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| Emperor Frederick II |
Emperor Frederick II: Diplomacy by Power
Arab chroniclers converted him to Islam; and his family became related to that of Saladin. Christian history writers made him a philosopher, a consummate diplomat, and an icon of tolerance and multiculturalism. Emperor Frederick II would have been wondering about whom they were writing. He was none of that. If anything, he was the epitome of what Germans mean when talking of Realpolitik.
When Monarchs Abdicate
When Monarchs abdicate, then there usually is title conundrum. The exception can be found in the Netherlands due to its unique constitution and in Andorra with its foreign princes. But all other European monarchies are basically unprepared for such an event. This leads to some curious situations. And some questions are never quite officially answered because there is no answer (yet).
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| Queen Maxima, Princess Beatrix, King Willem-Alexander |
New Law for Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
What is the role of the Queen in the Netherlands? (Hint: The Netherlands currently has no queen.) Who succeeds King Willem-Alexander in case of his death? And how to go about it if that successor is only 10 years old? Should she be taken out of school to be bored by the likes of Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin? The Netherlands obviously have a constitutional crisis.
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| King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands |
Popes’ List With Basic Information in Book Form
If you have a desire for (almost) complete lists, then there is a book that will being you the Popes in chronological order. As there were quite a few of them, the information on each of them is limited and sometimes anecdotal. But it is enough if you have to keep up with some Catholic small talk at the next reception in the Vatican.
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| Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI |
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