Podcast appearances and mentions of King William

How a Young Prince Frederick celebrated his wedding to Princess Charlotte, and started a great Bavarian tradition.Based on the work of Mumfreds. Listen to the podcast at steamy stories.In 1808 people of Württemberg lived in the convergence of three cultures. The masculine lead industry and agriculture of the Germans, the Swiss provided enlightenment of the sciences, and the French liberality and arts added a healthy dose of libertine free thinking and even a tolerance for kinkiness.But Württemberg was moving forward with the final demise of the Holy Roman Empire just a few years earlier. Napoleon had just defeated the Austrian military and established a new Confederation of the Rhine.  The ethnic German people were split apart  and some were under the Austrian protectorate, while the Rhine was under French protectorate on both sides of the Rhine river, including the German homeland.Prince Frederick had watched as his older sister was given to Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as a wife for Napoleon's brother, in exchange for his family's continued role of the Württemberg Kingdom, under the occupation of Napoleon's empire. Now Prince Frederick was being pressured by his parents and the court advisors, to strategically marry a well-bred heiress from the kingdom of Bavaria, princess Charlotte.Princess Charlotte was just 18 in the spring of 1810. A debutante, already being aggressively sought by Napoleon, she was terrified. When faced with the two unwanted options, she and her mother agreed that Frederick William was the better option and more respecting of their shared German heritage. Charlotte wept for weeks. She was still a girl of just 18 years. Her parents apologized repeatedly. It was especially difficult because Charlotte had always been a free-spirit and defiant of the stupid rules of etiquette that she violated almost daily.As an enthusiast of all things equestrian, Charlotte refused to ride ‘side-saddle'. She also found the practice to be a convenient excuse when the Royal Physician of Württemberg Court conducted a prenuptial gynecological exam a requirement in the nuptial contract between the kingdoms. As for Prince Frederick William, the marriage was even less anticipated. Charlotte was not the ideal sex object of his fantasies. Where he liked slender, tall older women, Charlotte was busty with a big round ass.Frederick liked the arts and sciences. He enjoyed the opera and studied astronomy.Charlotte loved animals and preferred German folk songs. Charlotte found little appeal in Frederick's lanky physique. She preferred the bulky, athletic, and masculine virility of farm-hands and tradesmen. A fall wedding Festival Back in 1810 Crown Prince Frederick William, sought the hand of the lovely princess Charlotte of Munich. She was the most desired woman in all of the ethnic German kingdoms. He courted her for many months, seeking to prevail over the efforts of Emperor Napoleon of France.Frederick's family negotiated aggressively with her father King Maximilian; whereby Frederick eventually asked Charlotte to marry him.Both kingdoms shared a strong disgust for all things French culture.It was the one topic where the two actually enjoyed conversation and felt compatibility. they were political allies and even business partners; but not at all romantically drawn to desire. She felt the same way he did, and accepted his offer. They were scheduled to marry on October 12th. As the date came close, she was starting to feel some trepidation. He was concerned and asked what was the problem. She shyly told him that she was expected to be with him; only with him, for the rest of her life. He said of course she would be only with him, and he would be only with her, as was customary.She thought carefully, and said; “Forever is a long time.”He did not want her to be so sad and thought for a while. He proposed an idea as a secret plan that they should not tell anyone about.At the wedding there would be a huge and joyous festival; a very German cultural Festival. At the festival she could go among the crowd and choose three men with which to make love.Upon hearing the idea, she was overjoyed at the thought and thanked him for his generosity and gladly accepted.The wedding was indeed a huge and joyous festival where everyone in Munich turned out. The first night of the festival was the night of their wedding. The celebration was scheduled to go on for 5 days.On the second day of the festival the prince approached the princess and told her today would be the day she made her three selections. She would go out and pick three men with which to ‘sow her oats.' She went to her dressing chamber to pick out her sexiest outfit. She chose the shortest dirndl she had. It stopped just below her ass.  The front of the dirndl plunged to show her beautiful Buxom cleavage. On her smooth legs she wore white by high stockings that ended below her dirndl. On her feet she wore elevated wedges. She was a vision. Her body was very visible and very sexy.The prince and princess began to make the rounds, where villagers were celebrating and congregating. As they walked, the men noticed princess Charlotte and paid her a great deal of attention. Offerings were made of pretzels, beer, and all sorts of treats, as she walked through the fair.She was pleasant of all and smiled as she always did. These were her people and she hoped they would come to accept her foreign Prince.Helmut the blacksmithAs they walked through the grounds they came upon a blacksmith, who had a stall set up to shoe horses. Charlotte stopped, and seemed to take a special interest. As one would expect, the blacksmith was quite strong, and also handsome. When she got close, a smile fell across his face and he gave greetings.“ I am Helmut, my princess;” he said in the most cultured enunciation he could contrive. She secretly knew Helmut from her frequent trips to the Stables. But that is their secret. The prince asked the princess if this might be one of the men. She smiled and said; “Indeed this would be one of the men if he so desired.” As the princess continued strolling, the prince stayed back briefly and invited Helmut to a special dinner with the princess that evening at 7:00. He graciously accepted. While he didn't understand what was fully ahead for him, he was happy to be able to spend an evening with the busty and charming princess. Robert the actorThey continued to walk through the fairgrounds with the prince often letting the princess drift ahead so he could see the reactions of the commoners as they look at her beauty. He watch her interact with the men of the Kingdom. As they continued, they came across a play that was just finishing up on the stage. The lead actor was quite athletically fit and very handsome. He flashed a smile at princess Charlotte and catching her off guard, she shyly looked away. The production poster listed the lead actor as ‘Robert.' What Prince Frederick didn't suspect was that Robert was also a part of the local Polo team. The two had secretly met in the Stables. The secret remains to this day. She composed herself and began to smile. He congratulated her and the prince on their wedding. She whispered to the prince that it might be fun to invite him to dinner. Shortly thereafter the prince did just that.Steffan the folk dancerAfter not much longer, the princess stopped in front of the stage where there was folk dancing.One of the dancers was agile, strong, and very skilled. As he lifted his twirling partner into the air, then safely caught her in his arms. She caught the vicarious thrill of experiencing being airborne and caught in his gentle arms. Steffan stepped back for his female dance partner to perform her feature solo. As he caught his breath, he looked out to the applauding crowds. He spotted the royal couple and was pleased. He had caught the princess's eye. She stood and watched him perform. in his lederhosen, not taking her eyes off of him. This was not missed by the dancer, and when the dance was over he came over and introduced himself to the princess. “I am Steffan”, he humbly bowed.This was but a rouse, as the dancer was part of a Mayday festival at the Munich Palace. Charlotte had graciously helped him find the dressing rooms when he'd gotten lost in the palace back halls. Charlotte felt a wetness as she recalled his tryst in her private Chambers just months ago; As Steffan talked with the prince, his eyes glanced up and down Charlotte's body. Memories led to arousal, and after several minutes, Steffan quickly dismissed himself to ‘prepare for the next number.His tight shorts left little to the imagination and it was clear that he was very well built down there. It also became obvious when he was talking to the princess, that she pleased him greatly and that is why he had to make a quick exit.Princess Charlotte smiled at The Prince and he understood that the dancer would be the third. The prince then extended an invite to him.The special guests come to dinner The dinner was scheduled for that evening at 7:00. A fire was made in the large fireplace and the finest Linens, China, and glassware were laid out.The cooks were busy making Gourmet Foods and the prince picked the wines himself. The princess was bathing and getting dressed for the evening. She had taken her time to clean and shave meticulously. She had chosen a metallic gold dress that plunged in the front bodice, and a skirt that stopped right at her bottom, in the back. She also wore matching metallic gold strappy shoes with towering heels. She also wore her gold earrings, necklace, and bracelets. On her right ankle was a gold anklet that the prince had bought her that day for the dinner. She looked irresistible. As the princess dressed upstairs, the men arrived early for the dinner. They too, had bathed and put on their finest clothes. The prince greeted them personally, and the young studs introduced themselves to each other.  The prince poured them each a drink and they toasted to each other and their good fortune. Prince Frederick explained to their astonishment and delight; the agreement the prince and princess had made ,and that they were the lucky men chosen.When the princess arrived downstairs, the prince met her before she walked into the dining room. To her surprise, the prince said that he would not be joining them. He wanted the men to have her to themselves and for her to have the men to herself. After thinking about it a bit, she realized that this might be more fun.The prince told her however, that he couldn't possibly resist watching her sexual conquests and would be watching from special consealments that were created near the dining room.They then walked into the dining room as the men stood up and were formally introduced by name to the princess.As she walked in looking lovely as can be. There were Smiles all around. The prince said his good-byes,and said he would stop in the evening, The princess and her suitors were seated for dinner and were poured wine from the servants. As the conversation began, the men paid great attention to the princess. The men stared deep into the eyes of the princess while she spoke and attended to her every need.Dancing In The ParlorAfter dessert was served Steffan asked the princess if she'd like to dance. She loved to dance and quickly accepted the offer from the handsome man. Charlotte led the man into the Parlor and went over to a cabinet on casters she opened the lid of the music box and cranked up the Armature. The Parlor was filled with the rich sounds of an Austrian Waltz. They began a formal Waltz, with the dancer expertly taking the lead and the princess easily keeping up. They glided around the room while Helmut and Robert looked on, seated on nicely-upholstered wing-back chairs.Not wanting to be left out, Robert cut in and continued the dance;  His intense blue eyes staring into the princesses. Helmut, not wanting to miss his turn, cut in. This allowed the princess to put her hands on his muscular arms as he easily spun her around the Dance Floor. During dinner, Prince Frederick had been sitting in a hall outside the dining room. He took great pleasure in watching the princess charm and be Charmed by the men. He found himself increasingly excited as the dancing started. His new wife was a youthful and sexy dancer, and watching her interact with the men turned him on immensely. When the quartet moved to the parlor, Prince Frederick went upstairs to a balcony overlooking the Parlor. A member of his Württemberg Entourage, Claudine was making her regular checks on his welfare. She was his tutor since he was 10 years old and she was 21.The woman taught Frederick on many subjects, and over time had become an adviser on many matters. She was tall, slender, and elegant. Her lessons often continued in his bed Chambers whenever they could safely conceal the ongoing sex education lessons. Now, 17 years later, Claudine now carries herself as a charming  and confident 39 year old vixen.From the balcony, the prince and his ‘tutor' (and secret lover) sat on the floor, behind the velvet drapes, and silently peered between the balusters, Charlotte's deportment with the young men.The quartet move to a slower song and the blacksmith pulled the princess close for a slow dance. The princess's head had been spinning from her wonderful evening and her third Goblet of wine, and now she was very close to and touching this muscular man. He too could feel her busty body with his strong hands around her firm waist he pulled her in closer to him she didn't pull away as she felt him stiffen.She began to feel a tingle inside herself. Before she knew it Robert the actor had stepped up and taken Helmut's place. As Robert stared into her eyes he leaned forward and gently put his lips to hers and she readily received them as she first did in that pile of straw in the horse stables.He pulled her close to him and continued to kiss her. She then felt a second set of hands on her hips from behind it was Steffan. Her dress was so short that his hands were right above the bottom of the dress. She briefly stopped kissing Robert as Steffen pulled her hips into him and began kissing her neck. Pressing into her rear end was that very large and now very hard cock that had attracted her earlier that day. He raised Goosebumps on her as he kissed her neck.From the balcony, Prince Frederick and Claudine had seen everything. He didn't miss a second of the meal or the dance.  