Cat's Historical Doodles

Maria Francisca Isabel Josefa Antónia Gertrudes Rita Joana was born on 17 December 1734 at the Ribeira Palace, in Lisbon. She was daughter of King José of Portugal (not yet king) and his wife, Mariana Victoria of Spain. On the day of her birth, her grandfather, King João V of Portugal , created her Princess of Beira. When her father succeeded to the throne in 1750, Maria (aged 16) became his heiress presumptive and was given the traditional titles of Princess of Brazil and Duchess of Braganza. Maria grew up in a time when her father’s government was dominated completely by the Marquis of Pombal. He took control of the government after the terrible Lisbon earthquake of 1 November 1755, in which around 100000 people lost their lives. After the earthquake, King José was often uncomfortable at the thought of staying in enclosed spaces, and later suffered from claustrophobia. He then had a palace built away from the city centre, which became known as Real Barraca de Ajuda (Royal ...

Rani Lakshmibai was born Manikarnika “Manu” Tambe on 19 November 1828, in the town of Banaras. She was daughter of Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Sapre. Her mother died when she was four years old; her father worked for a court Peshwa (prime minister) of Bithoor district who brought up Manikarnika like his own daughter. She was educated at home and was a very independent child; her studies included shooting, horsemanship, fencing and mallakhamba. Manikarnika was married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, in May 1842. She adopted the name Lakshmibai in honour of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Lakhsmibai gave birth to a boy, Damodar Rao, in 1851; he died aged just four months. The Maharaja adopted a child, named Anand Rao, who was renamed Damodar Rao, on the day before the Maharaja died. The adoption was in the presence of the British political officer who was given a letter from the Maharaja instructing that the child be treated with respect and that the governmen...

Pedro de Alcântara Maria Fernando Miguel Rafael Gonzaga Xavier João António Leopoldo Vitor Francisco de Assis Júlio Amélio was born on 16 September 1837, in Lisbon. He was the eldest son of Queen Maria II of Portugal , and her husband, Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry. As the eldest son of the monarch, Pedro was the heir apparent to the throne and was titled Prince Royal (Príncipe Real). Although he was very young when he became King of Portugal (just 16 years old!), Pedro was considered by many as an exemplary monarch. He reconciled the people with the royal family, after his mother's reign had been borne of a civil war. His father played a very important role in the beginning of Pedro's reign, serving as regent and advising the young King. Pedro is often described as a socially conscious king due to his education, which included community-related work and a wide knowledge of the European continent. He also studied sciences and philosophy and was fluent in G...

Alix Viktoria Helene Luise Beatrix was born on 6 June 1872 in Darmstadt; she was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and his first wife, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom. As an infant, she was very pretty, with delicate features and long dark lashes. Her mother gave her the nickname of Sunny , due to her cheerful disposition, a practice later picked up by her husband. Out of her siblings, she was closest to Princess Marie ( May ), who was 2 years younger. Both of them enjoyed a happy childhood and were doted on by their elder siblings and mother, who adored her two younger daughters. In November 1878, diphtheria swept through the Grand Ducal House of Hesse. Alix, her three sisters, her brother Ernst ( Ernie ) and her father fell ill. Alix's mother Alice tended to the children herself, rather than abandon them to the doctors. Alice herself soon fell ill and died on 14th December 1878. Alix, Victoria, Irene and Ernst survived th...

Alexandrina Victoria was born on 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace, London. She was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (son of George III) and his wife, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent. At birth, Victoria was only the 5th in line of succession. Before her, there was the Prince Regent; Frederick, Duke of York; William, Duke of Clarence; and her own father. The Prince Regent had no surviving children, and the Duke of York had no children. The Duke of Clarence's daughters died as infants, and Victoria's father died when she was not yet 1 year old. George III died a week after Victoria's father, and the Duke of York died in 1827. When George IV died in 1830, he was succeeded by his brother William (now William IV), and Victoria became heir presumptive to the throne. The Regency Act of 1830 made special provision for the Duchess of Kent to act as regent in case William died while Victoria was still a minor. The King distrusted the Duchess...

Doña Carlota Joaquina Teresa Cayetana was born in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez on 25 April 1775. She was the second child of Charles, Prince of Asturias and his wife, Maria Luisa of Parma. Carlota Joaquina received a rigid and deeply Catholic education, and studied religion, geography, painting and riding. The closed and austere temperament of the Spanish monarchy imposed on the family and the court rigid norms of behaviour and etiquette. King Charles III was a reserved man, devoted to his family rather than the animations of the courtesan life, where his daughter in law, Maria Luisa, took part. Carlota Joaquina's mother assumed the organisation of the court's entertainments, with luxurious parties where morals were easily forgotten. Soon, Maria Luisa's image would be linked to that of a promiscuous woman who betrayed her husband. Not even the successive pregnancies and the birth of a long-hoped living male heir saved Maria Luisa from the contempt of the population. S...