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cahnStarting a couple of comments earlier than usual to mention there are a couple of new salon fics! These probably both need canon knowledge.
felis ficlets on siblings!
Siblings (541 words) by felisnocturna
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great, Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf, August Wilhelm von Preußen | Augustus William of Prussia (1722-1758), Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758)
Summary:
Unsent Letters fic by me:
Letters for a Dead King (1981 words) by raspberryhunter
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen (1726-1802)
Characters: Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen | Henry of Prussia (1726-1802)
Additional Tags: Epistolary, Love/Hate, Talking To Dead People, Canonical Character Death, Dysfunctional Family
Summary:
felis ficlets on siblings!Siblings (541 words) by felisnocturna
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great, Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf, August Wilhelm von Preußen | Augustus William of Prussia (1722-1758), Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758)
Summary:
Three Fills for the 2022 Three Sentence Ficathon.
Chapter One: Protective Action / Babysitting at Rheinsberg (Frederick/Fredersdorf, William+Henry+Ferdinand)
Chapter Two: Here Be Lions (Wilhelmine)
Unsent Letters fic by me:
Letters for a Dead King (1981 words) by raspberryhunter
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen (1726-1802)
Characters: Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen | Henry of Prussia (1726-1802)
Additional Tags: Epistolary, Love/Hate, Talking To Dead People, Canonical Character Death, Dysfunctional Family
Summary:
Just because one's king and brother is dead doesn't mean one has to stop writing to him.
Lehndorff Diaries: 1786 - New King, New Job?
Date: 2022-07-11 06:00 pm (UTC)August 31t: I begin to collect my thoughts which were directed at a distance for days now and only occupied with a single question. A change of goverment changes all our plans. If I didn’t have children, I would remain quietly at home, and would watch the entire thunderstorm from afar, but as it is, I need to use the time I’m still alive and think of my children’s welfare The new King has only shown himself benevolent to me for all his life, and his father basically has left me to him. So nothing else remains but to show myself there. I was determined already to go to Berlin for my oldest son’s sake. But while I start to prepare, I receive the news the King is coming to Königsberg immediately to receive homage.
Renember,
After dinner, I am eager to have my son come to me. Our reunion is touching. I love my children more than anything, and I only live fort hem. The boy has grown a lot, and makes an excellent impression. I notice that I have to change my plans concerning his future completely. I had destined him to study at the university so he would become an envoy, but I now see that he has a great passion for the soldier’s profession. Now I have to make a decision. May God guide my thoughts!
FW2 is totally nice and all, but once in Berlin, Lehndorff sees there are clouds on the horizon, for :
I wake up with a headache. It becomes so bad that I must give up the pleasure of presenting myself to the King, and decide to remain quietly at home. But around noon, the Duke of Holstein shows up at the order of Prince Heinrich and tells me I’m to present myself in boots and with a hat on my head to him. Miserable as I am, I still go to the Prince and am immediately received in his beautiful, wonderfully decorated apartment. The topics we talk about are so serious in nature that I have to declare I shall think about them thoroughly and write them down at another time.
If he did, Schmidt-Lötzen doesn’t provide the entry. At a guess, Heinrich has found out FW2 has not the slightest intention of letting him rejoin the army or of giving him any job whatsoever. It becomes ever more apparant in the diary Lehndorff didn’t just go to Berlin for his sons‘ sakes, he did expect FW2 to give him a job as well, but while FW2 keeps inviting him to meals and parties and adresses him in company and what not, a job offer of course does not happen.
We truly live in a strange time. It has so many mysteries and provides so much food for thought. My dear sons, when you read my writings, then let me tell you this: always keep your indenpendence, by keeping the fortune your parents will leave to you, however large or small it might be. Then you can await whatever fate will bring you. If I didn’t always stick to this principle, I would currently be in the greatest embarassment. I had great expectations. The late King has treated me ill for forty years, because I was devoted to the father of the current King. The current one has always been gracious towards me, has treated me with distinction and has ordered me to come here. The people even talked of high positions. I now arrive here, but – I hear of nothing. I still don’t get upset about this. I still have my lovely estate Steinort, which provides comfort through all the troubles for me. Never, my dear sons, devote yourself to deceptive hopes! Restrain yourself, limit your wishes, and withdraw to your homes when you’re fed up with people!
On the bright side:
In the evening, I was supposed to visit Prince Ferdinand, but when I get home, I find a letter from him wherein he writes he had to surrender me to Prince Heinrich, because the later has asked him to. I rush to him. I enjoy the treat of sitting in conversation with the Prince from 6 to 9 and to debate about all kind of matters. Among other things, he shows me a splendid watch set with diamonds hwich was the late King’s last gift to him. He also reads a eulogy to me which he has written about him. It is far more than that, it is a description of his entire government, with all his wars. If this piece of writing were ever known to anyone else, it would cause the greatest sensation. It is so clear and so true and with such deep knowledge as only a general who has commanded himself could write it.
Dammit, Lehndorff, you couldn’t have asked Heinrich for a copy? I want to read his eulogy to Fritz
the bastard!For a newly free man, Heinrich keeps bringing up Fritz suspiciously often.
In the evening, I visit the Queen Widow. Prince Heinrich arrives to participate at the gambling, and I afterwards have dinner with him. The conversation is captivating as always. The Prince makes a remark which actually cannot be refuted. He said that when reading the eulogies to the late King he keeps finding people insisting the King was now among the blessed. Now we know the principles of this monarch. He believed in complete annihilation (of the soul). Therefore, the Prince concludes, that one can’t exactly rely on theologians and their judgment anymore.
Lehndorff meets Mirabeau at Hertzberg‘s, but doesn’t like him. Heinrich gets increasingly suspicious of the various sects and secret organizations and all the religion now getting into vogue in Berlin.
Much food for conversation offers a new religious direction which is becoming very popular. Its desciples call themsels the Inspired (Footnote: the Illuminati.) They include the free masons, the Herrenhuter and all kind of sects. One claims former Jesuits have provided the model. Prince Heinrich talks of this the entire evening and is terribly upset about it. He thinks this is very dangerous and thinks the movement gaining such momentum that all of Europe might be endangered. The Prince, who posses so much wit, has the gift to argue so clearly and to speak so charmingly that it is always a pleasure to listen to him. But I do believe that his welfare is suffering from it. Because he’s driven with such fire that the blood rushes to his head, and woe to him who argues against him!
What Lehndorff doesn’t mention: FW2 was increasingly influenced and ruled by such a sect, the Rosencreuzer, and that presumably was one big reason why Heinrich was so upset.
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1786 - New King, New Job?
Date: 2022-07-12 08:16 am (UTC)??!!!