Much like the viral men in the parlor, he too was very hard. To watch the woman he married be so pleased. To be able to watch her talk and flirt and touch and be touched was truly a pleasure. To see the way the young suiters desire her.Claudine began rubbing his crotch while sliding her other hand up under her own skirt.As Steffan continued to kiss the princess on her neck and ears, he slowly ground his cock against her white ass. With his hands around her waist the skimpy dress began fully raising from the grinding as it lifted. The actor in front of her looked down and realized she wasn't wearing any panties. He could see her perfect beautiful shaved cunt. He went wild, grabbing her head and kissing her deeply with his tongue. Steffan also noticing the dress had climbed up her body, began using his large hands to rub her large crack.The princess felt so good she was barely standing at this point, mostly being held up in the sandwich of the men. The blacksmith was standing on the sidelines with his cock out, stroking while looking at the scene he had in front of him.The actor was now kissing down the body of The Princess and Steffan turned the princess's head and began kissing her deeply as he reached in front and grabbed her heating tits and fondling her tall erect nipples. Robert had made his way down to her belly and was closing in on her cunt. The princess shook as Robert's lips came in contact with her cunt lips. He licked her cunt as she held his head against her. After the princess Broke Free from Steffan's kiss, she gave a look towards the waiting blacksmith. The look let Helmut know it was time for him to join the fun. Helmut, unable to contain himself, walked towards the melee. He ignored Steffan and the actor and picked up the princess and carried her to a large couch on the side of the room. He laid her down on the couch and began for lack of a better word, to ravage her body.He grabbed and sucked her nipples and then quickly moved down to her cunt, licking her clit. The other two men were quickly at the couch. The actor began sucking her nipples making the princess squirm. She wrapped her legs around Helmut's head. As Robert & Steffan worked their magic, she began to quiver.This stirred both of the men and their tongues sped up lapping her nipples and clit. Her back arched as the orgasm flowed through her body. As she recovered from her orgasm, the men stood her up and removed her mini dress so that only her gold platform heals and jewelry remained. At this point; Helmut was so turned on, he couldn't wait. He laid the princess back down, and guided his rigid cock inside her. As much as she enjoyed his mouth it felt really good to have his hard warm cock in her.The princess looked next to see that Robert had removed his clothes and had his hard shaft in front of her. The princess reached out and grabbed his cock. Robert's heart was pounding. The hand of this beautiful woman felt so good on him.Steffan stripped off his clothes and joined the group.The princess had her eyes closed as Helmut picked up his pace. She put her right hand on his muscular chest and rubbed down his chiseled abdomen, wrapping her hand around his thick cock as it slid in and out of her. She returned her hand to his chest and continued to jerk off the wood of Robert on her left.One of the thrust of Helmut's threw the princess's head back and as she look to the right she saw the naked body of Stefan.His cock was large and beautiful. It was exactly what she hoped for when she picked him for the evening. She slowed her hand down on the actor as she eagerly grabbed the thick rod of the handsome dancer. She slowly explored the entire length of his cock with her soft hand. He leaned over and touched and kissed her slowly, exploring her mouth; reaching over to gently caress her nipple. She firmly but gently grabbed the base of his cock, and pulled him close to her.  It was perfect, and she began licking and sucking it. She continued to suck as much of the cock as she could fit in her mouth,  to the rhythm of Helmut sliding in and out of her wet cunt. Helmut would not last much longer, and began to pick up speed. The princess began to tremble and slow down the actor and Dancer.As Helmut's hands wrapped around her tiny waist, she put her hands on his waist, to push him in further,He began grunted and began powerfully jack-hammering her. Her entire body was moving as Helmut slammed into her. He began to cum.  She felt his first shot squirt into her body, which pushed her into a full orgasm as her body clinched around him.  He kept pounding, shooting a large load  as she moaned. Charlotte was trembling from the orgasm Helmut had just given her. He held her in his strong arms, as she took a moment to recover. After some time, he withdrew his cock from her.Steffan grabbed the Princess's face with both hands, and kissed her passionately on the lips.He backed up and stared into her eyes. He could wait no longer. As he backed up, the Princess could see his turgid cock, standing at attention. He was extremely hard. With both hands on her waist, he pulled her towards him. He grabbed the base of his rod, and began to run it up and down the length of her cunt lips. He would have to move slowly, to get his large shaft into her tight cunt. Robert and Helmut saw that she might have some troubles, so they went up to the princess. They each took one of her shapely legs. She still had her golden heels on. They each held an ankle in one hand, and with the other they reached up to her inner thigh.They spread her legs wide apart, to give Steffan better access. As his cock pressed into the small opening between her cunt lips, she was both nervous and excited.Cum In The BalconyStill viewing from the Position to see his new wife, as naked and as hard as the other men; he had his cock in his hand. It was ecstasy to see his wife enjoying herself so much to allow her to have a variety he could not provide himself .He also liked being able to just watch the way she flirted, desired, and moved.He could just focus on watching her be sexual. It was such a turn on for him. Claudine sucked his cock while he lay on the balcony floor; her cunt spread wide above his adoring eyes. His cock deep in his concert's throat while the passionate sounds of a foursome filled the Parlor below their lofty perch. As Claudine's juices ran down the tongue of the prince, her inner thighs pressing tight against his ears while she shakes from the oral menstruation he has perfected.Frederick took it all in and paused his urges to thrust while Claudine indulged in the joy of her orgasm. She sucked his tip and flicked his head gently while her Bliss lingered. As Claudine's body came back to the moment, she fixed her desire to the cock in her mouth. Soon her head pressed down on his crotch and his cock rapidly entered and exited her throat. Her tongue synchronized in a swallowing sequence. In less than a minute later, his hips rocketed upward as his balls constricted into the base of his cock. His prostate began a series of jets sending cream deep into Claudine's receptive throat. She knew his body and his signs of eminent release. She's taking a deep breath before plunging down on his explosion with her expert tongue.She used a swallowing sequence to take every last drop into her throat. Claudine had become so proficient that it had been a couple years since she could remember the taste of Frederick's spunk. Downstairs The princess took a deep breath as Stefan's cock slowly entered her cunt.  She felt it spreading her and filling her up. She was very wet but Stephen still took his time. She was so tight he needed to move slowly. He paused after he was completely inside her, to give her a moment to once again get used to his massive cock.With her eyes closed she let out a breath feeling so full in her cunt. Slowly he moved back out and then gently pushed back into her. He increased the speed as she grew used to his size. He slid in and out of her, hitting spots on her that had never been felt before. Helmut and Robert released her legs. Starting at her shoulders, they each kiss down her body, gently touching and tasting her as they worked.From her legs up, they kissed around her breasts, settling on her erect and sensitive nipples. Kissing them, licking and sucking them.In appreciation, she reached out and grabbed each of their firm cocks. With a cock inside her, with two handsome men sucking her nipples and a cock in each hand, her head was spinning. his face and her breathing she began to lose control with that fat cock filling her up and both nipples getting sucked. She began to moan louder and louder and she moaned the man began sucking her nipples faster and faster.Finally she couldn't hold out any longer and began to come.She let out what was almost a scream and seemed to have cum for a full minute. She felt so good after she came completely inside her while he waited and she recovered he couldn't wait any longer and slowly started pumping her she moved her body in time with his and it felt good.Recovering the princess started to feel a tingle as Stefan again picked up the pace. It was at this time the princess saw something to her left. It was the prince. He was so turned on by the event that he had to get closer. He was naked and jacking off his hard cock at the sight of his beautiful bride. She felt so good with the comfort of knowing her husband gave his approval and was so turned on,She looked up and Stefan was staring straight into her eyes. She could feel the pre-cum dribbling inside her, from his massive cock and knew it wouldn't be much longer. It was now just him and her, as he wrapped his large hands around her tiny waist and began to Bear down on her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and started to moan. They locked eyes as he drove into her faster and faster. She could feel his balls slamming into her with each stroke she began to scream  as the orgasm took over and his cock began to twitch.She began wave after wave of orgasm as his cock began to come inside her. She could feel the hot spurts of his semen. He kept pumping till his big cock was drained. She laid back sweaty and completely spent as his cock went limp inside her. Charlotte's good nightWith her eyes closed she felt lips softly touch hers. It was Prince Frederick. He looked deeply into her eyes and thanked her for what she had done. It was such a pleasure to watch her. Stefan prepared warm water and began gently cleaning her up with washcloths. They then helped the princess nymph, to dress into a beautiful tight golden gown. The night had gone on for hours ,with all of the meeting, drinking, and dancing; Charlotte saw each man out separately, and some private words were spoken but not overheard. Frederick told Charlotte he'd be up a bit and she should get her rest. The two never shared a bedroom again.A tradition of need Frederick William and his wife Charlotte remained in two royal families from two Allied kingdoms of the German peoples. It would be years before their fathers' Reigns would be passed on, so the two developed humanitarian causes and charities, to benefit the people of the two kingdoms. Württemberg & Bavaria. This often meant a lot of travel in the two adjoining kingdoms. Together they kept up appearances and showed no public affection to each other.It's not that they lacked a libido; they just had no physical or emotional attraction to anything about each other. In the weeks after Frederick and Charlotte disclosed to each other that they both had romantic interests in other lovers. they both provided discreet accommodations to each other and still kept a mutual respect.Second Year, and the Dirndl Craze Princess Charlotte is widely recognized as the inspiration for Oktoberfest. Her Bountiful bosom is synonymous with the joy of a Bountiful Harvest. The beer garden waitresses all wore the 'Charlotte dirndls' at the Munich Oktoberfest of 1811, 2nd Annual Festival. Charlotte and Frederick traveled the second night to Württemberg to inaugurate a sister Festival there. Some of the Württemberg church ladies initially objected to this Bavarian hussie princess whom their Crown Prince had married. Prince Frederick caught word of the grumbling prudes and decided to tell the organizers that he would personally appear with Princess Charlotte to make the official pronunciation of the beginning of the festival, At the noon hour, all the crowds gathered in the festival Square. Troubadours and dancers, Artisans and Partiers, all stood with a hush as the prince and princess climbed the steps to the platform. "Men and women, People of Württemberg, and guests. It is good to Delight in the Bountiful provisions of the Almighty, and we are truly thankful. We Delight ourselves in the fruit of both our hard work and Providence." Prince Frederick paused then added; "You are all part of that bounty. Delight in each other. I have taken a wife and we celebrate our anniversary with you today."Charlotte was standing just behind, and to the side of Frederick. He stepped back and took her hand to have her step up next to him. She was wearing a new dirndl in the colors of Frederick's Kingdom coat of arms. It was low cut, daring, and revealed a lot of leg. Frederick watched as a few older ladies whispered and expressed some displeasure. Frederick resumed his words; "In our holy scriptures we are commanded to Delight in God's provision. All of it. I conferred with the bishop and I'm confident of the clear meaning of this holy command. In the Book of Proverbs, the fifth chapter and the 18th verse. It commands us, 'Let thy Fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love.' " At that word, the men of the festival let out a roar of delight, Frederick and Charlotte turned to each other and smiled. Prince Frederick yelled over the excited crowd, "Bishop Johan, have I spoken accurately? Red-faced, the cleric simply gave a slow affirmative nod. The roar continued again, and the women now also joined in the applause. Prince Frederick stepped away and signaled for his Buxom princess Charlotte to acknowledge the acceptance from his kingdom. Ever the impish and useful girl, Charlotte made the impulsive decision not to curtsy, but bow instead, as a man would.The entire Festival cheered even louder, as the buxom princess gave a 'birds-eye' peek as her busty assets. The crowd began to chant; "We Love Char! We Love Char!" Prince Frederick motioned for a few frauline barmaids to roll a keg to Center Stage. They were all wearing similarly low-cut matching dirndls. The crowds now cheered at fever pitch. These girls were wearing exact replicas of the skimpy dress Charlotte had worn last year, for the special night of the original Munich Festival. The beirmeister tapped the keg and poured the local ale into a Stein. The beirmeister handed the Stein to Prince Frederick. Prince Frederick swiftly drank the entire contents without a pause. Holding up the empty stein, Prince Frederick shouted "O' zapft is! The Keg is tapped! Let Oktoberfest begin!" That's what sealed the legacy of the German ethnic future. Charlotte became the mascot without ever intending to. For her, Oktoberfest was always a way to conveniently compensate for a marriage which completely lacked romance and sexuality. This was all for show. Frederick continued his lust for older MILF trysts and taking interest in tall slender women. Claudine was a frequent counselor and lived in the palace. Charlotte was able to surround herself with virile men who loved her busty figure. As a proud answer to the French Mardi Gras hedonism, the people of Bavaria and Württemberg kingdoms heartily took to the annual fall Harvest Festival we still know as Oktoberfest. It still includes house parties to end the days, and people entertain house guests til wee hours of the morning.It's set for celebrating the conclusion of the harvest, which means The agrarian communities have both time and money for celebrating with energy and enthusiasm. Each year after, new festivals popped up in other cities and the royal couple collaborated in both kingdoms to stagger the dates and coordinate promotions and resources.Württemberg's new king and queen Charlotte became Queen Caroline when Prince Frederick William became King William the first; but the marriage was sexless. After a few years Frederick learned of the death of his cousins Royal husband, in Russia. Princess Catherine Pavlovna met King William while both were visiting Vienna. Frederick was love-struck by the tall Russian granddaughter of Catherine the Great.They were both in their Prime of life and burning with lust for each other. Soon Frederick asked Charlotte for an annulment agreement. For Charlotte, it was liberation. She immediately became the most sought woman in Europe's royal society.Very quickly, Emperor Francis the first of Austria secured her commitment to marriage and become Empress consort of his Austrian Empire with another 46 titles of nobility. Francis was 24 years older than Charlotte and the two did not have children together. But with Charlotte's help, Francis eventually defeated the Napoleon Empire. That meant Württemberg's King Frederick, her first husband, was now subject to her, through her new husband, Francis. Thus begun the great Austrian Empire of Europe for about 100 years to come. by  Mumfreds for Literotica 

