...Did Suhm decide to go to St. Petersburg in part because it was a chance to play sugar daddy? Or was that just how he tried to reconcile Fritz to it?
Doesn't Fritz mention in a letter to Wilhelmine a bit earlier than this that Suhm is short of cash? So while the playing sugar daddy factor might have played a role, I think it might simply have been that he needed the money. He had his own children to finance, too.
But it's interesting because Suhm always refers to "I" and "my" in terms of the house where he lives in St. Petersburg, the house almost burning down, etc. So if he's got his family with him, then he is consciously avoiding talking about them with Fritz (who, in contrast, is more than happy to bitch about his brother showing up, for example), unless he needs them taken care of.
Speculation: maybe he's aware that when Fritz loves you, your priorities should be Fritz, i.e. Fritz does not want to be reminded more than absolutely necessary there are these other kids around. I know you think of Suhm as playing the erastes role at this point, but there might be some leftover father figure at work as well. I don't see as contradicting Suhm later entrusting the kids to Fritz in the event of his death - that's different, Fritz would not consider himself in competition with the kids for Suhm after Suhm is dead.
One, how do I put this...wow, this family. I know your father's put you in a shitty situation, Fritz, but way to pass it down the chain.
I wonder if AW ever figured out what was going on. Did Fritz forge his signature, or did he get trusting younger bro to sign a piece of paper without letting on what he was really signing up for?
Honestly? I'm betting on the later. Given that FW in 1730 made it law you're not allowed to lend money to minors who are royal princes, and was really vocal about this. Now teenage AW might have been happy to do slightly Dad forbidden things for Cool Older Bro, but this was a major Dad forbidden thing.
Two, "my brother," unmarked, is AW. This makes me think that in 1736, it's AW who shows up at Ruppin and is more interested in eating than reading. I'm still happy to read a babysitting fic where it's Heinrich followed by Ferdinand, mind you!
On the one hand: it makes the most sense that it is AW, because not only is Fritz very deliberately cultivating him in the 1730s, but he's also, as a teenager, old enough to travel to Ruppin with just his governor. Also, it might be that whichever of your biographies - Blanning? MacDonough? - said it was Heinrich confused Heinrich with the Schwedt cousin of the same first name again, who definitely did visit Fritz both in Ruppin and at Rheinsberg (and according to Zimmermann inflicted a quack doctor for STD on him). I've seen a tumblr post making the same mistake when quoting Crown Prince Fritz on "Prince Heinrich" being a wild party animal, where they conclude FW must have been totally permissive with Heinrich, without ever bothering to check the dates and the age.
On the other hand: Flimsy, but we still don't have a canonical explanation as to why Fritz tells Manteuffel that while AW might be badly educated yet good hearted, Heinrich and Ferdinand are just evil brats, with Ferdinand being the worst kid FW ever spawned. Given he's in Ruppin most of the time when he says this, he hardly had a chance to know either of them, so my first explanation was "they kicked him under the table during the winter holidays", and the second, as you know, was Rokoko babysitting.
And then there's the first preserved Fritz to Heinrich letter at Trier, which is dated February 3rd 1737, and where he thanks Heinrich for gifting him with cheeses (to his birthday on January 24th, presumably): My dearest brother, I am infinitely obliged to you for your memories, and for the cheeses you are kind enough to send me. I would like to have something that could be pleasant to you, in order to show you, my dear brother, that the friendship that I have for you does not yield anything to that which you have for me. You may be sure, my dearest brother.
I'm sure he's sure, Fritz. Also why cheese, if Heinrich didn't raid the larder the previous year?
Not sure about the Cardinal; any guesses? (I doubt he's saying he's actually Seckendorff's son, which is how it usually worked with popes and their "nephews" who were made cardinals, which is how we got the word "nepotism". But that is the first thing that comes to mind for me when you juxtapose "cardinal" and "nephew".)
It does, though there were also some actual nephews along with the bastard sons who were also made Cardinals. I think he's just implying Other Seckendorff solely got the job due to his uncle, and "Cardinal" just goes with that. If he does want to make a religious allusion, Seckendorff ISN'T Catholic - see his biographer telling an anecdote on his refusal to convert - and is religious enough so his poor fool will end up locked in prison for a love affair.
Also, go you for spotting it immediatley, as opposed to 1787 editor who of course doesn't know there's a secret diary.
that the name of Seckendorf, will never more be heard spoken of
Except when leading the Wittelsbach Emperor's war effort after MT has set him free, and then much later when I kidnap him to exchange him with Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau.
