Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 39

[cahn]

Last post, along with the usual 18th-century suspects, included the Ottonians; changing ideas of conception and women's sexual pleasure; Isabella of Parma (the one who fell in love, and vice versa, with her husband's sister); Henry IV and Bertha (and Henry's second wife divorcing him for "unspeakable sexual acts"). (Okay, Isabella of Parma was 18th century.)

Comments

Re: Nancy Goldstone has nothing on this one...

[selenak]

Indeed! And not only is he correctly stated as the co-conspirator who did manage the escape to England, but the phrasing "whereas Frederick got arrested, and Katte got also arrested" at least avoids the usual "they got arrested the same time at the same place" mistake, though I bet that's what the listeners now assume.

Re: Nancy Goldstone has nothing on this one...

[mildred_of_midgard]

Well, everyone's been assuming it since at least the 1790s, when Nicolai had to set them straight, so the listeners are in good company.

(I think I assumed it myself before salon, or at least at one point I have a memory of assuming that, then looking up what happened, deciding it was too confusing for a fandom I wasn't in any more, and putting the book back down again.)