How a Young Prince Frederick celebrated his wedding to Princess Charlotte, and started a great Bavarian tradition.Based on the work of Mumfreds. Listen to the podcast at steamy stories.In 1808 people of Württemberg lived in the convergence of three cultures. The masculine lead industry and agriculture of the Germans, the Swiss provided enlightenment of the sciences, and the French liberality and arts added a healthy dose of libertine free thinking and even a tolerance for kinkiness.But Württemberg was moving forward with the final demise of the Holy Roman Empire just a few years earlier. Napoleon had just defeated the Austrian military and established a new Confederation of the Rhine.  The ethnic German people were split apart  and some were under the Austrian protectorate, while the Rhine was under French protectorate on both sides of the Rhine river, including the German homeland.Prince Frederick had watched as his older sister was given to Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as a wife for Napoleon's brother, in exchange for his family's continued role of the Württemberg Kingdom, under the occupation of Napoleon's empire. Now Prince Frederick was being pressured by his parents and the court advisors, to strategically marry a well-bred heiress from the kingdom of Bavaria, princess Charlotte.Princess Charlotte was just 18 in the spring of 1810. A debutante, already being aggressively sought by Napoleon, she was terrified. When faced with the two unwanted options, she and her mother agreed that Frederick William was the better option and more respecting of their shared German heritage. Charlotte wept for weeks. She was still a girl of just 18 years. Her parents apologized repeatedly. It was especially difficult because Charlotte had always been a free-spirit and defiant of the stupid rules of etiquette that she violated almost daily.As an enthusiast of all things equestrian, Charlotte refused to ride ‘side-saddle'. She also found the practice to be a convenient excuse when the Royal Physician of Württemberg Court conducted a prenuptial gynecological exam a requirement in the nuptial contract between the kingdoms. As for Prince Frederick William, the marriage was even less anticipated. Charlotte was not the ideal sex object of his fantasies. Where he liked slender, tall older women, Charlotte was busty with a big round ass.Frederick liked the arts and sciences. He enjoyed the opera and studied astronomy.Charlotte loved animals and preferred German folk songs. Charlotte found little appeal in Frederick's lanky physique. She preferred the bulky, athletic, and masculine virility of farm-hands and tradesmen. A fall wedding Festival Back in 1810 Crown Prince Frederick William, sought the hand of the lovely princess Charlotte of Munich. She was the most desired woman in all of the ethnic German kingdoms. He courted her for many months, seeking to prevail over the efforts of Emperor Napoleon of France.Frederick's family negotiated aggressively with her father King Maximilian; whereby Frederick eventually asked Charlotte to marry him.Both kingdoms shared a strong disgust for all things French culture.It was the one topic where the two actually enjoyed conversation and felt compatibility. they were political allies and even business partners; but not at all romantically drawn to desire. She felt the same way he did, and accepted his offer. They were scheduled to marry on October 12th. As the date came close, she was starting to feel some trepidation. He was concerned and asked what was the problem. She shyly told him that she was expected to be with him; only with him, for the rest of her life. He said of course she would be only with him, and he would be only with her, as was customary.She thought carefully, and said; “Forever is a long time.”He did not want her to be so sad and thought for a while. He proposed an idea as a secret plan that they should not tell anyone about.At the wedding there would be a huge and joyous festival; a very German cultural Festival. At the festival she could go among the crowd and choose three men with which to make love.Upon hearing the idea, she was overjoyed at the thought and thanked him for his generosity and gladly accepted.The wedding was indeed a huge and joyous festival where everyone in Munich turned out. The first night of the festival was the night of their wedding. The celebration was scheduled to go on for 5 days.On the second day of the festival the prince approached the princess and told her today would be the day she made her three selections. She would go out and pick three men with which to ‘sow her oats.' She went to her dressing chamber to pick out her sexiest outfit. She chose the shortest dirndl she had. It stopped just below her ass.  The front of the dirndl plunged to show her beautiful Buxom cleavage. On her smooth legs she wore white by high stockings that ended below her dirndl. On her feet she wore elevated wedges. She was a vision. Her body was very visible and very sexy.The prince and princess began to make the rounds, where villagers were celebrating and congregating. As they walked, the men noticed princess Charlotte and paid her a great deal of attention. Offerings were made of pretzels, beer, and all sorts of treats, as she walked through the fair.She was pleasant of all and smiled as she always did. These were her people and she hoped they would come to accept her foreign Prince.Helmut the blacksmithAs they walked through the grounds they came upon a blacksmith, who had a stall set up to shoe horses. Charlotte stopped, and seemed to take a special interest. As one would expect, the blacksmith was quite strong, and also handsome. When she got close, a smile fell across his face and he gave greetings.“ I am Helmut, my princess;” he said in the most cultured enunciation he could contrive. She secretly knew Helmut from her frequent trips to the Stables. But that is their secret. The prince asked the princess if this might be one of the men. She smiled and said; “Indeed this would be one of the men if he so desired.” As the princess continued strolling, the prince stayed back briefly and invited Helmut to a special dinner with the princess that evening at 7:00. He graciously accepted. While he didn't understand what was fully ahead for him, he was happy to be able to spend an evening with the busty and charming princess. Robert the actorThey continued to walk through the fairgrounds with the prince often letting the princess drift ahead so he could see the reactions of the commoners as they look at her beauty. He watch her interact with the men of the Kingdom. As they continued, they came across a play that was just finishing up on the stage. The lead actor was quite athletically fit and very handsome. He flashed a smile at princess Charlotte and catching her off guard, she shyly looked away. The production poster listed the lead actor as ‘Robert.' What Prince Frederick didn't suspect was that Robert was also a part of the local Polo team. The two had secretly met in the Stables. The secret remains to this day. She composed herself and began to smile. He congratulated her and the prince on their wedding. She whispered to the prince that it might be fun to invite him to dinner. Shortly thereafter the prince did just that.Steffan the folk dancerAfter not much longer, the princess stopped in front of the stage where there was folk dancing.One of the dancers was agile, strong, and very skilled. As he lifted his twirling partner into the air, then safely caught her in his arms. She caught the vicarious thrill of experiencing being airborne and caught in his gentle arms. Steffan stepped back for his female dance partner to perform her feature solo. As he caught his breath, he looked out to the applauding crowds. He spotted the royal couple and was pleased. He had caught the princess's eye. She stood and watched him perform. in his lederhosen, not taking her eyes off of him. This was not missed by the dancer, and when the dance was over he came over and introduced himself to the princess. “I am Steffan”, he humbly bowed.This was but a rouse, as the dancer was part of a Mayday festival at the Munich Palace. Charlotte had graciously helped him find the dressing rooms when he'd gotten lost in the palace back halls. Charlotte felt a wetness as she recalled his tryst in her private Chambers just months ago; As Steffan talked with the prince, his eyes glanced up and down Charlotte's body. Memories led to arousal, and after several minutes, Steffan quickly dismissed himself to ‘prepare for the next number.His tight shorts left little to the imagination and it was clear that he was very well built down there. It also became obvious when he was talking to the princess, that she pleased him greatly and that is why he had to make a quick exit.Princess Charlotte smiled at The Prince and he understood that the dancer would be the third. The prince then extended an invite to him.The special guests come to dinner The dinner was scheduled for that evening at 7:00. A fire was made in the large fireplace and the finest Linens, China, and glassware were laid out.The cooks were busy making Gourmet Foods and the prince picked the wines himself. The princess was bathing and getting dressed for the evening. She had taken her time to clean and shave meticulously. She had chosen a metallic gold dress that plunged in the front bodice, and a skirt that stopped right at her bottom, in the back. She also wore matching metallic gold strappy shoes with towering heels. She also wore her gold earrings, necklace, and bracelets. On her right ankle was a gold anklet that the prince had bought her that day for the dinner. She looked irresistible. As the princess dressed upstairs, the men arrived early for the dinner. They too, had bathed and put on their finest clothes. The prince greeted them personally, and the young studs introduced themselves to each other.  The prince poured them each a drink and they toasted to each other and their good fortune. Prince Frederick explained to their astonishment and delight; the agreement the prince and princess had made ,and that they were the lucky men chosen.When the princess arrived downstairs, the prince met her before she walked into the dining room. To her surprise, the prince said that he would not be joining them. He wanted the men to have her to themselves and for her to have the men to herself. After thinking about it a bit, she realized that this might be more fun.The prince told her however, that he couldn't possibly resist watching her sexual conquests and would be watching from special consealments that were created near the dining room.They then walked into the dining room as the men stood up and were formally introduced by name to the princess.As she walked in looking lovely as can be. There were Smiles all around. The prince said his good-byes,and said he would stop in the evening, The princess and her suitors were seated for dinner and were poured wine from the servants. As the conversation began, the men paid great attention to the princess. The men stared deep into the eyes of the princess while she spoke and attended to her every need.Dancing In The ParlorAfter dessert was served Steffan asked the princess if she'd like to dance. She loved to dance and quickly accepted the offer from the handsome man. Charlotte led the man into the Parlor and went over to a cabinet on casters she opened the lid of the music box and cranked up the Armature. The Parlor was filled with the rich sounds of an Austrian Waltz. They began a formal Waltz, with the dancer expertly taking the lead and the princess easily keeping up. They glided around the room while Helmut and Robert looked on, seated on nicely-upholstered wing-back chairs.Not wanting to be left out, Robert cut in and continued the dance;  His intense blue eyes staring into the princesses. Helmut, not wanting to miss his turn, cut in. This allowed the princess to put her hands on his muscular arms as he easily spun her around the Dance Floor. During dinner, Prince Frederick had been sitting in a hall outside the dining room. He took great pleasure in watching the princess charm and be Charmed by the men. He found himself increasingly excited as the dancing started. His new wife was a youthful and sexy dancer, and watching her interact with the men turned him on immensely. When the quartet moved to the parlor, Prince Frederick went upstairs to a balcony overlooking the Parlor. A member of his Württemberg Entourage, Claudine was making her regular checks on his welfare. She was his tutor since he was 10 years old and she was 21.The woman taught Frederick on many subjects, and over time had become an adviser on many matters. She was tall, slender, and elegant. Her lessons often continued in his bed Chambers whenever they could safely conceal the ongoing sex education lessons. Now, 17 years later, Claudine now carries herself as a charming  and confident 39 year old vixen.From the balcony, the prince and his ‘tutor' (and secret lover) sat on the floor, behind the velvet drapes, and silently peered between the balusters, Charlotte's deportment with the young men.The quartet move to a slower song and the blacksmith pulled the princess close for a slow dance. The princess's head had been spinning from her wonderful evening and her third Goblet of wine, and now she was very close to and touching this muscular man. He too could feel her busty body with his strong hands around her firm waist he pulled her in closer to him she didn't pull away as she felt him stiffen.She began to feel a tingle inside herself. Before she knew it Robert the actor had stepped up and taken Helmut's place. As Robert stared into her eyes he leaned forward and gently put his lips to hers and she readily received them as she first did in that pile of straw in the horse stables.He pulled her close to him and continued to kiss her. She then felt a second set of hands on her hips from behind it was Steffan. Her dress was so short that his hands were right above the bottom of the dress. She briefly stopped kissing Robert as Steffen pulled her hips into him and began kissing her neck. Pressing into her rear end was that very large and now very hard cock that had attracted her earlier that day. He raised Goosebumps on her as he kissed her neck.From the balcony, Prince Frederick and Claudine had seen everything. He didn't miss a second of the meal or the dance.  