YES!
Dammit.
For a newly free man, Heinrich keeps bringing up Fritz suspiciously often.
I bet he even writes letters. :P
Therefore, the Prince concludes, that one can’t exactly rely on theologians and their judgment anymore.
The theologians aren't claiming Frederick the Great is damned to hell for eternity? Tsk. I see they don't make theologians like they used to. ;)
What Lehndorff doesn’t mention: FW2 was increasingly influenced and ruled by such a sect, the Rosencreuzer, and that presumably was one big reason why Heinrich was so upset.
Yeeeep!
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1786 - New King, New Job?
Date: 2022-07-12 10:13 am (UTC)YES!
Dammit.
BTW, since Lehndorff seems pretty sure no one else will get to read/listen to this masterpiece, and since indeed there's no mention of it in any of the biographies, I think Heinrich really wrote it just for emotional release, and either later destroyed it himself, or it was confiscated by Hohenzollern censorship after his death. Totally fits with my Unwritten Letters present!
The theologians aren't claiming Frederick the Great is damned to hell for eternity? Tsk. I see they don't make theologians like they used to. ;)
But Mildred, naturally he's in heaven, sees the error of his Voltaire loving ways and hangs out with the greats of German literature instead. We know because various pamphlets tell us so!
re: Lehndorff not mentioning FW2's religious entanglements, I think, bearing in mind his addressing his sons mit outburst, at this point he's aware his diaries will most likely be read by his children after his death, and doesn't want to critisize the reigning monarch too directly lest it gets them into trouble (and/or causes them to destroy his diaries).
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1786 - New King, New Job?
Date: 2022-07-16 09:54 pm (UTC)Fritz's in Heaven, this we know
For all the pamphlets tell us so!
German greats with him belong:
Voltaire is weak, but they are strong!
(For non-Americans and non-religious Americans, there's a famous children's mainstream Christian song that goes like this:
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so.
Not being a mainstream Christian, I didn't know about this until I was in grad school, when I came across a Cthulhu variant, which I'm shocked not to currently be able to find easily on the internet. But anyway, D is mainstream Christian and later his mother taught me the actual lyrics :) )
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1786 - New King, New Job?
Date: 2022-07-16 09:45 pm (UTC)I wouldn't have picked up on it had you not mentioned in another comment (haha, this is what I get for being so behind on my commenting!!) but this is really cool, that he is okay with that. I mean. It's certainly not unheard of centuries later for parenting not to work that way!
In the evening, I was supposed to visit Prince Ferdinand, but when I get home, I find a letter from him wherein he writes he had to surrender me to Prince Heinrich, because the later has asked him to.
Aw!
these recent Ferdinand-Lehndorff interactions have totally got me wondering if they were friends with benefits too, mind you :P
Dammit, Lehndorff, you couldn’t have asked Heinrich for a copy? I want to read his eulogy to Fritz the bastard!
THIRDED!
What Lehndorff doesn’t mention: FW2 was increasingly influenced and ruled by such a sect, the Rosencreuzer, and that presumably was one big reason why Heinrich was so upset.
Ohhhhh, okay, thanks for mentioning that -- I didn't realize that! (I assume this was one of the Ziebura sections I skimmed :D )
Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-11 06:02 pm (UTC)Huh. Lehndorff, do you mean you actually believe Kalckreuth/Mina was a thing?
Prince Heinrich is sick as well and worried about a thousand things. I try as much as I can to calm him down, and he promises me to be content. But – I really don’t marvel at the belief of the ancient ones that there were two souls in every human’s breast, a good and a bad one. The later always destroys every good thing the first one creates. Thus, the good intention of keeping calm whatever happens are destroyed in the moment one is tested and has to show one’s equanimity. I muse about this, thinking about myself as well as him.
Translation: neither Heinrich nor Lehndorff manage stoicism about the increasingly obvious truth they’re regarded as useless antiquities.
Meanwhile, Kalckreuth: General Kalckreuth and his wife leave for their garnison. The two people who are rich and have wit still don’t manage to make themselves popular. They weren’t even here for eight days before everyone was sick of her, while he believed himself obliged to complain about everything, especially about the princes Heinrich and Ferdinand. After the dinner to which the King had invited Princess Heinrich and both Kackreuths, Kalckreuth complained harshly about the Princess to whom he once had been so close. I see once more that human beings don’t change. I can’t see any change with Kalcklreuth, he’s still exactly like he was in 1764, when I met him as Prince Heinrich’s AD. But with all that, he’s still an able soldier in all directions, and a well read man. Also he was lucky. But his excitable temper has caused him a lot of difficulties.
Hmmm. Firstly, Lehndorff, you didn’t meet Kalckreuth in 1764, you met and complained about him and Heinrich already in 1756. Secondly, Schmidt-Lötzen, did Kalkcreuth complain about the Princess or the Prince? Could you have transcribed something wrongly? Because that sentence makes much more sense if Kalckreuth was close to Heinrich and now complains. Even if Lehndorff really believes Kalkreuth made an accepted pass at Mina in 1764/1765, which no one else did at the time, it was only a brief event in the twilight days of his relationship with Heinrich and born out of his jealousy of Kaphengst. So, what gives?
Soon, Lehndorff has other worries, though.
When I’m already in the carriage in order to join the King at mass, I’m told Karl is in a bad state, that he has pangs at the side and that he’s bled for this reason. I am in the greatest disquiet during the preaching and at the Queen’s table despite the King participating, and await only the end of the meal to rush to my child. I do find him in danger. His veins have been opened twice, and a Spanish fly was used. In terrible fear, I go to Prince Heinrich whom I find with Prince Friedrich of Braunschweig. The former assures me of his deepest sympathy.
Monday the 14th. My poor child seems to be somewhat better, but around 10, the pangs get more violent again, and he’s again bled. There is danger. I remain at home with my sad thoughts. How human life always turns out differently than expected! I was supposed to see a French play and attend a ball and a grand party at Prince Heinrich’s, but I cannot and am alone with my worries.
15th. The same. The pangs have lessened, but his weakness has grown. My heart trembles all the time.
16h. I’m incapable of doing anything else. The thought of my son never leaves me. Several times a day, I hurry to him. I am satisfied with Dr. Richter, and also with the nursing done by Captain Boiton. His great weakness and his harsh breathing worry me continously. (…)
17th. Despite I’m given hope my son will get better, I don’t dare to rejoice just yet. He is so weak and has slept so little! I spend a moment with the Queen Widow and then hurry to Prince Heinrich. He also gives me hope, and swears that he has had the same sickness and survived. But that doesn’t comfort me, and I return to my lonely home.
