cahn | 18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 36

Starting 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:

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, not Fritz, and not Tsarevitch Alexei, either! Manuel, younger brother of João V of Portugal (reigned 1706-1740).

In my continuing research on Peter Keith, I read up a bit on Portgual in the early 18th century. And I found this.

Infante Manuel: Can I be involved in politics?

João: No. Why would I allow my brothers any power?

Manuel: The army?

João: No. This is a family tradition. Sons and brothers don't get to do anything interesting.

1715, when Manuel is 18 years old.

Manuel: *sneaks on board an English ship*

Manuel: Hello, Netherlands! Nice to be here. Nice to be literally anywhere that isn't with my obnoxious older brother. Party time!

João: You get your butt back here!

Manuel: Lalala, I can't hear you. Hey, Paris, traveling is fun!

French gov't: Uh, welcome, but, hmm, how to say this. Try not to start a diplomatic incident? Maybe you should go back home.

Manuel: Vienna! This is far enough away from Lisbon, right?

Austrian gov't: I mean, not that we're not hosting ~~hiding~~ a certain other runaway prince (why us?), but maybe you should go home?

Manuel: But I like it here. Can I help fight Turks?

Prince Eugene: I like how you think! Let's conquer Belgrade together!

1718, when the war ends.

Manuel: Party time in every capital of Europe!

[Mildred: Why will neither this book nor Wikipedia give me details on which ones and when?]

1733, War of the Polish Succession

Manuel: How about me? I'd make a great king of Poland.

Other European powers: Maaaaybe. We'll think about it.

1734, shortly thereafter.

Other European powers: Okay, no. Go home. João, pay his debts and don't punish him.

João: ????

1734-1766

Manuel: *lives happily ever after in Portugal*

Fritz: Some people have all the luck.

Alexei: *sob*

[Mildred: Seriously, I need more details. This is just enough to be tantalizing.]

Indeed it is! Good find. And wiki says he didn't even have to marry.

Heinrich: *sighs*

cahn, Joao and Manuel were the nephews of Catherine of Braganza, Charles II.'s Queen. After Charles had died - and after James II. had executed Jemmy despite her pleading for him - she returned from England to Portugal, and wiki says she became a mother figure to Joao and his female role model till her death in 1705. Maybe that's why he was nicer to his wayward younger brother than most of his fellow monarchs?

And wiki says he didn't even have to marry.

Aahh, thank you for bringing this up! I meant to but forgot. Yes, he had all the luck. English ships are where it's at when you want to escape, apparently.

Family relations: João will also end up being the father-in-law of adorable moppet, aka Mariana Victoria. For those who need a reminder, "adorable moppet" is the daughter of Philip "the Frog" V and Isabella Farnese who got sent as a toddler to Versailles to marry young Louis XV, only then the political winds changed after a few years and she got sent back to Spain, much to the outrage of Philip and Isabella. She later ended up queen of Portugal.

Heh, wow, he really did have all the luck!

Ohh, okay! That's very cool! I really liked Catherine of Braganza in The King's Touch. And I like your idea that she was able to enforce "yeah, be nicer to your younger family members!" in Portugal!

Manuel: Party time in every capital of Europe!

[Mildred: Why will neither this book nor Wikipedia give me details on which ones and when?]

Mildred: Surely Pöllnitz ran into him at least once.

Sure enough, May 30, 1730:

I pass'd thro' Padua, where I had the Honour to pay my Respects to the Prince Emanuel of Portugal, who is come to reside there for some time.

Other European powers: Okay, no. Go home. João, pay his debts and don't punish him.

João: ????

1734-1766

Manuel: *lives happily ever after in Portugal*

Aw, a happy ending!! History needs more of those.

Fritz: Some people have all the luck.

Alexei: *sob*

I mean, this.

18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 36

Runaway prince

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Re: Runaway prince

Re: Runaway prince