Much like the viral men in the parlor, he too was very hard. To watch the woman he married be so pleased. To be able to watch her talk and flirt and touch and be touched was truly a pleasure. To see the way the young suiters desire her.Claudine began rubbing his crotch while sliding her other hand up under her own skirt.As Steffan continued to kiss the princess on her neck and ears, he slowly ground his cock against her white ass. With his hands around her waist the skimpy dress began fully raising from the grinding as it lifted. The actor in front of her looked down and realized she wasn't wearing any panties. He could see her perfect beautiful shaved cunt. He went wild, grabbing her head and kissing her deeply with his tongue. Steffan also noticing the dress had climbed up her body, began using his large hands to rub her large crack.The princess felt so good she was barely standing at this point, mostly being held up in the sandwich of the men. The blacksmith was standing on the sidelines with his cock out, stroking while looking at the scene he had in front of him.The actor was now kissing down the body of The Princess and Steffan turned the princess's head and began kissing her deeply as he reached in front and grabbed her heating tits and fondling her tall erect nipples. Robert had made his way down to her belly and was closing in on her cunt. The princess shook as Robert's lips came in contact with her cunt lips. He licked her cunt as she held his head against her. After the princess Broke Free from Steffan's kiss, she gave a look towards the waiting blacksmith. The look let Helmut know it was time for him to join the fun. Helmut, unable to contain himself, walked towards the melee. He ignored Steffan and the actor and picked up the princess and carried her to a large couch on the side of the room. He laid her down on the couch and began for lack of a better word, to ravage her body.He grabbed and sucked her nipples and then quickly moved down to her cunt, licking her clit. The other two men were quickly at the couch. The actor began sucking her nipples making the princess squirm. She wrapped her legs around Helmut's head. As Robert & Steffan worked their magic, she began to quiver.This stirred both of the men and their tongues sped up lapping her nipples and clit. Her back arched as the orgasm flowed through her body. As she recovered from her orgasm, the men stood her up and removed her mini dress so that only her gold platform heals and jewelry remained. At this point; Helmut was so turned on, he couldn't wait. He laid the princess back down, and guided his rigid cock inside her. As much as she enjoyed his mouth it felt really good to have his hard warm cock in her.The princess looked next to see that Robert had removed his clothes and had his hard shaft in front of her. The princess reached out and grabbed his cock. Robert's heart was pounding. The hand of this beautiful woman felt so good on him.Steffan stripped off his clothes and joined the group.The princess had her eyes closed as Helmut picked up his pace. She put her right hand on his muscular chest and rubbed down his chiseled abdomen, wrapping her hand around his thick cock as it slid in and out of her. She returned her hand to his chest and continued to jerk off the wood of Robert on her left.One of the thrust of Helmut's threw the princess's head back and as she look to the right she saw the naked body of Stefan.His cock was large and beautiful. It was exactly what she hoped for when she picked him for the evening. She slowed her hand down on the actor as she eagerly grabbed the thick rod of the handsome dancer. She slowly explored the entire length of his cock with her soft hand. He leaned over and touched and kissed her slowly, exploring her mouth; reaching over to gently caress her nipple. She firmly but gently grabbed the base of his cock, and pulled him close to her.  It was perfect, and she began licking and sucking it. She continued to suck as much of the cock as she could fit in her mouth,  to the rhythm of Helmut sliding in and out of her wet cunt. Helmut would not last much longer, and began to pick up speed. The princess began to tremble and slow down the actor and Dancer.As Helmut's hands wrapped around her tiny waist, she put her hands on his waist, to push him in further,He began grunted and began powerfully jack-hammering her. Her entire body was moving as Helmut slammed into her. He began to cum.  She felt his first shot squirt into her body, which pushed her into a full orgasm as her body clinched around him.  He kept pounding, shooting a large load  as she moaned. Charlotte was trembling from the orgasm Helmut had just given her. He held her in his strong arms, as she took a moment to recover. After some time, he withdrew his cock from her.Steffan grabbed the Princess's face with both hands, and kissed her passionately on the lips.He backed up and stared into her eyes. He could wait no longer. As he backed up, the Princess could see his turgid cock, standing at attention. He was extremely hard. With both hands on her waist, he pulled her towards him. He grabbed the base of his rod, and began to run it up and down the length of her cunt lips. He would have to move slowly, to get his large shaft into her tight cunt. Robert and Helmut saw that she might have some troubles, so they went up to the princess. They each took one of her shapely legs. She still had her golden heels on. They each held an ankle in one hand, and with the other they reached up to her inner thigh.They spread her legs wide apart, to give Steffan better access. As his cock pressed into the small opening between her cunt lips, she was both nervous and excited.Cum In The BalconyStill viewing from the Position to see his new wife, as naked and as hard as the other men; he had his cock in his hand. It was ecstasy to see his wife enjoying herself so much to allow her to have a variety he could not provide himself .He also liked being able to just watch the way she flirted, desired, and moved.He could just focus on watching her be sexual. It was such a turn on for him. Claudine sucked his cock while he lay on the balcony floor; her cunt spread wide above his adoring eyes. His cock deep in his concert's throat while the passionate sounds of a foursome filled the Parlor below their lofty perch. As Claudine's juices ran down the tongue of the prince, her inner thighs pressing tight against his ears while she shakes from the oral menstruation he has perfected.Frederick took it all in and paused his urges to thrust while Claudine indulged in the joy of her orgasm. She sucked his tip and flicked his head gently while her Bliss lingered. As Claudine's body came back to the moment, she fixed her desire to the cock in her mouth. Soon her head pressed down on his crotch and his cock rapidly entered and exited her throat. Her tongue synchronized in a swallowing sequence. In less than a minute later, his hips rocketed upward as his balls constricted into the base of his cock. His prostate began a series of jets sending cream deep into Claudine's receptive throat. She knew his body and his signs of eminent release. She's taking a deep breath before plunging down on his explosion with her expert tongue.She used a swallowing sequence to take every last drop into her throat. Claudine had become so proficient that it had been a couple years since she could remember the taste of Frederick's spunk. Downstairs The princess took a deep breath as Stefan's cock slowly entered her cunt.  She felt it spreading her and filling her up. She was very wet but Stephen still took his time. She was so tight he needed to move slowly. He paused after he was completely inside her, to give her a moment to once again get used to his massive cock.With her eyes closed she let out a breath feeling so full in her cunt. Slowly he moved back out and then gently pushed back into her. He increased the speed as she grew used to his size. He slid in and out of her, hitting spots on her that had never been felt before. Helmut and Robert released her legs. Starting at her shoulders, they each kiss down her body, gently touching and tasting her as they worked.From her legs up, they kissed around her breasts, settling on her erect and sensitive nipples. Kissing them, licking and sucking them.In appreciation, she reached out and grabbed each of their firm cocks. With a cock inside her, with two handsome men sucking her nipples and a cock in each hand, her head was spinning. his face and her breathing she began to lose control with that fat cock filling her up and both nipples getting sucked. She began to moan louder and louder and she moaned the man began sucking her nipples faster and faster.Finally she couldn't hold out any longer and began to come.She let out what was almost a scream and seemed to have cum for a full minute. She felt so good after she came completely inside her while he waited and she recovered he couldn't wait any longer and slowly started pumping her she moved her body in time with his and it felt good.Recovering the princess started to feel a tingle as Stefan again picked up the pace. It was at this time the princess saw something to her left. It was the prince. He was so turned on by the event that he had to get closer. He was naked and jacking off his hard cock at the sight of his beautiful bride. She felt so good with the comfort of knowing her husband gave his approval and was so turned on,She looked up and Stefan was staring straight into her eyes. She could feel the pre-cum dribbling inside her, from his massive cock and knew it wouldn't be much longer. It was now just him and her, as he wrapped his large hands around her tiny waist and began to Bear down on her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and started to moan. They locked eyes as he drove into her faster and faster. She could feel his balls slamming into her with each stroke she began to scream  as the orgasm took over and his cock began to twitch.She began wave after wave of orgasm as his cock began to come inside her. She could feel the hot spurts of his semen. He kept pumping till his big cock was drained. She laid back sweaty and completely spent as his cock went limp inside her. Charlotte's good nightWith her eyes closed she felt lips softly touch hers. It was Prince Frederick. He looked deeply into her eyes and thanked her for what she had done. It was such a pleasure to watch her. Stefan prepared warm water and began gently cleaning her up with washcloths. They then helped the princess nymph, to dress into a beautiful tight golden gown. The night had gone on for hours ,with all of the meeting, drinking, and dancing; Charlotte saw each man out separately, and some private words were spoken but not overheard. Frederick told Charlotte he'd be up a bit and she should get her rest. The two never shared a bedroom again.A tradition of need Frederick William and his wife Charlotte remained in two royal families from two Allied kingdoms of the German peoples. It would be years before their fathers' Reigns would be passed on, so the two developed humanitarian causes and charities, to benefit the people of the two kingdoms. Württemberg & Bavaria. This often meant a lot of travel in the two adjoining kingdoms. Together they kept up appearances and showed no public affection to each other.It's not that they lacked a libido; they just had no physical or emotional attraction to anything about each other. In the weeks after Frederick and Charlotte disclosed to each other that they both had romantic interests in other lovers. they both provided discreet accommodations to each other and still kept a mutual respect.Second Year, and the Dirndl Craze Princess Charlotte is widely recognized as the inspiration for Oktoberfest. Her Bountiful bosom is synonymous with the joy of a Bountiful Harvest. The beer garden waitresses all wore the 'Charlotte dirndls' at the Munich Oktoberfest of 1811, 2nd Annual Festival. Charlotte and Frederick traveled the second night to Württemberg to inaugurate a sister Festival there. Some of the Württemberg church ladies initially objected to this Bavarian hussie princess whom their Crown Prince had married. Prince Frederick caught word of the grumbling prudes and decided to tell the organizers that he would personally appear with Princess Charlotte to make the official pronunciation of the beginning of the festival, At the noon hour, all the crowds gathered in the festival Square. Troubadours and dancers, Artisans and Partiers, all stood with a hush as the prince and princess climbed the steps to the platform. "Men and women, People of Württemberg, and guests. It is good to Delight in the Bountiful provisions of the Almighty, and we are truly thankful. We Delight ourselves in the fruit of both our hard work and Providence." Prince Frederick paused then added; "You are all part of that bounty. Delight in each other. I have taken a wife and we celebrate our anniversary with you today."Charlotte was standing just behind, and to the side of Frederick. He stepped back and took her hand to have her step up next to him. She was wearing a new dirndl in the colors of Frederick's Kingdom coat of arms. It was low cut, daring, and revealed a lot of leg. Frederick watched as a few older ladies whispered and expressed some displeasure. Frederick resumed his words; "In our holy scriptures we are commanded to Delight in God's provision. All of it. I conferred with the bishop and I'm confident of the clear meaning of this holy command. In the Book of Proverbs, the fifth chapter and the 18th verse. It commands us, 'Let thy Fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love.' " At that word, the men of the festival let out a roar of delight, Frederick and Charlotte turned to each other and smiled. Prince Frederick yelled over the excited crowd, "Bishop Johan, have I spoken accurately? Red-faced, the cleric simply gave a slow affirmative nod. The roar continued again, and the women now also joined in the applause. Prince Frederick stepped away and signaled for his Buxom princess Charlotte to acknowledge the acceptance from his kingdom. Ever the impish and useful girl, Charlotte made the impulsive decision not to curtsy, but bow instead, as a man would.The entire Festival cheered even louder, as the buxom princess gave a 'birds-eye' peek as her busty assets. The crowd began to chant; "We Love Char! We Love Char!" Prince Frederick motioned for a few frauline barmaids to roll a keg to Center Stage. They were all wearing similarly low-cut matching dirndls. The crowds now cheered at fever pitch. These girls were wearing exact replicas of the skimpy dress Charlotte had worn last year, for the special night of the original Munich Festival. The beirmeister tapped the keg and poured the local ale into a Stein. The beirmeister handed the Stein to Prince Frederick. Prince Frederick swiftly drank the entire contents without a pause. Holding up the empty stein, Prince Frederick shouted "O' zapft is! The Keg is tapped! Let Oktoberfest begin!" That's what sealed the legacy of the German ethnic future. Charlotte became the mascot without ever intending to. For her, Oktoberfest was always a way to conveniently compensate for a marriage which completely lacked romance and sexuality. This was all for show. Frederick continued his lust for older MILF trysts and taking interest in tall slender women. Claudine was a frequent counselor and lived in the palace. Charlotte was able to surround herself with virile men who loved her busty figure. As a proud answer to the French Mardi Gras hedonism, the people of Bavaria and Württemberg kingdoms heartily took to the annual fall Harvest Festival we still know as Oktoberfest. It still includes house parties to end the days, and people entertain house guests til wee hours of the morning.It's set for celebrating the conclusion of the harvest, which means The agrarian communities have both time and money for celebrating with energy and enthusiasm. Each year after, new festivals popped up in other cities and the royal couple collaborated in both kingdoms to stagger the dates and coordinate promotions and resources.Württemberg's new king and queen Charlotte became Queen Caroline when Prince Frederick William became King William the first; but the marriage was sexless. After a few years Frederick learned of the death of his cousins Royal husband, in Russia. Princess Catherine Pavlovna met King William while both were visiting Vienna. Frederick was love-struck by the tall Russian granddaughter of Catherine the Great.They were both in their Prime of life and burning with lust for each other. Soon Frederick asked Charlotte for an annulment agreement. For Charlotte, it was liberation. She immediately became the most sought woman in Europe's royal society.Very quickly, Emperor Francis the first of Austria secured her commitment to marriage and become Empress consort of his Austrian Empire with another 46 titles of nobility. Francis was 24 years older than Charlotte and the two did not have children together. But with Charlotte's help, Francis eventually defeated the Napoleon Empire. That meant Württemberg's King Frederick, her first husband, was now subject to her, through her new husband, Francis. Thus begun the great Austrian Empire of Europe for about 100 years to come. by  Mumfreds for Literotica 

