• Death of Joanna Queen of Castile and Aragon

    Joanna (spanish: Juana) also known as Joanna the Mad was queen of Castile and Aragon. She was born in the city of Toledo, capital of the Kingdom of Castile and was the third child and second daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon of the Royal House of Trastámara. Joanna was known to be incredibly smart and also clever. Queen Isabella made sure that Joanna along with her three sisters Isabella, Maria, and Catherine received a fine education. She was educated and formally trained for a significant marriage that, as a royal family alliance, would extend the kingdoms’ power and security as well as its influence…

  • Death of Leonardo da Vinci

    Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci (Leonardo, son of Mr Piero of Vinci) was born in Vinci on 15th April 1452. His father was Messer Piero Frousino di Antonio da Vinci, a wealthy notary and gentleman of the area. His mother was a local peasant girl, Caterina. For the first few years of his life, Leonardo lived with his mother in Anchiano, but at the age of five went to live with his father, uncle and grandparents. His father had recently married a 16 year old girl, Albeira who died a few years later. His father married again, this time to a 20 year old, Francesca Lanfredini, Leonardo was 16…

  • Catherine de’ Medici

    Catherine de’ Medici was a divisive figure during her own time and on into the modern period. There are many even now who believe she practiced witchcraft or Satanism. Whether or not this is true, she was a pivotal figure at a time with France was being torn apart with the wars of religion. She was born Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, Italy to Lorenzo II de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de la Tour d’Auvergne, Countess of Boulogne. Her mother died of childbed fever after she was born, and her father followed soon after. This left young Caterina in the care of her grandmother…