(…)
20th: My poor Karl is somewhat better, but I still wonder what will become of him. Six bloodlettings at the age of 16, at a time where he grows the most, are able to destroy one’s health!
Karl makes it out of the sickness alive, though. Lehndorff’s wife and his two other children get smallpox the same year, but survive as well, so there is more fretting and worrying, and then once he doesn’t have worry about their lives anymore, Heinrich gives up and decides to go to Rheinsberg.
16th: I’m going with Prince Ferdinand to Oranienburg, where the Prince has invited his brother Heinrich, who will leave Berlin probably for a long time, to share lunch. We are four people at the table, as Prince Heinrich arrives in the company of Tauentzien. During the meal, we often think oft he Prince of Prussia, the father of the current King, the most noble of men, who lived here in retreat. Here grief ended the days of one who was born to make millions happy. Such sad contemplations are made by us until 5 pm, and then Prince Heinrich leaves for Rheinsberg and we for Berlin.
Lehndorff is invited by FW2 to spend the summer with him at Sanssouci. (BTW, no mention that parts are inhabitable due to Fritz.) And then Amalie dies. Cahn, the Princess Henriette Lehndorff is reminded of is Minette, Charles II’s sister.
30th. Around 5 pm, I want to drive to the Princess Tacken. When my people open the carriage for me, they call: „The Princess Amalie has died!“ In my first shock, I have to think about the passage in Flechier where he describes the universal horror which the death of the Princess Henriette caused in France, and where he says: Night of horrors in which one heard the call: Madame is dead! Madame is no more!“ Deeply sad, I arrive at the Princess Sacken’s. The news I bring, no one wants to believe; one doubts and sends enquiries. But unfortunately, the sad news is confirmed. I would have gone immediately, but I had an invitation to the Queen Widow’s, and so I go there. But at the foot of the stairs I already meet a servant of the Queen’s, who tells she was deeply shaken and unable to receive anyone.
I meet up with old Count Podewils and bring him to the Gusow Podewils’place while I hurry to the mourning place. I find Madame de Maupertuis, the Fräuleins of Zherbst and v. Dönhoff and all belonging to the house in deep pain, added to which is the shock about the sudden death. At lunch the Princess was still doing well. Since eight days, she was complaining about a strong cough, but no one assumed a serious danger. Around 3 am Madame de Maupertuis was called, and she found her already without consciousness. Now the entire royal family was notified, and everyone rushed to her. But she was already gone. There was hardly any death struggle; she died in the arms of her first chamber woman, Fräulein Hartmann, in her 64th year of life. My pain is great. I’ve known her since forty years, and have been in her particular favor. She had very much esprit, but also many excentricities, and at any rate she had the mindset of a great princess, one can say, the Brandenburg mindset, which is very characteristic.
After having cried hot tears in the first floor, I went to the chamber women. They told me about several traits oft he Princess and led me to the chamber where the royal corpse was lying. At such an opportunity, one can only exclaim: Vanity, vanity, all is vanity! This Princess, who had so many rich spiritual qualities, who had a great nature, a high flowing mind, she awoke the respect in everyone which her high birth alone would not have produced. There she lies stretched on a bed and regarded with melancholy by everyone. One only talks of the weakness of her body, which has housed such a beautiful soul. Since twenty years, she has been sick, and getting sicker. The food she ate had to be cut for her, since she had become paralysed. Morever, she had ordered a sick eye to be removed and did this with an amazing stoicism. Despite all this, she did not want to be at rest. Eighteen years ago, she had all the trees removed from her garden because she wanted to have an English Garden. People hinted she would not live to see the new garden, given her bad health, but her strong will kept her going, and I have seen her walk among the new plants.
April 1st. I leave Berlin in order to go to Rheinsberg, where Prince Heinrich now lives alone and will surely be very sad about this death. I follow the pull of my heart and want to find out whether I can serve this great man about whom people care so little now. The Prince receives me with open arms and overwhelmes my son and myself with kindness and attentions. We’re only five people here, but we feel no boredom the entire day, which can be found so often in the noble world. (…)
A letter from the late princess has been found wherein she declares she wants to be buried without any fuss. The coffin was only supposed to cost 10 Taler, and no more than 300n Taler should be spent on the entire entombement. No ceremony should happen, and the remaining money was tob e shared among the poor. Next to this letter was a parcel on which the Princess had written in her own hand: Here is my shroud. One can see from this that she thought about her final hour in great strength. The shroud was made of simple linnen.
May 13th. Now six weeks have gone with lightning speed in the most pleasant way. I tear myself away from the Prince with the greatest regret. This is a friendship which has lasted all my life. God knows when we will see each other again. He goes to France, and I shall withdraw into a corner of Prussia. That’s how things stand with us right now. If I look back, I feel so much happier than a hundred other people. But it would be different if I could look ahead.
This would be a good place to end this write up, but unfortunately, there’s still the rant from which I already quoted the du Rosey/Marschall relevant passage. It’s one long outburst about how much life has screwed him over:
It seems to me as if this year and this time on which I had put all my hope only brings embarassing disappointments to me. The great Friedrich dies. A new career seems to open up to me. From all sides I’m told that there is talk I’m destined for the highest offices. All who return from Berlin to Prussia tell me that the new King has asked about me in such a loving manner. This feeds my hopes. Finally I see the dear King. He approches me with the greatest kindness and asks me to come to Berlin with him. I hurry there, enjoy the best reception, but it doesn’t change anything in my position. In the meantime, my wife’s only sister dies, Countess Reuß. She loved my children and my wife tenderly, but she still leaves 130 000 Taler to her husband and not a penny to my family. I accept this. Then I get a letter that my wife and daughters have the small pox. I am desperate. The good Lord preserves them. Fourteen days later my son gets a terrible pneumonia. For three weeks, I am full of lethal fears. He recovers. But now I worry for his future. Then I get the news that the incredibly rich great uncle of my wife, the childless Count Dönhoff, who wrote about his tender love on every post day, has died, but left a last will which is to be opened in six weeks. The closest family gets invited to the opening. My hopes rise. Then yesterday I get the news that he left his entire fortune to the poor and doesn’t even mention us in his last will. I could say a lot about this, but I’m better silent. (…)
The King appointed me as Chamberlain of the Queen when I was 19. I wrote to him that I couldn’t regard this position as one in which I was of use to the state. His reply was: Accept this position preliminarily until I can use you in my surroundings. This sounded pretty hopeful, but the opposite happened. The Prince of Prussia, the father of our currrent King, assured me of his friendship and showed me the greatest confidence which grew until his death. His brother Heinrich has always had much affection for me, through forty years, has made me countless promises and has accused himself of ingratitude towards me countless times. But in the meantime, he has given Kaphengst 150 000 Taler and ruined himself for others who rewarded him with the deepest ingratitude. Our present King, too, has shown me great friendship (…) When he ascended to the throne, he distinguished me so much that people thought I was meant for the highest offices. In Königsberg he wished I would go to Berlin with him. Here, I was invited to all his little evening parties, and he invited me to join him at Sanssouci. I lived there and was with him from morning to night. And now he lets me return to Prussia exactly how I arrived. (…)
I've made the same experience in money matters. When I was twenty, I was supposed to marry a very rich Fräulein du Rosey. Her family was all for the match while mine nearly had to force me into it. But in the last moment, an evil mother-in-law ruined everything. The young miss had a half brother, Marschall v. Bieberstein, who had much affection for me while he couldn't stand his sister. He wanted to leave all his fortune to me. Then he comes to Berlin, wants to make a last will in my favor, gets small pox, loses his head and dies. Then I marry rich Fräulein von Hasel. She makes me happy and gives me four children, of whom two live and are well. She has only one sister who spits blood and a mother who keeps having strokes and who isn't likely to want me to have the family fortune. Then I suffer a horrible fate within eight months. My two charming children die within twenty four hours of diphteria. My wife, who is pregnant at the time, gets nervous attacks, gets into labor too early, keeps weakening and dies in Koblenz, and I remain alone with the greatest suffering of the heart and without all the enormous fortune. (…)
As I write all of this with some bitterness, I still have to praise fate for giving me a happy life and an independent state still, which not many possess. I am healthy, and content, and I have an excellent („vortreffliche“) wife. That counts more than all the money I missed out on.
