Wait... having read ahead to Caroline's death which was apparently of abuse... her mother-in-law was the instigator of the abuse that killed her?? Geesh.
Well, said mother-in-law, according to Catherine, thought it was a great idea that her (i.e. Johanna von Zerbst-Anhalt's) brother "romanced" young Sophie in secret: "He got me to agree to marry him, if my parents did not object. I later came to the conclusion that my mother knew all about this. It was impossible for her not to notice the passes he made at me, and if she hadn't agreed with this, she would surely not have permitted the many visits he paid me. These conclusions, however, were drawn by me many years later; back then I did not suspect this. After my agreement, my uncle threw himself into the force of his passion, which was enormous; he was forever lurking and waiting for the moments to kiss me, he knew how to made them happen, though these, and a few tender embraces were all that happened, otherwise it was quite innocent.
Now keep in mind Sophie was 14 when she left Zerbst and Prussia, went to Russia and became Catherine, and for the last year, whwen the future Czar became an option, her mother did nix any other suitor. So, even keeping in mind that royal uncle/niece marriages were a thing, I had a pretty jaundiced opinion of Catherine's mother and Caroline's mother-in-law anyway. (She also was Ulrike's sister-in-law, since her brother was Ulrike's husband, the Swedish king.)
Indeed. Also, I just realised my phrasing was a bit misleading at one point, so I need to clarify - Johanna, Catherine‘s mother, had several brothers, not just one. The one Ulrike was married to, the King of Sweden, was NOT the groper, that was an unmarried younger brother who was still around in the German states to visit his niece and „romance“ her. Just to make this crystal clear. Btw, as a reminder, Ulrike‘s husband was voted into his job (as crown prince, then King) because the previous Swedish royal dynasty, the Vasas, had ended with Queen Christina converting to Catholicism and calling it quits. Which is how the German Holstein bunch ended up on the Swedish throne until Napoleon, when Gustav‘s scheming younger brother in his old age adopted, or was made to adopt, Napoleonic marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. (Current Swedish royalty are still the Bernadottes.)
One reason why even Royalist Lehndorff thinks Ulrike and her husband should not habve attempted that coup thing is that they literally owe their crown to a vote by Swedish parliament.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough - Mina
Date: 2020-09-14 08:05 am (UTC)Well, said mother-in-law, according to Catherine, thought it was a great idea that her (i.e. Johanna von Zerbst-Anhalt's) brother "romanced" young Sophie in secret: "He got me to agree to marry him, if my parents did not object. I later came to the conclusion that my mother knew all about this. It was impossible for her not to notice the passes he made at me, and if she hadn't agreed with this, she would surely not have permitted the many visits he paid me. These conclusions, however, were drawn by me many years later; back then I did not suspect this. After my agreement, my uncle threw himself into the force of his passion, which was enormous; he was forever lurking and waiting for the moments to kiss me, he knew how to made them happen, though these, and a few tender embraces were all that happened, otherwise it was quite innocent.
Now keep in mind Sophie was 14 when she left Zerbst and Prussia, went to Russia and became Catherine, and for the last year, whwen the future Czar became an option, her mother did nix any other suitor. So, even keeping in mind that royal uncle/niece marriages were a thing, I had a pretty jaundiced opinion of Catherine's mother and Caroline's mother-in-law anyway. (She also was Ulrike's sister-in-law, since her brother was Ulrike's husband, the Swedish king.)
Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough - Mina
Date: 2020-09-15 04:50 am (UTC)OK, with the caveat that we're just getting this from Catherine's pov -- no, really, WHAT.
Wow, talk about terrible mother-in-laws. And mothers.
Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough - Mina
Date: 2020-09-15 05:38 am (UTC)One reason why even Royalist Lehndorff thinks Ulrike and her husband should not habve attempted that coup thing is that they literally owe their crown to a vote by Swedish parliament.