Prince Harry’s royal fate is sealed - once Prince William becomes king, Harry will be permanently cut off. Meanwhile, fans were left breathless after Beyoncé reunited Destiny’s Child during her final Cowboy CarterVegas show — but don’t get your hopes up. And Jessica Alba is turning heads — and turning the knife. Rob is joined by his dear pal Garrett Vogel from Elvis Duran and the Morning Show with all the scoop. Don't forget to vote in today's poll on Twitter at @naughtynicerob or in our Facebook group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Kachtik is the Founder of King William District CrossFit in Texas, a gym he built from the ground up to combine fitness and community. Over the past 11 years, Dan has led San Antonio's fitness scene, creating a supportive environment where people of all ages and fitness levels can thrive. CONNECT WITH HIM https://www.kingwilliamdistrictcrossfit.com Subscribe to this channel now!  https://www.youtube.com/user/lunidelouis/?sub_confirmation=1    ---------------------------------------------------- Join our exclusive Facebook group @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/339709559955223  --------------------------------------------------- Looking for accountability to do your morning routine -- join us tomorrow morning, it's FREE:   https://bestmorningroutineever.com/  ----------------------------------------­­­­­­­-------------

Princess Beatrice's new style is turning heads—and turning a page. Stylists say she's gone from whimsical to polished, signaling both personal growth and a deeper royal confidence.Could Beatrice and Eugenie become a powerful royal duo under King William? Some insiders say yes, while others predict they'll be sidelined in favor of the Edinburghs.Plus: Are Archie and Lilibet ever going to be working royals? Critics say no—and the commentary is blunt. Meanwhile, a new rosé review gives Meghan's wine some surprisingly good marks, and Sergeant Neil Mitchell steals the spotlight (and hearts) in a royal photo-op gone viral.Follow our new series Crown and Controversy! Follow now. The full Season 1 is available now for premium subscribers. Episodes come out every Sunday on the normal feed.To become a premium subscriber (no ads and no feed drops) visit caloroga.com/plus. For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which says UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. You also get 25+ other shows on the network ad-free!Subscribe to Deep Crown's free newsletter at https://deepcrown.substack.com

