Not in the few pages I looked at (it's in the godawful font! there's only so much I can do quickly!), but two interesting things:
1. This author says it was Sophia Magdalena, Frederik's mother who ousted Moltke from power, and that she hated him because he'd kept her out of power for the twenty years of her son's reign. I have read in a number of places that she was believed to have her husband, Christian VI, under her thumb and to be the de facto ruler, so this is possible.
But she also didn't have a good relationship with her son, so it's another case of blaming the evil advisors: these emotionally damaged monarchs are susceptible to influence from the people who are nice to them, and why *would* they have a good relationship with their abuser and his circle?
Heinrich: I was nice to you!
FW2: Sorry, Uncle Heinrich, you were his other self.
Now why Sophia Magdalena didn't get him banished? I don't know. It's possible that it would have required a purge, though, Moltke's sons are in their 20s, with his oldest approaching 30, and they're starting to occupy important positions. Apparently every single one of his numerous sons held some very influential office or other (usually several), generally starting in their late teens or early 20s. Both his son Joachim and Joachim's son Adam were prime ministers of Denmark in the 19th century. This is why Lehndorff reports a different Moltke accompanying Christian on the Grand Tour as Oberhofmarschall (iirc), and I mentioned it was our Moltke's son.
So maybe that had something to do with it.
2. Omg, this is hilarious.
So this book also mentions the Hirschholm Palace anecdote in a footnote, and it sources it to an even earlier 19th century book that I was able to get ahold of. It says it's an unconfirmed anecdote, but it does correspond to the attested character of Christian VII.
The earlier 19th century book is Brown's "The Northern Courts", and omgggg, this is so over-the-top it's unbelievable. Juliana Maria is no-holds-barred evil stepmother straight out of a fairy tale. Frederik is super attached to Christian, and his drinking only starts once he realizes Juliana wants to murder Christian! That's when Moltke gets power! (Mildred note: Responsible historians say Moltke was given full authority over domestic and foreign policy in 1749, which is only 3 years after Frederik became king, and 3 years before Juliana Maria even came along.) Then, failing her attempts to kill baby Christian, evil stepmother Juliana corrupts teenage Christian with women.
Oh, man, I wish this were copy-pastable. I don't remember the last time I saw something this shamelessly over-the-top.
Hey, there's another anecdote when Frederik tells Christian to pour some wine for himself and Moltke. Christian pointedly fills Moltke's glass to the top, Frederik's only half full, and his own with barely any. When asked what the meaning of this was, Christian tells his father that "I mean sire, to denote hereby our respective consequence in the state. Molckte [sic] being king and minister, I filled the glass commensurate with his authority. You, my father, being the next person in in the state to the count, I half filled your glass: as for myself, being of no consequence whatever, I took no wine."
Weakened and obscured as were the intellects of the king, he pressed his son to his bosom and a tear glistened in his eye at the reproof thus conveyed. It was however, only a momentary impression. [And then he drinks himself to death.]
All emphasis is the author's.
Pardon me if I DON'T BELIEVE A THING THIS AUTHOR WRITES.
Okay, I might be contractually obliged to OCR the poison attempt so I can share it. Back later with more gossip!
Re: Danish kings and their favorites: Frederik V and Moltke
Not in the few pages I looked at (it's in the godawful font! there's only so much I can do quickly!), but two interesting things:
1. This author says it was Sophia Magdalena, Frederik's mother who ousted Moltke from power, and that she hated him because he'd kept her out of power for the twenty years of her son's reign. I have read in a number of places that she was believed to have her husband, Christian VI, under her thumb and to be the de facto ruler, so this is possible.
But she also didn't have a good relationship with her son, so it's another case of blaming the evil advisors: these emotionally damaged monarchs are susceptible to influence from the people who are nice to them, and why *would* they have a good relationship with their abuser and his circle?
Heinrich: I was nice to you!
FW2: Sorry, Uncle Heinrich, you were his other self.
Now why Sophia Magdalena didn't get him banished? I don't know. It's possible that it would have required a purge, though, Moltke's sons are in their 20s, with his oldest approaching 30, and they're starting to occupy important positions. Apparently every single one of his numerous sons held some very influential office or other (usually several), generally starting in their late teens or early 20s. Both his son Joachim and Joachim's son Adam were prime ministers of Denmark in the 19th century. This is why Lehndorff reports a different Moltke accompanying Christian on the Grand Tour as Oberhofmarschall (iirc), and I mentioned it was our Moltke's son.
So maybe that had something to do with it.
2. Omg, this is hilarious.
So this book also mentions the Hirschholm Palace anecdote in a footnote, and it sources it to an even earlier 19th century book that I was able to get ahold of. It says it's an unconfirmed anecdote, but it does correspond to the attested character of Christian VII.
The earlier 19th century book is Brown's "The Northern Courts", and omgggg, this is so over-the-top it's unbelievable. Juliana Maria is no-holds-barred evil stepmother straight out of a fairy tale. Frederik is super attached to Christian, and his drinking only starts once he realizes Juliana wants to murder Christian! That's when Moltke gets power! (Mildred note: Responsible historians say Moltke was given full authority over domestic and foreign policy in 1749, which is only 3 years after Frederik became king, and 3 years before Juliana Maria even came along.) Then, failing her attempts to kill baby Christian, evil stepmother Juliana corrupts teenage Christian with women.
Oh, man, I wish this were copy-pastable. I don't remember the last time I saw something this shamelessly over-the-top.
Hey, there's another anecdote when Frederik tells Christian to pour some wine for himself and Moltke. Christian pointedly fills Moltke's glass to the top, Frederik's only half full, and his own with barely any. When asked what the meaning of this was, Christian tells his father that "I mean sire, to denote hereby our respective consequence in the state. Molckte [sic] being king and minister, I filled the glass commensurate with his authority. You, my father, being the next person in in the state to the count, I half filled your glass: as for myself, being of no consequence whatever, I took no wine."
Weakened and obscured as were the intellects of the king, he pressed his son to his bosom and a tear glistened in his eye at the reproof thus conveyed. It was however, only a momentary impression. [And then he drinks himself to death.]
All emphasis is the author's.
Pardon me if I DON'T BELIEVE A THING THIS AUTHOR WRITES.
Okay, I might be contractually obliged to OCR the poison attempt so I can share it. Back later with more gossip!