Lastly, a Lehndorff observation from hanging out at Fritz-less Sanssouci:
The King has made changes in the garden which one can only call very good. The former garden plots are now English gardens, and between groups of blooming flowers, there are the most beautiful statues. Admiringly, I watch the beautiful Mercury by Pigalle, and also the group around Adam, and the antique Antinous. There is no place in the whole of Germany which offers such a rich variety of statues as Sanssouci.
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-12 08:22 am (UTC)Huh. Lehndorff, do you mean you actually believe Kalckreuth/Mina was a thing?
Weren't things awkward enough that it would be embarrassing regardless? Though I see later on that it does kind of read like he thinks Kalckreuth/Mina was a thing.
Translation: neither Heinrich nor Lehndorff manage stoicism about the increasingly obvious truth they’re regarded as useless antiquities.
Yep. But this is also what Lehndorff says about himself repeatedly in the early 1750s, his inability to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of unrequited love, or of being tantalized with large fortunes.
Firstly, Lehndorff, you didn’t meet Kalckreuth in 1764, you met and complained about him and Heinrich already in 1756.
Lehndorff: Clearly not expecting his diaries to be cross-referenced by 21st century salongoers!
Six bloodlettings at the age of 16, at a time where he grows the most, are able to destroy one’s health!
Exactly! Stop bloodletting!
More seriously, that passage is painful. I'm glad Karl recovered (especially since I wrote fic about him recovering at a younger age!)
Wow, Amalie. I didn't realize she had an eye removed!
Eighteen years ago, she had all the trees removed from her garden because she wanted to have an English Garden. People hinted she would not live to see the new garden, given her bad health, but her strong will kept her going, and I have seen her walk among the new plants.
That sounds like her, and I'm glad she managed to get joy out of her garden. (
The whole Amalie write-up is really something.
unfortunately, there’s still the rant from which I already quoted the du Rosey/Marschall relevant passage. It’s one long outburst about how much life has screwed him over:
Indeed, but ever since you posted it yesterday, I've been thinking, thank goodness he ranted in 1787 and not 1788! Otherwise, Marschall von Bieberstein and the Mystery of the Two Lost Cousin Fortunes would still be driving me crazy. ;)
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-12 10:23 am (UTC)Maaaaaayyyybe, but as you say, the later passage also reads like Lehndorff believes Kalckreuth/Mina happened. BTW, is Mrs. Kalkreuth Mina's ex lady-in-waiting (who provided the excuse for why Kalckreuth was on his knees in front of Mina), or did she die already and this is his second wife?
More seriously, that passage is painful. I'm glad Karl recovered (especially since I wrote fic about him recovering at a younger age!)
Karl really had several near death experiences, it seems. Do we know what became of him in the long term?
Wow, Amalie. I didn't realize she had an eye removed!
I think a distorted version of this shows up in Thiébault; didn't he claim she plucked her eyes out for love of Trenck? Or was that one of the later writers?
Anyway, I'm glad her death was relatively quick and painless, and her funeral arrangements are definitely Fritzian. Without the dog factor.
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-12 11:17 am (UTC)Karl: lived to be 83, had several long-lived children, and had a successful military career, making it all the way to Lt. General. But also wounded in the head in a battle in 1807 and made a POW.
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-16 09:57 pm (UTC)Ah, I didn't realize that was what that meant, thank you!
I saw quite a few English gardens before I saw any French gardens, and I was shocked the first time I came across a French garden! I'm with Amalie, English gardens are nicer :) (I realize you're saying it was also the style, but also!)
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-17 09:03 am (UTC)I was puzzled by the extremely high hedges in parts of the garden at Versailles, which were three or four times the height of a person. Does anyone know the reasoning behind that?
Re: Lehndorff Diaries: 1787 - No Job, No Money: Grrrr, Argh!
Date: 2022-07-16 09:55 pm (UTC)Huh. Lehndorff, do you mean you actually believe Kalckreuth/Mina was a thing?
Aw, that sucks! (I kind of assume that if Lehndorff thinks that, a bunch of other people must think that...)
Prince Heinrich is sick as well and worried about a thousand things. I try as much as I can to calm him down, and he promises me to be content. But – I really don’t marvel at the belief of the ancient ones that there were two souls in every human’s breast, a good and a bad one. The later always destroys every good thing the first one creates. Thus, the good intention of keeping calm whatever happens are destroyed in the moment one is tested and has to show one’s equanimity. I muse about this, thinking about myself as well as him.
Translation: neither Heinrich nor Lehndorff manage stoicism about the increasingly obvious truth they’re regarded as useless antiquities.
<3 :(
16h. I’m incapable of doing anything else. The thought of my son never leaves me. Several times a day, I hurry to him. I am satisfied with Dr. Richter, and also with the nursing done by Captain Boiton. His great weakness and his harsh breathing worry me continously. (…)
Oh, Lehndorff <3 This is (one of the many reasons) we love him <3333 (Mildred: thaaaaaank you for the note below that Karl lived!)