Send us a textToday marks the anniversary of one of the most mythologized battles in Anglo-Irish history: the Battle of the Boyne.  In July of 1690, King William III soundly defeated James II and secured Ireland's Protestant supremacy while sowing the seeds for centuries of violent conflict.  The battle also marks the debut of one of Ireland's most prominent writers, Dr. Jonathan Swift, whose poem "Ode to King William" celebrates the Orange victory.Text of "Ode to King William": https://www.online-literature.com/swift/poems-of-swift/3/Text of “Written for My Son to His Master, on the Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne": https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/works/pba35-w0450.shtmlAdditional Music:"Derry's Walls": Sam Wilson and the Loyalists, 1963https://archive.org/details/lp_no-surrender_sam-wilson-the-loyalists/disc1/02.06.+Derry's+Walls.mp3)"Boyne Water": Stuart Eydmann, 2020 https://ia601700.us.archive.org/13/items/raretunes-eydmann-boyne-water/RaretunesEydmannBoyneWater.mp3  "Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound": Heroic Music For Organ, Brass And Percussion; New England Brass Ensemble; CBS Masterworks (MS 6354), 1962https://archive.org/details/lp_heroic-music-for-organ-brass-and-percussio_e-power-biggs-new-england-brass-ensembleSupport the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small donation. Click the "Support the Show" button. So grateful!Podcast Theme Music: "Rejoice" by G.F. Handel, perf. The Advent Chamber OrchestraSubcast Theme Music: "Sons of the Brave" by Thomas Bidgood, perf. The Band of the Irish GuardsSound effects and incidental music: Freesounds.orgMy thanks and appreciation to all the generous providers!

