom and family visited this castle while on vacation in Germany. It is pretty, and it has many unusual features in it. For example (as Net-mom recalls), in the ceiling over the king's bed were many pinprick holes. The floor above was lit with many lanterns, so the king could look up at his ceiling and pretend it was illuminated by stars. There is also a room decorated to look like a cave and a ballroom with a silent, smiling audience painted on the walls. This site offers details on the life of Ludwig II, who reigned in Bavaria from 1864 until he was deposed in 1886. An account of his mysterious death is also included.
Monarchs of Britain - They are all here: all the monarchs of England, from the Anglo-Saxon kings to Her Majesty Elizabeth II. This site is lavishly illustrated with portraits and photos. For example, learn about William the Conqueror, who started on his claim to fame when he became Duke of Normandy at age seven. Even after spending grueling days out in the field conquering his enemies, he still had to keep his guard up when relaxing back at the castle. The desire to be king among the ruling family members often led to assassination attempts and fatal "accidents." Learn more about William and his "unruly" family at this illustrated site. A long list of links is also provided so you can find out what the rest of the royals were up to during their time of rule.
Queen Liliuokalani - Did you know that Hawaii was once a sovereign nation with its own monarch? The last queen of Hawaii was Lydia Liliuokalani, who was illegally deposed in 1893 by the American "Committee of Safety." Though briefly restored, the monarchy was over by 1894, when the queen was arrested and imprisoned inside Honolulu's beautiful Iolani Palace. You can read about her life and history here. She wrote the music to the famous song known as "Aloha Oe." Although President Clinton has officially apologized to the Hawaiians, there is a movement to restore sovereignty to the islands.
Royal Families of the World - This resource has collected official (and not so official) home pages of royalty in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and even--Canada (it's OK, it's all about Queen Elizabeth II). By the way, if you ever meet the queen and her husband the duke, here's what to do: "The Queen is called `Your Majesty' initially and `Ma'am' (rhymes with `jam') as the conversation continues. The Duke of Edinburgh is called `Your Royal Highness' initially and `Sir' as the conversation continues."
Sultanate of Oman - While there is evidence of civilization in Oman as far back as 5000 years ago, little is known about its history before the Islamic culture took hold around A.D. 800. Recently, Oman has been using satellite technology to locate archaelogical sites to help in discovering its past. Look for an extensive list of categories under the Oman Book section.
The British Monarchy - This is the official Web site of the British royals. Here you will learn about the monarchy as it exists today as well as how it was in the past. You'll visit the palaces, the crown jewels, even find out why Elizabeth II keeps corgis as pets! There is a section on a typical day in the life of Her Royal Highness, and you can find out about the many ceremonial duties she must perform. There is also a special section on the life of Diana, Princess of Whales.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - Learn exactly what was said, sung, and done on June 2, 1953, when Elizabeth became the Queen of England. Word for word, the ceremony is re-created at this site.
The Golden Jubilee Network - His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He became King in 1946, and in 1996 he celebrated his Golden Jubilee--50 years as monarch. According to the information presented here, he is very popular among his subjects. He is involved in making technology and other scientific advances available to his people. Read about his agricultural and other reforms, and get a glimpse of the beautiful Jubilee celebration and its royal regalia. There are also Internet tutorials on this page, which shows how serious the King is about encouraging his people to learn about technology.
The Imperial Family of Japan - Meet His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, and their immediate family. This is not an official site, but the information appears to be accurate. There is also a very useful selection of links about other royalty on the Internet.
The Prince of Wales - The Prince of Wales is wired! At his Web site you'll find his daily appointment book, an online forum, his biography, many speeches (on everything from genetically altered food to architecture), and of course, lots of photos. Did you know that as a student the prince once got a C in French? Or that he paints wonderful watercolor landscapes? You can learn more about the prince here and see his paintings.
The Royal Court of Sweden - This is the official Web site of the Swedish monarchy. Carl XVI Gustaf, who ascended the throne in 1973, is the 74th King of Sweden. The monarchy goes back over a thousand years. You will learn about the King, Queen Silvia, and the rest of the royal family here. Check the information on the palace and why it has a different architectural style on each of its four sides.
Trooping the Colour - One of the largest military parades in the world, the Trooping of the Colour, is held every June to celebrate the official birthday of Elizabeth II of England. It's not on her real birthday but on her "official" birthday. It's a grand show of heraldry, music, prancing horses, and dashing soldiers. The presentation of the flag ("the colour") to Her Majesty is the highlight of the event. The flag is weighty and cumbersome, but no one would turn down the honor of carrying it, and the soldier who carries the flag during the ceremony must train for months. Learn about one of the most stirring parades in the world at this Web site.
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