Charles Edward Stuart was born in 1720 to James Francis Stuart and Maria Casimira Sobieska. His paternal grandfather was the King of England, Scotland & Ireland until he was forced to flee Britain, while his maternal grandfather was a contender for the Polish throne. 1/10
In 1688, King James had fled for France because of his and his heir's leanings towards Catholicism. In 1701, the English Parliament prevented Catholics from becoming monarchs of England. Scotland, however, tried to make their own path in 1704, with the Act of Security. 2/10
However, this changed in 1707 with the Acts of Union, uniting the sovereigns of England and Scotland to form Great Britain, but many parts of Scotland voted against the Union. By then, ex-King James had died and his claim passed onto his son, James Francis Stuart. 3/10
The Stuarts lost the French support after the War of Spanish Succession. They eventually had to take refuge in Rome instead. In the meantime, a section of Scots rebelled to restore the Stuarts in 1715 and 1719. Both failed. 4/10
Young Charles Stuart got his first experience of war in 1734, as an observer at the Siege of Gaeta in Italy. He had accompanied his second cousin, James FitzJames, who was fighting for the Spanish against the Habsburgs in the War of Polish Succession. 5/10
But a far bigger war was in the offing. In 1740, the last male Habsburg, Emperor Karl, died. With imperial title up for grabs, all of Europe came to war; Russia and Britain sided with Emperor's daughter against his elder brother's daughter, backed by France, Spain & Prussia. 6/10
The war was not limited to Europe, since it spread to the colonies as well. With the British army occupied, Charles Stuart had an opportunity to reclaim his father's lost Kingdoms. In 1744, he set sail for England with the French fleet, led by Moritz von Sachsen. 7/10
Unfortunately, bad weather stopped play. With the French busy on the continent, Charles Stuart decided to go his own way, into Scotland in 1745. He received support from the Highlands from both Catholics and Protestants, and soon reached Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. 8/10
After victory at Prestonpans, he moved on from Scotland to England marching towards London. But he found support in England lacking, unlike in Scotland. Alarmed by the advance, England brought in reinforcements, led by Prince William coming in from the Low Countries. 9/10
Unable to make a strong show in England, his army retreated to Scotland, where they maintained ground. But at Culloden in 1746, they were defeated by the English, bringing to an end the last attempt to restore Stuarts. The war for Germany continued on, largely unaffected. 10/10
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Henry Percy was born in 1341 to Henry Percy and Mary of Lancaster. The senior Henry Percy would become Baron in 1351, after his father's death, while Mary of Lancaster was the granddaughter of Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster & brother of King Edward I of England. 1/10
The House of Percy were a prominent noble family in the north of England. Though their origins lie with the Norman conquest of England, Henry Percy's family were descended from Agnes de Percy and Joscelin de Louvain, an illegitimate half brother of Queen Adelisa of England. 2/10
Philippe de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam was born in 1464 to Jacques de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, Lord of L'Isle-Adam and Jeanne de Nesle. His brother, Antoine, succeeded their father as Lord after his death in 1471, while his brother, Louis, opted an ecclesiastical career. 1/10
It is likely Philippe followed his brother Louis for a career in clergy, since he was soon involved in the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (Knights Hospitaller), which had been founded (officially) in 1113 as a monastic hospitaller order. 2/10
Valdemar Valdemarsen was born in 1170 to Valdemar Knudsen, King of Denmark and Sofia of Minsk. Earlier in life, King Valdemar had to outlast a civil war with his cousin, Svend Eriksen, and second cousin, Knud Magnussen, for the throne of Denmark. 1/10
When King Valdemar died in 1182, his elder son, Knud Valdermarsen, succeeded as King, while Valdemar became Duke of Schleswig (Southern Jutland). The river Eider that lied south of Schleswig was a natural boundary that separated Denmark from the Holy Roman Empire. 2/10
Albert von Buxthoeven was born around 1165. He had an elder brother named Hermann and his uncle was Hartwig von Utlede, who became Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen in 1184. Hartwig von Utlede appears to have had close ties with the Saxon Duke, Heinrich der Löwe. 1/10
The period saw merchants from Bremen and Lübeck, another city under the influence of Heinrich der Löwe, develop bases among the Baltic tribes. As their influence increased, Archbishop Hartwig extended his Archbishopric to the Baltic consecrating Meinhard as Bishop of Üxküll. 2/10
Hermann von Salza was born around 1165 in Thuringia, Holy Roman Empire (Germany). Not much is known about his early years, though he may have taken part in the Siege of Acre in 1189, where the Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed. 1/10
The Order was started by merchants from Lübeck and Bremen to provide medical support for the wounded in the siege. In 1197, Emperor Heinrich raised German knights for battle in the Levant. The Landgrave of Thuringia was among those that answered the call. 2/10
When the Romans made their calendar, it started with March and had only ten months. The second King of Rome is traditionally attributed to have added January and February.
That change was brought about by the fifth King of Rome, who oddly did not change the numerically named September, October etc. to match the rearranged calendar. 3/4