I was a tad sceptical during my original reading of the diaries, but Sophie von Voss backs him up here - i.e. EC after SD's death trying to be more authoritarian (and failing at it)
I just got to the part where Amalie writes the "we all suck, except Louise, she's an angel" letter, and she too says that EC is authoritarian.
I remember when you first read this book to us and titled your post "Why you should never marry a Hohenzollern." I guess that's what Amalie titled her letter.
I like how she finishes it, "Let's be real: I probably suck too. [I was raised by Hohenzollerns, after all.]"
Yes, Amalie ending her letter this way is what makes it more than an exercise in venting or even spite, and gave me a clue to her personality.
Lehndorff reports that Amalie and EC had their clashes when locked up together in Magdeburg during the various evacuations, with two main motives - when churchgoing, Amalie went to Reformed service, EC went to Lutheran church "and thus we have a schisma" said Lehndorff. (Remember, the Hohenzollern were Calvinists, not Lutherans, though the majority of their subjects were Lutherans, and so were the Braunschweig in-laws. And point of contention no2. was that Fritz kept asking for Amalie when wanting visitors during the war, never for EC, which was just humiliating. (Note that Heinrich did the same thing - as Ziebura points out, while his wife had to ask repeateadly for her household budget, he was worrying in letters to Ferdinand about his sister, and when visiting Berlin for the first time in years after AW's death, he asked Amalie to meet him ahead of his arrival in Berlin, not Mina.) I wouldn't be surprised if EC emphasizing that SHE was the Queen was connected to this.
Yes, I loved that she finished it like that <3 and I thought of your take on her when I read that.
"and thus we have a schisma" said Lehndorff.
Hee. (Also, seeing a quote from him after reading all this malicious stuff from Hervey is so refreshing!)
Remember, the Hohenzollern were Calvinists, not Lutherans, though the majority of their subjects were Lutherans, and so were the Braunschweig in-laws.
Ah! I had forgotten, thank you. This is one of those things I really should have remembered, given all the predestination and all -- although I guess part of this is that I tend to conflate "saved by God alone" with "predestination," despite valiant efforts by my spouse's (Lutheran) church members to inform me that this is Not Right :)
Also, now that I'm finally commenting on this part: HEINRICH. UGH. YOU ARE THE WORST. Well, it's good to get the problematic part of my problematic fave. I guess.
Oh no, wait, Fritz is also THE WORST:
The king invited them, but not his wife, to Potsdam and to the Turkish tent, where he had refreshments served to the ladies who wanted to watch the military parades in Berlin.
So let me get this straight... he invited his wife's sister but not him?? Good thing Louise was an angel :P
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Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough (cont) - Seven Years' War
Date: 2020-09-18 11:35 pm (UTC)I just got to the part where Amalie writes the "we all suck, except Louise, she's an angel" letter, and she too says that EC is authoritarian.
I remember when you first read this book to us and titled your post "Why you should never marry a Hohenzollern." I guess that's what Amalie titled her letter.
I like how she finishes it, "Let's be real: I probably suck too. [I was raised by Hohenzollerns, after all.]"
Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough (cont) - Seven Years' War
Date: 2020-09-19 03:54 pm (UTC)Lehndorff reports that Amalie and EC had their clashes when locked up together in Magdeburg during the various evacuations, with two main motives - when churchgoing, Amalie went to Reformed service, EC went to Lutheran church "and thus we have a schisma" said Lehndorff. (Remember, the Hohenzollern were Calvinists, not Lutherans, though the majority of their subjects were Lutherans, and so were the Braunschweig in-laws. And point of contention no2. was that Fritz kept asking for Amalie when wanting visitors during the war, never for EC, which was just humiliating. (Note that Heinrich did the same thing - as Ziebura points out, while his wife had to ask repeateadly for her household budget, he was worrying in letters to Ferdinand about his sister, and when visiting Berlin for the first time in years after AW's death, he asked Amalie to meet him ahead of his arrival in Berlin, not Mina.) I wouldn't be surprised if EC emphasizing that SHE was the Queen was connected to this.
Re: No Pity for the Wives readthrough (cont) - Seven Years' War
Date: 2020-09-20 05:08 am (UTC)"and thus we have a schisma" said Lehndorff.
Hee. (Also, seeing a quote from him after reading all this malicious stuff from Hervey is so refreshing!)
Remember, the Hohenzollern were Calvinists, not Lutherans, though the majority of their subjects were Lutherans, and so were the Braunschweig in-laws.
Ah! I had forgotten, thank you. This is one of those things I really should have remembered, given all the predestination and all -- although I guess part of this is that I tend to conflate "saved by God alone" with "predestination," despite valiant efforts by my spouse's (Lutheran) church members to inform me that this is Not Right :)
Also, now that I'm finally commenting on this part: HEINRICH. UGH. YOU ARE THE WORST. Well, it's good to get the problematic part of my problematic fave. I guess.
Oh no, wait, Fritz is also THE WORST:
The king invited them, but not his wife, to Potsdam and to the Turkish tent, where he had refreshments served to the ladies who wanted to watch the military parades in Berlin.
So let me get this straight... he invited his wife's sister but not him?? Good thing Louise was an angel :P