18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 33

[cahn]

And, I mean, it doesn't have to be just 18th century characters, either!

(also, waiting for Yuletide!)

Comments

Re: 1730 Trending Topics: Parma and Tuscany

[cahn]

Me: Wait, is that the same Isabella who had the husband with Issues --
selenak: YUP.

and Italy is ours! for some definition of "ours" that means "whether or not we control it or have even controlled it in recent memory."

Heeee!

Great Britain: *cannot believe the words they are hearing*

I laughed out loud at this, thus causing E to read this comment on her way to bed and be very confused (I did warn her it would take me longer to explain than the time she had given that it was already past her bedtime :) )

Re: 1730 Trending Topics: Parma and Tuscany

[mildred_of_midgard]

LOL! Yes, this would be a difficult one for anyone to comprehend out of context, never mind a child her age. But I'm always delighted to see your daughter being salon-adjacent. :)

Re: 1730 Trending Topics: Parma and Tuscany

[mildred_of_midgard]

Great Britain: *cannot believe the words they are hearing*

I should also spell out a connection I realized I didn't make explicit: This is our peace-loving Cardinal Fleury (see his write-up) trying to avoid war and succeeding. Three years later, August the Strong will die, Chauvelin will go, "Fuck yeah, the excuse for war I've been waiting for!"* and Fleury will be unable to avoid a war this time. Fleury will also try very hard to avoid the War of the Austrian Succession, but will be losing his grip on power by 1741 (he is 88 by then and dies in 1743), and Belle-Isle will succeed as the head of the war party (but not succeed in becoming Fleury's successor).

* Chauvelin's actual quote:

This cause of war is as good as any other, and for every one man who is made to march in Poland, our glory demands that we make ten march wherever it takes.

Which is not a terribly inaccurate description of the distribution of French troops, and partly explains why their candidate, Stanislas, lost the Polish crown.