Date: SUN 7:00pm 6th July 2025Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Hebrews 11:33-3433 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Insights into Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's crucial friendship with Kate Middleton during her cancer battle. Royal expert reveals why the "slimmed down monarchy" has failed, calling for Princess Beatrice and Eugenie to step up as working royals. We cover the aging royal workforce crisis and lack of support for King William's future reign. Plus, explosive Netflix documentary announced about Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and her controversial shaman fiancé Durek Verrett, promising never-before-seen footage of Europe's most unorthodox royal romance.Get ready for our new series Crown and Controversy coming July 13th. Follow now.  The full Season 1 is available now for premium subscribers. To become a premium subscriber (no ads and no feed drops) visit caloroga.com/plus.   For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which seays UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. You also get 25+ other shows on the network ad-free!    Subscribe to Deep Crown's free newsletter at https://deepcrown.substack.com

John & Heidi share funny stories of people doing weird things... plus we continue our segment #MovieStarMonday as John chats with Jonah Hauer-King - William Tell and I Saw What You Did Last SummerGET AN "AMAZON PRIME" 30 DAY FREE TRIAL HERE > https://zurl.co/xtXhLearn more about our radio program, podcast & blog at www.JohnAndHeidiShow.com

In this episode Lesley tells Mark all about King William the 3rd AKA King Billy of Orange and how his reign started a silly thing called the Orange Order. Mark talks second sons of Royal families and how mental they end up! Track: "1980S" Music supplied by https://slip.stream Download / Stream for free: https://get.slip.stream/9HRYCP Follow us on Bluesky (@crystalmythpodcast.bsky.social), X (@podcast_myth), or Facebook. Please leave us a review on your podcast platform, subscribe, and help share the Crystal Myth! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A poem in Old English that is wildly ambivalent but brutally clever coupled with a vegetation-rich perversion of an English classic.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has thrown its weight behind the call to halt the planned demolition of the historic Victoria Grounds in Qonce, formerly King William's Town. The grounds hold significant cultural, historical, and sporting value, and the ATM is urging Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie to intervene. Elvis Presslin spoke to ATM Spokesperson Zama Ntshona

PHOTOS: San Antonio's first Krampus parade takes over Southtown Tpr, By Joey Palacios, on December 6, 2024https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2024-12-06/photos-san-antonios-first-krampus-parade-takes-over-southtownSan Antonio recently hosted its first Krampus parade in the King William neighborhood, drawing thousands to celebrate Germanic traditions. The event showcased horned demons, witches, and St. Nicholas figures, embodying a festive yet eerie atmosphere. While most attendees enjoyed the spectacle, some evangelical protesters voiced their discontent, decrying the event as promoting fear and judgment. Ironically, their protests seemed to bolster the parade's popularity. Overall, the parade was a success, highlighting San Antonio's cultural diversity and potentially establishing a beloved new holiday tradition.The Krampus myth originates from Germanic folklore as the dark counterpart to Santa Claus. On December 5th, Krampus supposedly punishes naughty children, a tradition adapted from earlier Alpine myths involving devilish goat-like figures. Historically, the Catholic Church opposed these pagan practices but incorporated Krampus into St. Nicholas lore to control and Christianize the tradition. Today, Krampus is celebrated in Alpine regions through costumes, parades, and schnaps offerings.The revival of Krampus celebrations has gained traction worldwide, particularly in the United States. Cities like New Orleans, New York, and Portland host Krampus events ranging from parades to haunted houses. These celebrations mix cultural nostalgia with modern festivities, often centering around drinking and merrymaking. St. Louis even turns its Krampusnacht into a pub crawl, while Columbia, South Carolina, boasts the oldest Krampus parade in the country.Evangelical criticism of Krampus events stems from their association with darkness and fear, concepts they view as antithetical to Christian values. Protesters argue that such events tarnish the purity of the Christmas season. However, this perspective is ironic given the inherent darkness in Christian theology surrounding sin, sacrifice, and salvation. The backlash may also reflect discomfort with losing cultural dominance as society embraces more diverse traditions.The popularity of Krampus celebrations can be attributed to various factors, including cultural heritage, a desire to challenge religious norms, and a simple love for festive revelry. For some, it's a nostalgic nod to their ethnic roots; for others, it's an irreverent counterbalance to Christmas commercialism. Whatever the motivation, Krampus parades like San Antonio's bring communities together in a uniquely spirited way.The Non-Prophets, Episode 24.01.1 featuring Scott Dickie, Kelley Laughlin, Jonathan Roudabush and Stephen HarderBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-non-prophets--3254964/support.