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Re: Suhm letters II
Date: 2021-03-07 07:44 am (UTC)Doesn't Fritz mention in a letter to Wilhelmine a bit earlier than this that Suhm is short of cash? So while the playing sugar daddy factor might have played a role, I think it might simply have been that he needed the money. He had his own children to finance, too.
But it's interesting because Suhm always refers to "I" and "my" in terms of the house where he lives in St. Petersburg, the house almost burning down, etc. So if he's got his family with him, then he is consciously avoiding talking about them with Fritz (who, in contrast, is more than happy to bitch about his brother showing up, for example), unless he needs them taken care of.
Speculation: maybe he's aware that when Fritz loves you, your priorities should be Fritz, i.e. Fritz does not want to be reminded more than absolutely necessary there are these other kids around. I know you think of Suhm as playing the erastes role at this point, but there might be some leftover father figure at work as well. I don't see as contradicting Suhm later entrusting the kids to Fritz in the event of his death - that's different, Fritz would not consider himself in competition with the kids for Suhm after Suhm is dead.
One, how do I put this...wow, this family. I know your father's put you in a shitty situation, Fritz, but way to pass it down the chain.
I wonder if AW ever figured out what was going on. Did Fritz forge his signature, or did he get trusting younger bro to sign a piece of paper without letting on what he was really signing up for?
Honestly? I'm betting on the later. Given that FW in 1730 made it law you're not allowed to lend money to minors who are royal princes, and was really vocal about this. Now teenage AW might have been happy to do slightly Dad forbidden things for Cool Older Bro, but this was a major Dad forbidden thing.
Two, "my brother," unmarked, is AW. This makes me think that in 1736, it's AW who shows up at Ruppin and is more interested in eating than reading. I'm still happy to read a babysitting fic where it's Heinrich followed by Ferdinand, mind you!
On the one hand: it makes the most sense that it is AW, because not only is Fritz very deliberately cultivating him in the 1730s, but he's also, as a teenager, old enough to travel to Ruppin with just his governor. Also, it might be that whichever of your biographies - Blanning? MacDonough? - said it was Heinrich confused Heinrich with the Schwedt cousin of the same first name again, who definitely did visit Fritz both in Ruppin and at Rheinsberg (and according to Zimmermann inflicted a quack doctor for STD on him). I've seen a tumblr post making the same mistake when quoting Crown Prince Fritz on "Prince Heinrich" being a wild party animal, where they conclude FW must have been totally permissive with Heinrich, without ever bothering to check the dates and the age.
On the other hand: Flimsy, but we still don't have a canonical explanation as to why Fritz tells Manteuffel that while AW might be badly educated yet good hearted, Heinrich and Ferdinand are just evil brats, with Ferdinand being the worst kid FW ever spawned. Given he's in Ruppin most of the time when he says this, he hardly had a chance to know either of them, so my first explanation was "they kicked him under the table during the winter holidays", and the second, as you know, was Rokoko babysitting.
And then there's the first preserved Fritz to Heinrich letter at Trier, which is dated February 3rd 1737, and where he thanks Heinrich for gifting him with cheeses (to his birthday on January 24th, presumably): My dearest brother,
I am infinitely obliged to you for your memories, and for the cheeses you are kind enough to send me. I would like to have something that could be pleasant to you, in order to show you, my dear brother, that the friendship that I have for you does not yield anything to that which you have for me. You may be sure, my dearest brother.
I'm sure he's sure, Fritz. Also why cheese, if Heinrich didn't raid the larder the previous year?
Not sure about the Cardinal; any guesses? (I doubt he's saying he's actually Seckendorff's son, which is how it usually worked with popes and their "nephews" who were made cardinals, which is how we got the word "nepotism". But that is the first thing that comes to mind for me when you juxtapose "cardinal" and "nephew".)
It does, though there were also some actual nephews along with the bastard sons who were also made Cardinals. I think he's just implying Other Seckendorff solely got the job due to his uncle, and "Cardinal" just goes with that. If he does want to make a religious allusion, Seckendorff ISN'T Catholic - see his biographer telling an anecdote on his refusal to convert - and is religious enough so his poor fool will end up locked in prison for a love affair.
Also, go you for spotting it immediatley, as opposed to 1787 editor who of course doesn't know there's a secret diary.
that the name of Seckendorf, will never more be heard spoken of
Except when leading the Wittelsbach Emperor's war effort after MT has set him free, and then much later when I kidnap him to exchange him with Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau.