The Crowned Heads Of Europe

Here is an image of a stamp depicting Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204), queen consort of France (1137–1152) and England (1154–1189), and duchess of Aquitaine in her own right (1137–1204), designed and engraved by Martin Mörck (1955- ) after a miniature entitled "The Poet and Eleanor, Queen of France" (c. 1147), and issued by France on February 28, 2004, Scott No. 3001, Y&T No. 3640, plus an image of a detail from the original work of art.

- nethryk

Felipe II, or Philip II (1527-1598) was a 16th century King of Spain and its empire. In 1998, Spain issued this computer-vended stamp (Michel #26) to commemorate the 400th anniversary of his death.

Philip II had four wives, all of whom predeceased him. His first and second wives were blood relations to him; they were first cousins. His fourth was another blood relation; she was his niece.

The visage on the stamp was taken from a circa 1554 painting of the young Philip done by Antonis Mor Van Das Horst of the Netherlands. Holland was a Spanish territory at that time.

Great collection and display, Roberto!

Thank you all these scans are great. Nice topic.

On April 3, 1978 Luxembourg issued this souvenir sheet celebrating the 25th wedding anniversary of Grand Duke Jean to Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte. The stamps are nicely printed by engraving and color offset. The imprinting in the lower right margins say "Imprimerie de L'etat Autrichen", or Austrian State Printing Works.

According to Wikipedia, On 12 November 1964 Grand Duchess Charlotte (Jean's mother) abdicated and Jean succeeded her as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He then reigned for 36 years before he himself abdicated on 7 October 2000..."

This nicely embossed, Prussian blue cinderella depicts Empress Augusta Victoria of Germany. It looks to be from the 1905-15 era. Inscription at bottom warns "protected by law".

From Wikipedia, "Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein (22 October 1858 - 11 April 1921) was the last German empress and queen of Prussia by marriage to Wilhem II, German Emperor...On 27 February, 1881 Augusta married her second cousin, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia...Wilhelm had earlier proposed to his first cousin, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse...a daughter of his mother's own sister, but she declined. He did not react well and was adamant that he would soon marry another princess."

Painting of Empress Augusta Victoria is by Philip Alexius de Laszlo, 1908.

This July 2, 1988 souvenir sheet from Norway celebrates the 85th birthday of King Olav V (1903-91). The stamps depict Olav's "arrival in Norway", as "King in uniform", and "in Holmenkollen". 670,000 of the miniature sheets were printed (Facit).

From Wikipedia, "Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maude of Wales...He was the first heir to the Norwegian throne to be brought up in Norway since Olav IV, and his parents made sure he was given as Norwegian an upbringing as possible...In 1929, he married his first cousin Princess Maertha of Sweden...At his death in 1991, he was the last surviving grandchild of Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark."

Here is an image of a stamp depicting the legendary founding of Königstetten by Emperor Charlemagne, designed by Friedrich Mayr (1929- ), combined engraved by Alfred Nefe (1923- ) and photogravure, and issued by Austria on August 30, 1985 to commemorate the millennium of the founding of Königstetten, Scott No. 1324. Bonus: Coat of arms.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Maria Caterina (Catherine) de Brignole-Sale (1737-1813), Princess consort of Monaco, engraved by Czeslaw Slania (1921-2005), and issued by Monaco on November 12, 1975, Scott No. 992, plus an image of the original portrait of Princess Caterina by an unknown 18th century artist which was the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) Red Cross stamp featuring a portrait of Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (1887-1969), Queen of Spain as the wife of King Alfonso XIII, engraved and printed by Waterlow & Sons, Ltd., and issued in 1946 with an overprint for use in Spanish Morocco, Scott No. B9, plus an image of a portrait (c. 1920) of Queen Victoria Eugenie by Anglo-Hungarian painter Philip de László (1869-1937).

- nethryk

Here are images of the souvenir sheet and the stamp included within it featuring a portrait of Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi (1958- ), now known as Albert II, the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco and head of the princely house of Grimaldi, engraved by Czeslaw Slania (1921-2005), and issued by Monaco on April 30, 1979 to commemorate the prince's 21st birthday, Scott No. 1166. plus an image of a photograph of Prince Albert in 1979.

- nethryk

Here are images of the eight stamps in a set featuring portraits of various 9th and early 10th century Slavic rulers, respectively: Prince Pribina, Prince Mojmir I, Prince Rastislav, King Svatopluk I, Prince Kocel, Prince Mojmir II, Prince Svatopluk II, and Prince Braslav, printed by photogravure, and issued by Slovakia on March 14, 1944, Scott Nos. 95-102.

- nethryk