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...

[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.)