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: Mitchell backstory

[mildred_of_midgard]

What I remember about Scotland's age of consent is that Gretna Green, right on the border with England, was a popular elopement spot for English teenagers, because once you crossed the border with your illicit bf/gf, you could get married without your parents' permission.

Re: Mitchell backstory

[selenak]

That's what I remember about it, too, but in this case you have two minors, one of whom is by all criteria still a child, and an adult instigating the marriage between the two for blatantly financial reasons. Methinks Scottish law left a big loophole for abuse there!

Re: Mitchell backstory

[mildred_of_midgard]

I agree the situation was terrible! That poor girl.

(I am reminded, stepping outside our fandom for a minute, of how one of the Antarctic explorers who died with Scott, Lawrence Oates, was found recently to have fathered a child on some 11 year-old Scottish girl before setting off to the South Pole. Disappointingly few 21st century journalists were willing to call a spade a child rape, instead of going "he never knew he was a father" or something saccharine like that. Wikipedia at least has the decency.)