Cahn, the Princess Henriette Lehndorff is reminded of is Minette, Charles II’s sister.
Ah, as usual thank you for drawing the connection! (Because I've still got a very thin grasp of chronology -- one day I'll get it straight! -- I always assume now that it's probably someone else with the same name because EVERYONE HAS THE SAME NAME, ahem :P )
My pain is great. I’ve known her since forty years, and have been in her particular favor. She had very much esprit, but also many excentricities, and at any rate she had the mindset of a great princess, one can say, the Brandenburg mindset, which is very characteristic.
At such an opportunity, one can only exclaim: Vanity, vanity, all is vanity! This Princess, who had so many rich spiritual qualities, who had a great nature, a high flowing mind, she awoke the respect in everyone which her high birth alone would not have produced. There she lies stretched on a bed and regarded with melancholy by everyone.
Amalie! <3333 :(
This is a friendship which has lasted all my life. God knows when we will see each other again. He goes to France, and I shall withdraw into a corner of Prussia. That’s how things stand with us right now. If I look back, I feel so much happier than a hundred other people. But it would be different if I could look ahead.
<3333
As I write all of this with some bitterness, I still have to praise fate for giving me a happy life and an independent state still, which not many possess. I am healthy, and content, and I have an excellent („vortreffliche“) wife. That counts more than all the money I missed out on.
You know, I love that. I mean, everyone gets to complain once in a while, but he also does see what he does have, which is great.
Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-15 07:39 pm (UTC)More about these: their father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are ALSO named James Steuart/Stewart, and were more or less Whigs. They were all moderate and sometimes vacillating and of one of them it is said that he 'failed to give entire satisfaction to either side'. Of the grandfather, a family story is told that during the threatened Jacobite invasion of 1708, a kinsman urged him to flee to England since he had had a hand in drawing up a manifesto for William of Orange back in 1688. And he allegedly replied, 'Ay, ay, my dear, that is true, and I must draw this man's [James III] too.' Hee. Writing manifestos for invading princes apparently ran in the family. Our diarist was the grandniece of Janet Dalrymple, the 'Bride of Lammermuir'. Her sister Agnes married the Earl of Buchan and also studied mathematics with Professor MacLaurin, of MacLaurin expansion fame. I love that! James Steuart's wife was Frances Wemyss, the sister of Lord Elcho who was out in the '45.
Mrs Calderwood reminds me of my mother: she is opinionated, seems to enjoy talking to strangers, and is the person in the marriage who does all the arranging and managing. In Brussels, she hears that it is impossible to find and rent a well-furnished apartment, and then takes great satisfaction in telling us of the places she looks at before finally finding an apartment that fits her needs, and how she makes sure to find good furniture at reasonable prices. Meanwhile, her husband rests in bed at the hotel with a cold. Later in life, she manages their estate and writes a manual on estate management, while he...I have no idea what he does. The introduction calls him 'indolent' but also notes that he was good at languages.
She assures us that her brother was not actually a Jacobite, oh no, it is dreadfully unjust that he is not allowed to return home. I take this with a grain of salt, because of course she would say that while she was petitioning in his favour. It's unclear what her own opinions are. At one point she meets a committed Jacobite on their travels: 'He is a great Jacobite, and he dares not speak out, and the Pretender is in such distress, that in short he is miserable. I tell him I wish I may never have the toothack till I be troubled about the publick. At the same time, I can speak as much Jacobitism as he pleases, and he is very fond of me, because I tell him fine stories about the Highlanders and the Pretender in the time of the rebellion, and all the ill prats [gossip] of the Duke of Cumberland. I tell him to come to Scotland, and he will get as many Jacobites as he can set his face to; and he laughs and is so merry, and then comes a deep sigh.'
She writes with fascination of the different customs of different countries, and about Catholicism. The 19th century editor apparently removed some passages because they were too vitriolic towards that religion--but OTOH she arranges to have her sons go to a Jesuit school while they live there, as long as they don't have to attend mass etc. She also comments on dress: '...this country, where everybody, from their want of stays, goes two-fold.' Because their boobs hang down?? Also this: 'The Dutch stays contribute greatly to their vulgar look ; they run in like a sand-glass below, and stand out round like the same above ; they set their shoulders up to their ears, and bring them forward as the landward lasses do when they hold up their head.'
At one point they meet young Towneley, the son of Francis Towneley who was executed after the '45 (whose head, btw, was stolen back from the Tower by his relatives and kept in a bank vault until 1945, when it was buried). Here is her opinion on him: 'Mr. Townly is very bashful and grave, and has no liking to anything in particular, and I think seems to be one of little good or ill. His mother told Mr. Nidham that, when he was young, instead of play with his brothers, he used to sit by her and cut paper, or any such thing as that. I have often observed that the mind and body of folks are mismarrowed, and some men should have been
women, and he, I think, is one.'
This book also gave me the experience of looking up a word in the OED, and seeing the very phrase in the book as the first OED quote! Here is the phrase: 'Here I saw the largest midden cock I think ever I saw, which I coveted, if I could have known what to do with him.' Very suggestive, but I don't think she meant it that way...
In 1758 James Steuart moved to Venice because of his gout, where he made friends with Mary Wortley Montagu. Here is from the 19th century afterword: 'James Steuart used to say of her that when she was in spirits he experienced more enjoyment from her conversation than he could derive from the most interesting book that ever was written. The climate of Venice was found not quite suitable for the invalid, so they took a house at Padua, and a pathetic leave of Lady Mary. Their astonishment was great when they discovered, on their settling themselves there, that Lady Mary was also installed in a house at Padua in their near neighbourhood, where she continued her kind ministrations.'
***
Here is the bit about Fritz incognito:
In this inn the King of Prussia lodged, in his travels through Holland incog; he was three days in Amsterdam, and nobody knew him. He had but one gentleman with him. He bought a great many flutes and other musicall instruments, and when the landlord said to his servant, 'I think your master is very fond of musick,' 'O yes,' says the servant,' he is cheif musician to the King of Poland.'
He travelled in the track-scoot, and there was a gentleman's sons and their governour ; he turned very fond of the governour, and they discoursed about the memoirs of the house of Brandenburgh, and the governour gave his opinion of it and found some faults, which the king defended. He, after he left Holland, let this man know who he was, and he has gone to pay him a visit. Severall of his own officers saw him, and did not know him, nor did his own embassador at the Hague. He had his hair covered with a wigg, and a coat all buttoned up about him. When he was going away from Amsterdam, he bid the landlord get him a coach; the landlord said he would get a waggon or a phaeton, for nobody travelled in coaches. When the waggon came to the door, he said: 'That is a bad thing to travell in; are there no better to be had?'
