Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 46

[cahn]

Background: The kids' school has a topic for "Unit" every trimester that a lot of their work (reading, writing, some math) revolves around. These topics range from time/geographic periods ('Colonial America') to geography ('Asia') to science ('Space') to social science ('Business and Economics'). (I have some issues with this way of doing things, but that's a whole separate post.) Anyway, for Reasons, they have had to come up with a new topic this year, and E's 7/8 class is doing "World Fairs" as their new topic.

Me: I know E's teacher is all about World Fairs and I know she is great and will do a good job. But I feel like if we had a different teacher who wasn't so into World Fairs, they wouldn't do such a good job and another topic would be better.
Me: Like... the Enlightenment!
D: Heh, you could teach that! But you'd have to restrain yourself from making everything about Frederick the Great.
Me: But that's the thing! Everyone does relate to each other in this time period! Voltaire -- and his partner Émilie du Châtelet, who was heavily involved in the discourse of conservation of energy and momentum -- well, I've told you Voltaire had a thing with Fritz -- and then there's Empress Maria Theresa, who went to war with him a few times -- and Catherine the Great --
D, meditatively: You know --
Me: *am innocently not warned even though this is the same tone of voice that is often followed by, say, a bad pun*
D: -- it's impressive how everyone from this 'the Great' family is so famous!
Me: *splutters*
D, thoughtfully: But of course there's probably selection bias, as the ones who aren't famous don't get mentioned. You never see 'Bob the Great' in the history books...
Me: *splutters more*

Comments

Re: Maupertuis, my nemesis

[mildred_of_midgard]

The final letter from Maupertuis (that I've found) is 2 pages long. I haven't got all of it, but I've got some of the gist. I will probably go back over it at some point, but not right now.

The most interesting part is that it's April 3, 1741, meaning Maupertuis must be in camp with Fritz, since the battle of Mollwitz is about to take place April 10, and he will be captured.(That's the one where Fritz leaves the field at Schwerin's suggestion, cahn, and he never forgives Schwerin either for talking him into running away, or for winning the battle without him.)

It has already been some time, my dear sir, since I received your letter, and nothing will give me more pleasure than receiving one as often as you can write to me. I know the value of your friendship and preserve it for me; do be sure of mine, and count on it, if you ever have need of a man who knows all that you are worth, you have found it in me. I received a charming letter from Mme. de Knyphausen assuring me me that I have been remembered to? by? Misses Oriane and Hedwick.

Reminder that "Oriane" is the most common spelling of Ariane in the actual contemporary documents; to the point where I'm going to have to use that in my essay. Hedwig is one of her sisters. They are respectively just turned 20 and about to turn 19, and presumably both unmarried and living at home. Oriane will marry Peter in about a year and a half.

Then some kind of politeness about the Knyphausens that I haven't quite deciphered, and then politeness to Peter:

When I received your letter, I found terms in it that I did not expect; if friendship were enough for such compliments it would be up to me to satisfy you, but I must thank you for a friendship that gives me the greatest pleasure, and say that it is not possible to lack it for you as soon as one knows you.

I have all received marks of kindness from their Majesties the Queens, which I take the liberty of writing to them to thank them for, I have left my letters to Mesdames Finke and de Katch. Here is one for Madam Margrave Albert, who I really wanted to address to La Fresle, whom I only got to know the day before my departure, and who is on the verge of overturning all my resolutions with a wink. If it is convenient, give her my letter, and ask her to return it to HRH, otherwise give it to her yourself, and pay court to this charming princess, for whom I have conceived the greatest respect and the greatest attachment.

Mildred: There is a Friedrich Albert, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, whose widow is still alive. I'm guessing La Fresle is one of her ladies in waiting.

Please give my friendship to Messieurs Keyserling and Knobelsdorff. [Ask?] the former to pass on to the King a book that König dedicated to him and which he had asked me to present to him. I asked Monsieur de Keyserling to do so when I was leaving. Adieu, mon cher monsieur [some Rokoko politeness I'm missing two key words of].

So! It's early 1741, Maupertuis and Peter are already on corresponding terms, and Peter already knows Ariane and Knobelsdorff. The Knobelsdorff thing is of interest because felis told us that *a* Lt. Col. Keith was assigned to work with Knobelsdorff on the Tiergarten in 1741, but it was a guess that it was *our* Lt. Col. Keith, based on his later friendship with Knobelsdorff and responsibilities for managing the Tiergarten after Knobelsdorff died. Now we have even more circumstantial evidence, which seems pretty convincing to me.

And hopefully that's all the Maupertuis deciphering I have to do.

Re: Maupertuis, my nemesis

[selenak]

If in 1741 Peter is already on good terms with Maupertuis, and knows Ariane and Knobelsdorff, it says something about his ability to make friends. It also shows a sympathetic side of Maupertuis, because 1740 has made clear Peter isn't someone you need to befriend as a way to gain influence with Fritz. And he's not rich, either. There's no advantage here. If Maupertuis the famous celebrity has friended Peter, it must have been for Peter's sake. That Peter already knows Ariane shows they had the time to befriend and court each other: good for them!

La Fresle: any chance this is a nickname for his future wife who might have been in the Schwedt widow's household? I know that as Madame de Maupertuis, she'll end up in Amalie's household by the time of the 7 Years War, though she might have been with EC in between.

Maupertuis sending "The Queens" his regards, i.e. both SD and EC, would also indicate people aren't yet clear on the fact Fritz will never live with EC again. Understandable - he has become King in early summer of 17540, so it's not even a year, and a year filled with a lot of resettling and household movements, and now he's on campaign, and in the SD/FW marriage, she did have her own palace of Monbijou to retreat to every now and then.

Re: Maupertuis, my nemesis

[mildred_of_midgard]

If in 1741 Peter is already on good terms with Maupertuis, and knows Ariane and Knobelsdorff, it says something about his ability to make friends.

Yep, and early 1741 at that! The letter also corroborates what's in the eulogy, that Maupertuis and Peter were friendly, to the point where Maupertuis later sponsored his Academy membership and curatorship.

That Peter already knows Ariane shows they had the time to befriend and court each other: good for them!

<3

La Fresle: any chance this is a nickname for his future wife who might have been in the Schwedt widow's household?

Maybe, but since Fresle is an actual last name, and he won't marry Eleanore Borcke until 1745, I was assuming it was simply a different lady.

Maupertuis sending "The Queens" his regards, i.e. both SD and EC, would also indicate people aren't yet clear on the fact Fritz will never live with EC again.

Yep, same thought I had!