Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 42

[cahn]

Last post, we had (among other things) Danish kings and their favorites; Louis XIV and Philippe d'Orléans; reviews of a very shippy book about Katte, a bad Jacobite novel, and a great book about clothing; a fic about Émilie du Châtelet and Voltaire; and a review of a set of entertaining Youtube history videos about Frederick the Great.

Comments

Re: Execution of two Jacobite Lords - Questions

[mildred_of_midgard]

"Jack Ketch" - now this can't possibly be the same guy who got infamous when mangling all those executions of participants in Monmouth's rebellion way back in the previous century under James II, so I assume at this point, "Jack Ketch" had already become a common nickname for any executioner.

Exactly what I made a mental note to say, and then I saw you had beaten me to it!

4.) These noble men being able to agree upon a sign THEY are to give the executioner is something I don't recall not just from Tudor era executions (of the noblity, that is, poor commoners certainly couldn't at any time) but, again from the late Stuart era executions under James II. Was this an 18th century innovation?

Maybe? I'm not thinking of specific examples, but it feels familiar, so I'm thinking I've probably come across the practice before.

5.) Not being into the Jacobite rebellions, I have no idea whether Lords Kilmarnock and Balmerino were big deals or hangers-on. Do tell.

I definitely remembered the names over all these years, but no details, so I was waiting for luzula to weigh in.