'The best people that comes to my house,' says the landlord, 'travells in it ; I have hired the same machine for German counts, ay, for English lords, and they never found fault with it, and I think it may serve you very well.' So the king stept into it. ' Now,' says the landlord, ' you sit like a king, I think.' He took some cold meat with him, and asked for a napkin to wipe his hand. 'No,' says the landlord, 'take just a sheet of paper, that will serve the purpose as well.'
Very soon after he was gone, it came out that he was the King of Prussia, and there was such comparing of notes, what he had said, and what he had done. The landlord sent him a present of some cains, to which he returned him a very pretty peice of silver-plate for the midle of a table, with casters, etc., very finely wrought but very slight. This present is keept in a fine carved box, which the landlord sets down on a table, and there he flourishes for a compleat hour in French, so fast and with so many demonstrations, that it is entertaining even to those who do not understand a word of it.
***
Some further bits about Prussia:
We had here lately two deserters from the King of Prussia ; the one was a Scots tallior, the other a London tradesman. The Scots folks have an excellent nose to smell out their countryfolks, and they came to this house. The tallior was a tall, clever-like fellow, and stood so upright, and held out his toes and up his head so well, that I asked him if he had been at the dancing school ? ' Truly, madam,' said he, ' I was never at the dancing school, but a good rung laid alongst my shoulders when I held down my head, made me soon learn to hold it up.'
The English lad looked very humble, and regarded the other as much his superior in wisdom and good behaviour, so the tallior was spokesman. He told us he had gone to London, to work at his trade, and a gentleman offered him ; if he would go over a trip to Holland as his servant; to which he consented, and, instead of Holland, he carried him to Hamburgh, and gave him over to the Prussian officers recruiting there. He had served these two years, and was so lucky as to come off safe from the battle ; eight days after which, he, with a party of fifty men, and a serjeant, were sent out a foraging, and all but the serjeant deserted. They were of all different nations, and had been trepanned in that way. These two had come together, without a farthing in their pockets ; but they did not go pennyless from this, for the Scots gave for their countryman, the English for theirs, the folks here because they had deserted from the King of Prussia ; and they were introduced to the Prince, who gave them each a ducat, which is the premium given by the Empress to every Prussian deserter.
The politicks here is, that the King of Prussia has accused the Empress of designs to destroy him and the protestant religion, that she had made an alliance for that purpose with France, and that he, upon that handel, which he himself contrived, had done what he has done, as he accused the King of Poland of being in the plot ; all which they say is false, and that he behaved very cruelly to the Saxons. And many a story of that kind is firmly beleived, one of which I shall mention, to give you a swatch of the rest : viz. that he killed the whole cats in Saxony, and made the Saxons buy mousetraps of him at an extravagant price. If they were good mouse-traps I should not grudge him double the common price for them, for we are like to be devoured with mice, and can neither get a cat nor a trap worth a farthing. They tell me that it is not a common complaint here, for there are but very few mice in the town : I tell them that the mice must be protestant, by their being so plenty in Saxony and in this house, where they know there are no fast days.
Pardon this degression, and my speaking of cats and kings in the same page ; but when kings turn mice-catchers, it must diminish their dignity.
***
There are some further bits about Prussian politics, I can share them if you want.
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 08:12 am (UTC)The "Fritz incognito in the Netherlands" tale sounds vaguely familiar, especially pretending to be a musician for the King of Poland (who's also the Prince Elector of Saxony). (BTW, that means quintessentially he took his undercover identity from Joachim Quantz, the greatest flutist of the era, who had indeed worked in Saxony and met a young Fritz there before moving to Berlin years later when Fritz became King.) Another thing worth looking up would be the relevant passage in Lehndorff's diaries, because like Mrs. C., Lehndorff learns about the Frederician adventures only later via gossip and reporting, not via first hand information, and it might be interesting to compare how the story is reported in the Netherlands vs how in Prussia.
The politicks here is, that the King of Prussia has accused the Empress of designs to destroy him and the protestant religion, that she had made an alliance for that purpose with France, and that he, upon that handel, which he himself contrived, had done what he has done, as he accused the King of Poland of being in the plot
Ah yes, Fritz remembering he's the champion of Protestant Freedom every time he goes to war with MT. This in 1756 was a bit tricky because on the MT side wasn't just (Catholic) France but (extremely Protestant) Sweden and (Orthodox) Russia, but the Brits, who were of course allied with Prussia, fell for it line and sinker. As opposed to, it seems by your quotes, the Dutch! This said, certainly MT's goal was to destroy him, true enough. It's also telling that Mrs. C. writes "The Empress" and not "The Queen of Hungary" in terms of her own alliances/beliefs.
all which they say is false, and that he behaved very cruelly to the Saxons
He did, and I salute you, insightful Dutch people. This said, the story of Frederick the Cat Killer is definitely wrong. His war crimes in Saxony did not include cat extermination! Especially since this early in the war, he was still going to some effort of only sacking the palaces of the elite. He'd squeeze the country dry later. (While leaving the cats alive.)
Pardon this degression, and my speaking of cats and kings in the same page ; but when kings turn mice-catchers, it must diminish their dignity.
LOL. Well, this King was a dog person, and what would Mrs. C. say if she knew he negotiated for the return of his favorite dog the last time he made war in Saxony?
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 08:37 am (UTC)Yeah, I remember that from Catt.
(BTW, that means quintessentially he took his undercover identity from Joachim Quantz, the greatest flutist of the era
Oh, good point! I was wondering why Poland/Saxony, given his feelings about them. This makes sense.
His war crimes in Saxony did not include cat extermination!
I mean, we say that now, but the one thing salon has taught me is that two years from now, we'll find that little known factoid of the time Alcmene and Glasow conspired to steal royal seals to issue an royal decree ordering all the cats exterminated. :P
Glasow: I figured if you're committing treason, the royal dog favorite is a must-have to get on your side.
Alcmene: I did not condone any of the other things he did with the seal! I betrayed him as soon as I found out.
Fritz: Good dog.
It makes me want to look up the Lady Mary biographies and the letters edition we have to see whether she's mentioned.
One footnote in Grundy, saying LM probably received Margaret's daughter Anne Durham at the same time as she received James Steuart. No mention in the letters that I can see, either by searching or in the index.
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
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Date: 2022-07-16 03:05 pm (UTC)"The letters written by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu to the Steuarts at this time were preserved by Lady Frances in an envelope on which she had written '27 Letters from Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, which are decisive of the short acquaintance necessary to the adhesion which generally takes place when superior minds are brought together.'
These letters were printed in 1818 at Greenock by their son, Sir James Steuart-Denham, in a neat volume, accompanied by a short memoir, which has been quoted more than once in this book. The most interesting of these letters were afterwards incorporated in Lord Wharncliffe's edition of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's correspondence." (Ha, that's the fifth James Steuart in a row...)
Thanks for the background on the Fritz bits! I think, going by how she jokes about it, Mrs C did not actually believe the tale of Frederick the Cat Killer, she quotes it just to show what rumours/gossip is going about.
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 09:41 pm (UTC)Huh. So what would the average Scotsperson and Englishperson have said? Would they have actually said the Queen of Hungary?
(also, lol to Frederick the Cat Killer!)
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 08:26 am (UTC)MacLaurin expansion fame
Clearly I studied the wrong kind of math. TIL!
This book also gave me the experience of looking up a word in the OED, and seeing the very phrase in the book as the first OED quote!
That is neat!
In 1758 James Steuart moved to Venice because of his gout, where he made friends with Mary Wortley Montagu.
Oh, he's that James Steuart! I see his name in her letters a lot.
In this inn the King of Prussia lodged
Does she mention the name of the inn?
in his travels through Holland incog; he was three days in Amsterdam
The longest vacation Fritz is capable of, sigh.
they discoursed about the memoirs of the house of Brandenburgh, and the governour gave his opinion of it and found some faults, which the king defended
Lol, oh, Fritz. It's a wonder you kept your incognito at all.
For those who may not know or have forgotten, the Memoirs of the House of Brandenburg were written by Fritz in the 1740s.
Fritz, if you want to be incognito, you have to criticize your own works, and then for bonus points, try to fish for compliments from the people you're talking to. :P
The politicks here is, that the King of Prussia has accused the Empress of designs to destroy him and the protestant religion, that she had made an alliance for that purpose with France, and that he, upon that handel, which he himself contrived, had done what he has done, as he accused the King of Poland of being in the plot ; all which they say is false
Lol, relevant to my recent write-up on Saxon diplomacy! TLDR: The King of Poland (his prime minister, really) had plotted for over a decade to destroy Fritz, but he hesitated when the time came and so wasn't part of this particular plot when Fritz invaded and tried to see how many war crimes you could commit per day in one country.
viz. that he killed the whole cats in Saxony, and made the Saxons buy mousetraps of him at an extravagant price.
Lol, I mean, this is the guy who made Jews buy porcelain from him, so it wouldn't be entirely out of character! But that is an amazing rumor, and one I could not make up.
There are some further bits about Prussian politics, I can share them if you want.
If you're asking me, I always want!
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 12:13 pm (UTC)Hang on, though, if he was having that discussion with the governor of two gentleman's sons, wouldn't that be....drumroll... Henri de Catt? Whose big virtue in Fritz' eyes was to NOT recognize him and be impressed? Who, going by that description, sounds very much as if he did recognize him, and played along?
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
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From:Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 01:05 pm (UTC)MacLaurin expansion fame
Clearly I studied the wrong kind of math. TIL!
It's just a Taylor series! ...mildred, please tell me your college physics class did Taylor series?? It's the only part of calculus I still use on a very regular basis, at least conceptually, because it's such a useful way of thinking about approximations when you just take the first couple of terms for small x.
(Heh, I just had a conversation with my best-friend-the-math-educator last week where we were talking about math pedagogy, and she pointed out that Taylor series are really the most useful part of calculus for the vast majority of people, and it's really irritating that in most high school calculus it gets shoved to the back -- and if one takes Calculus AB, like I did because it was what my school had, it never gets mentioned at all. I was really fortunate that I got this gap covered at second high school. But it was physics where it got really hammered in because it gets used everywhere for approximations!)
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
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From:Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 03:11 pm (UTC)Oh, cool! Glad to fill in some blank spaces for you.
Does she mention the name of the inn?
Yes, here's more info about the inn: 'We lodged in the inn called the Morning Star, the best in the town. There was a convention of all nations, and it was quite full.'
For those who may not know or have forgotten, the Memoirs of the House of Brandenburg were written by Fritz in the 1740s.
Hee, the book told me that in a footnote! : D
If you're asking me, I always want!
Well, here you go...I told you she was opinionated! This follows on from the bit about the cats.
The King of Prussia says, on the other hand that the Queen made a defensive alliance with France, and that she was getting herself ready for next year, and, in the meantime, was sowing suspicions privately from court to court, so that they might come to his ears, and give him the alarm, that he might be the first aggressor, and then France was obliged to join her : and that the Queen of Poland and the Empress, being both great bigots, had contrived to fall upon him and destroy him ; that then the Saxons being under a popish king, and no protestant power able to defend them, the protestant religion would be suppressed, not only there, but in the whole empire.
My oppinion of this story is, that the Queen, though a great bigot, had other motives than religion to attack the King of Prussia ; that she certainly intended to fall upon him as soon as she was ready, and that the King of Poland was to assist her ; and that Prussia, by being first ready, has prevented her ; and that he has cried out religion, as folks do fire when they want assistance; and that this has not been a sudden impulse of his, but that he has laid his scheme some time before, to make religion a handle to exequte what he intends. Some say, it is that a protestant emperor should be chosen time about with a popish ; but I think this is too distant a prospect for him, who is no younger than the present Emperor, and it must be [necessary], in the first place, to make himself able to effect such a law being made. Whatever he intends to effect by it, it appears to me to be no new scheme, for, when did we see kings make such a work about their faith, when nobody was asking them any questions about it ? It is several! years since our newspapers were full of the King of Prussia's confession of faith; in this point he was Calvinist, in that he was Lutheran, in another he agreed with neither. He tolerated all religions, and built a fine chapell for the papaists, ordered all his soldiers to go to their respective churches, when, at the same time, I suspect he was much of Coully Kan's mind, who made first the Alcoran, and then the New Testament be read to him, and, after hearing both, declared he would make a religion better than any of them.
I hear he is adored in Scotland for being the head of the protestant religion, but I wish he may not be like many an honest man's head which has led his body a gray gate ; not but his intentions are good, but who can depend upon executing their projects ? The world is not as it was long ago, when one man could raise his fortune, and pursue and execute his schemes in a few years. The states of Europe are now so fixed, that it takes more than the life that any single person can promise, to plan and execute anything out of the common road ; and, if he should arm the protestants, and bring them over to his party, his death, or the failling of any scheme, will leave them in a very bad state. We will not find it in Britain, but it will be found most surely elsewhere.
