March 8, 2012

Purim until nightfall  (Judaism)

UN Day for Women's Rights / International Women's Day

Mother's Day  (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia + Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, Vietnam)

Holi  {Festival of Colours} (Hinduism; mainly India, Nepal & Sri Lanka)

ROYAL ENGAGEMENT ANNIVERSARY

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Earl of St.Andrews, Baron Downpatrick & Katharine Worsley   {1961}

ROYAL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Prince Alfonso/Alphonse of Bourbon, Dauphin of France, Duke of Bourbon & Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco   {1972} [separated 1979; civil divorce 1982; annulled 1986]

HISTORICAL ROYAL EVENTS

1126   Following the death of his mother, Queen [regnant] Urraca of Leon, Castile + Galicia {Empress of All the Spains + Empress of All Galicia}, King Alfonso VII of Galicia is proclaimed King of Castile + Leon.

1702   The Lady Anne Stuart, Princess of Denmark (sister of Queen Mary II of England, Scotland + Ireland) becomes Queen regnant of England, Scotland + Ireland, upon the death of Mary's husband King William III + II of England, Scotland + Ireland, Prince of Orange.

1736   Nader Shah Afshar, founder of the Afsharid Dynasty, is crowned Shah of Iran {Shahanshah of Persia}.

1844   King Oscar I ascends the thrones of Sweden + Norway.

HISTORICAL ROYAL BIRTHS

1286   Jean/Yann III, Duke of Brittany (d.1341)

1293   Infanta Beatrice of Castile-Leon, Queen consort of Portugal + the Algarve (d.1359)

1748   Willem V, Prince of Orange-Nassau (d.1806)

DEATHS

1126   Queen Urraca of Leon, Castile + Galicia, Empress of All the Spains, Empress of All Galicia

1144   Pope Celestine II

1702   King William III + II of England, Scotland + Ireland, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht + Guelders

1844   Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, Marshal of the French Empire, King Carl XIV + III Johan of Sweden + Norway, 1st Sovereign Prince of Ponte Corvo (1806-1810)