Holy Kings, Holy Queens, Holy Royalties Volume II

When you think of royalty, what typically comes to your mind? A ruthless leader, an entitled dictator, a ruler who wouldn't know the first thing of being thankful and giving glory to God for his/her blessings? Well in his second collection of biographies by author Gaby Kool, Holy Kings, Holy Queens, Holy Royalties Volume II, what is depicted instead of royalty are leaders who sought the guidance of Jesus to lead their kingdoms and people in the way of God's will. These royal rulers were all very faithful, very dedicated and very devoted to God. Wonderful was their humility, affability, and charity of these great rulers. Much of their time was spent in prayer and evangelization. But most impressive was that they all loved God immensely and everyone was willing to sacrifice their lives for the Lord. These pious and holy royalties were favored with peace and prosperity by God for themselves and their subjects. For example, Queen Isabella I of Spain, commissioned Christopher Columbus first voyage to discover America, he reported to Queen Isabella that, as far as he could see, there was not promise of material wealth in the lands he had visited. No mountains of gold or other precious metals were found. How did Queen Isabella the Catholic respond to the news? Her exact words were, "Although there would be nothing but stones, I would continue there while there may be souls to save." By these words, we see what was in the Queen's heart. Much more than any possible monetary gain, it was her zeal to spread the Catholic Faith that led Queen Isabella to sponsor Columbus's expeditions. Well, in the year 1571Queen Isabella great grandson Don Juan of Austria together with Saint Pope Pius V (1566 1572) saved Europe from becoming Islamic. The Ottoman Empire, a Turkish Islamic Religion threatened to overrun Europe and overturned Christendom in 1571. If Islam had succeeded, today all Europe and very likely the world would be Islamic and every church would turn into a mosque, including St. Peter Basilica in Rome. If not for Pope Pius V with his Rosary and Don John of Austria, Commander of the Naval Fleet in Lepanto, Greece. Now when you picture royalty, you might find qualities you wish to embody instead of qualities you wish to forget.