Many towns in Germany are half and half, who live very peaceably together at present, but if set by the ears, must fall heavy on the protestants, who are the weakest party. I wish the protestants very well, and therefore beg the King of Prussia (unless he can promise upon at least thirty years' life, success to all his undertakings, and that his heir shall follow his plans exactly) not to meddle with them, at least those who are subjects of another prince, and whom he has no hopes of becoming master of.
Now, I will tell you what I think he might exequte : the Saxons are protestants, and have a popish king who is otherways provided for ; he has shown he is not able to protect them, so that, if the King of Prussia could make them beleive he has abdicated the crown, they may call a convention of the states, and call a king of their own religion, and let him be head of his own protestant subjects, but not of any body else's.
Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
From:Re: Letters and Journals of Mrs Calderwood
Date: 2022-07-16 09:40 pm (UTC)and of one of them it is said that he 'failed to give entire satisfaction to either side'.
Heh!
In Brussels, she hears that it is impossible to find and rent a well-furnished apartment, and then takes great satisfaction in telling us of the places she looks at before finally finding an apartment that fits her needs, and how she makes sure to find good furniture at reasonable prices. Meanwhile, her husband rests in bed at the hotel with a cold.
Heh. This sounds a little like my mom too. Though to be fair, when we went on vacations our dad did almost all the childminding. But I suspect he has never arranged the logistics of a family vacation since marrying mom (although he took a number of business trips while working and arranged those)
(whose head, btw, was stolen back from the Tower by his relatives and kept in a bank vault until 1945, when it was buried)
Holy crap. (I always am sort of weirdly fascinated by how body parts get disattached and secreted in various places... it is so weird to my 21st-century mentality!)
I have often observed that the mind and body of folks are mismarrowed, and some men should have been
women, and he, I think, is one.'
Aw, that's kind of neat that she makes that observation.
He bought a great many flutes and other musicall instruments, and when the landlord said to his servant, 'I think your master is very fond of musick,' 'O yes,' says the servant,' he is cheif musician to the King of Poland.'
Ha, this is cool!
This present is keept in a fine carved box, which the landlord sets down on a table, and there he flourishes for a compleat hour in French, so fast and with so many demonstrations, that it is entertaining even to those who do not understand a word of it.
Lol, I just like her turns of phrase here :D
The politicks here is, that the King of Prussia has accused the Empress of designs to destroy him and the protestant religion, that she had made an alliance for that purpose with France, and that he, upon that handel, which he himself contrived, had done what he has done, as he accused the King of Poland of being in the plot ; all which they say is false, and that he behaved very cruelly to the Saxons
:D I get a kick out of seeing things I know about in other sources!
Pardon this degression, and my speaking of cats and kings in the same page ; but when kings turn mice-catchers, it must diminish their dignity.
this is AWESOME :D She sounds really fun.
Six Degrees
Date: 2022-07-16 01:36 pm (UTC)Among the things I'm currently reading is a collection of essays on Russo-Austrian relations in the early 18th century, with a focus on the flight of Tsarevitch Alexei. (
One of the tutors of young Alexei is German Heinrich von Huyssen (remember that Peter felt about Germans much the same way Fritz felt about the French). According to the biographical essay I'm reading, Huyssen made a name for himself in the 1690s and got a lot of good job offers, but he really wanted to work in Berlin. He had close ties to Eberhard von Danckelmann, including the fact that he went to university (Utrecht) with Danckelmann's son, but Danckelmann's fall in 1697 meant Huyssen didn't get the job he wanted at F1's court.
Danckelmann, remember, was the shouty teacher of F1 who made him translate "Fritz will be an ass" into Latin, then got promoted to prime minister, then got overthrown (historians debate the role of Sophie Charlotte in his fall).
So instead, in 1702, a Livonian nobleman named Johann Patkul, who is in Russian exile working for Peter the Great, brings to Huyssen's attention that Peter is recruiting experts from the west to come modernize Russia. And thus Huyssen ends up in Russia charged with a number of responsibilities:
- Attract more westerners, especially ones competent in the Czech and Polish languages.
- Translate Peter's recruiting advertisement into various languages and have it published and distributed abroad.
- Convince western authors, especially of works of history, politics, and mechanics, to dedicate their works to Peter, his son Alexei, and/or Peter's ministers.
- Improve the postal service connections between Russia and other countries.
Then he gets promoted to the position of Alexei's tutor in 1703.
Now, Patkul is another name we've encountered in salon: he's the guy who started the Great Northern War. He was a nobleman living in Livonia, modern-day Latvia and Estonia, a place that had been conquered by the Swedes, and the Swedish crown was busy appropriating noble estates. After unsuccessfully trying to get them to stop, Patkul ended up under a death sentence in Sweden and had to flee abroad. Where he more successfully convinced August the Strong, Peter the Great, and Frederik IV of Denmark to combine forces in waging war on Sweden, because Charles XII was only an inexperienced teenager and what was he going to do about it?
Fast forward several years, Charles XII is occupying Poland and Saxony, and he forces August the Strong to hand over Patkul for execution. Patkul gets a very gruesome execution in 1707, inspiring one Ernst Christoph von Manteuffel to write a diatribe to Saxon minister Flemming about abuses of monarchies!
10 years later, Alexei flees to Austria and ends up stashed in Tyrol, then Naples, before returning home and dying gruesomely under torture ordered by his father, inspiring a lot of people to write diatribes about the abuses of one monarch in particular.
Re: Six Degrees
Date: 2022-07-16 02:25 pm (UTC)Conversely, Alexei's death might also have contributed to all those European monarchs writing "don't kill your son!" letters to FW, knowing there was precedent, I mean. I do wonder how MT's mother felt about the whole Alexei situation, though. Because he was her brother-in-law and had made her sister's life hell in those few years of marriage, and Charlotte died at only 21 years of age. So she might not have been that heartbroken when he left his Austrian exile. (German wiki's entry on Charlotte - that's Alexei's wife - claims that 50 years after her death, gossip showed up that claimed she'd faked said death and escaped to live as a French officer's life in the American colonies, then returned to spend her last years financially secure due to her niece, MT, in Europe. Sounds like a better fate than dying in the aftermath of childbirth at 21, but alas is entirely invented.
Re: Six Degrees
Date: 2022-07-16 10:10 pm (UTC)Because FW was just supertitious - or if you like, religious - enough to believe that Peter's younger sons all dying after he had Alexei killed, with the result that his successors in FW's life time were basically all women (shock! Horror!), was God's judgment. And that something similar might happen if he caused his own oldest son's death.
Ooooof, yeah, I can totally see that. Like, not even necessarily at a conscious forebrain level, but lurking in the back of his head.
(okay, I did laugh at the "shock! Horror!" bit)