With King Charles III sadly diagnosed with cancer this year, we may very well see Prince William and Kate Middleton become the King and Queen of England! Listen to The Royal Report with Sir Gary, Baroness Lisa, King Charles III, and the ghosts of Queenie and Prince Phillip for all the TEA! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson MHK takes calls and questions on the NI Fund, prescription charges, VAT on King William's College, that 'temporary' 2% tax increase and more. It's Mannin Line with Andy Wint #iom #manninline #manxradio

An aricle in the Daily Beast suggests Charles isn't all that healthy.  What will the reign of King William look like for The Wicked Stepmother, the outcast Harry and maybe even The Princess Royal?Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. No plug-ins needed!  You also get the other shows on the network ad-free!  $4.99, a no brainer. This podcast supports Podcasting 2.0 if you'd like to support the show via value for value and stream some sats!

The Strasburg Rams are on an extended bye week after their game against King William got moved from Friday to Thursday last week. Hear from Rams coach Tripp Lamb on the Rams performance and victory over King William and the upcoming bye week. Stay tuned for more High School Sports coverage to come on The Kirby on Sports Podcast. A huge thanks to our sponsors! PM+ Reserves Shenandoah Primitives Transformative Alignment Group Mark Francis with ICON Real Estate Barrett Pest and Termite Services Mark Lynch with Guild Mortgage Shenandoah Music www.kirbyonsports.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thekirbyonsportspodcast/support

The Strasburg Rams claimed the victory over Moorefield last week and they are getting set to face King William on the road, due to inclement weather this is a game that was moved to Thursday. Rams Head Coach, Tripp Lamb speaks with Josh about the victory last week and preparing for King William with one day less to prepare. Stay tuned for more High School Sports coverage to come on The Kirby on Sports Podcast. A huge thanks to our sponsors! PM+ Reserves Shenandoah Primitives Transformative Alignment Group Mark Francis with ICON Real Estate Barrett Pest and Termite Services Mark Lynch with Guild Mortgage Shenandoah Music www.kirbyonsports.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thekirbyonsportspodcast/support

Clarke County gets set to host Buffalo Gap after a huge win at King William. Josh catches up with Coach Childs ahead of tonights matchup. Stay tuned for more High School Sports coverage to come on The Kirby on Sports Podcast. A huge thanks to our sponsors! PM+ Reserves Shenandoah Primitives Transformative Alignment Group Mark Francis with ICON Real Estate Barrett Pest and Termite Services Mark Lynch with Guild Mortgage Shenandoah Music www.kirbyonsports.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thekirbyonsportspodcast/support

The Clarke County Eagles are getting set to make the trip to face a big test in King William. Josh talks with Eagles Head Coach, Casey Childs after their big win over Rock Ridge and preparing for King William. Stay tuned for more High School Sports coverage to come on The Kirby on Sports Podcast. A huge thanks to our sponsors! PM+ Reserves Shenandoah Primitives Transformative Alignment Group Mark Francis with ICON Real Estate Barrett Pest and Termite Services Mark Lynch with Guild Mortgage Shenandoah Music www.kirbyonsports.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thekirbyonsportspodcast/support

Habitation MinistriesThank you for listening to The Habitation Podcast! Click above to stay up to date on news, events, and how you can partner with the ministry.  School of Habitation Sign up today to be a student member at School of Habitation! Click the link above to find out more! • $50.00/monthly membership• Join live teachings from Pastor William via zoom and participate in Q&As, prayer, & discussions• Sign up at anytime• Pause at any time• Option to participate in bi-weekly discipleship groups• Private links to prayer & worship rooms Follow us on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram

A Midtempo collection of music that I like. A recap of a beautiful weekend in King William's Town. I do not own any of the music. IG: libovantyi Facebook: MDTMPDSM

Multiple colonies reorganized in 1691 by King William and Queen Mary after decades of turmoil in England and the various territories. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lostmass/support

This Country of Ours by H E Marshall - Chapter 46: King William's and Queen Anne's War ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A slightly-longer Sunday morning thought piece than usual today, but one that is well worth the effort I hope you'll discover.A reminder that:* This August I am going to the Edinburgh Fringe to do one of my “lectures with funny bits”. This one is all about the history of mining. As always, I shall be delivering it at Panmure House, where Adam Smith wrote Wealth of Nations. It's at 2pm most afternoons. Please come. Tickets here.* My first book and many readers' favourite, Life After the State - Why We Don't Need Government (2013), is now back in print - with the audiobook here: Audible UK, Audible US, Apple Books. I recommend the audiobook ;)Isaac Newton, who, along with William Shakespeare, Leonardo Da Vinci and Aristotle, must be one of the cleverest individuals to have ever lived, made groundbreaking contributions to physics, mathematics, optics, mechanics, philosophy and astronomy. The laws of motion, the theory of gravitation and the reflecting telescope were among his many contributions. He was also a brilliant alchemist, obsessed with theology and biblical prophecy. As if that isn't enough, he is credited with the design of the Gold Standard, the primary monetary system of the world for over two hundred years. Today we explore how this brilliant system was accidental.In 1695, counterfeit coins accounted for more than a tenth of all English money in circulation. Massive LOL: the English used the counterfeit coins, in particular, to pay their taxes. The Exchequer that year reported no more than ten good shillings for every hundred pounds of revenue. Coin clipping was also a major problem, especially of old coins, and silver coins were disappearing from circulation altogether. Silver was worth more on the continent as bullion than it was in the UK as tender, so arbitrageurs shipped coins abroad, melted them down, and sold them for gold. Everyone from the Jews to the French was blamed, but by 1695 it was almost impossible to find legal silver in circulation. It had all been melted down and sold.This all led to a scarcity of money, which inhibited trade. More damage was caused to the English nation in just one year by bad money than “by a quarter century of bad kings, bad Ministers, bad Parliaments and bad Judges”, said the historian Thomas Babington Macaulay.King William begged the House of Commons to respond to the crisis and, seeking help, Secretary of the Treasury, William Lowndes wrote letters to England's wisest men, asking their advice: among them, philosopher John Locke, architect Sir Christopher Wren, banker Sir Josiah Child, and scientist, Sir Isaac Newton.Newton was in his mid 40s and probably not far off the peak of his powers. He had published his most famous work, the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, just eight years earlier in 1687, and it had established him as the smartest man in the country. He would now put his great mind to money.With the formation of the Bank of England the previous year, Newton had become aware of the possibilities of paper money. “If interest be not yet low enough for the advantage of trade,” he wrote, “the only proper way to lower it is more paper credit till by trading and business we can get more money.” He could see that token value and intrinsic value were not necessarily one and the same.It was also obvious to Newton that the currency criminals were rational actors. They would continue to clip, counterfeit, and sell abroad while there was profit in it. Bullion smuggling carried the death sentence, yet still it went on. Coercion alone would not be enough to stop it from happening. The market itself needed to be changed.He came up with two measures. First, to deal with the clipping, all coins minted prior to 1662 should be called in, melted down, and, using machines, re-made into coins that had a single consistent edge. With no more hand-hammered coins in circulation, clipping coins would become that much more difficult. Re-minting the entire country's coin, however, at a time of such primitive machinery, was no small undertaking. Second, to deal with the silver issue, the amount of silver in coins should be lowered so that the silver content and the face value of the coin were the same.The thought of such a devaluation went against the psyche. The idea that token value and intrinsic value might be different was alien and Newton's second proposal was not widely welcomed. There were 20 shillings to a pound, so a shilling should contain a concomitant amount of silver.  Newton may have thought that the token was more important than the silver content, but landowners and the government, which was largely made up of them, would lose 20% of their silver by Newton's proposal. In 1696 Parliament approved the recoinage, but stipulated the new coins maintain the old weights. Newton warned that the silver outflow would continue.The following year, nudged by John Locke, Charles Montague, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, sent Newton a letter notifying him that the King intended to make him Warden of the Mint. So began his new career. Perhaps the role was only intended as a sinecure, but Newton took it very seriously.Putting his chemical and mathematical knowledge to good use, Newton got the Mint's machines working and the coins minted at a speed that defied the predictions of even the boldest optimist and, as an industrial operation, Newton's recoinage was an enormous success. Newton would also have to learn the skills of a policeman—both investigator and interrogator—and he proved masterful. This ruthless enforcer of the law, oversaw numerous investigations, exposing frauds, and then prosecuting perpetrators. Poor counterfeiters had no idea what they were up against, and many were sent to the gallows for their crimes.So good at the job of Warden was Newton that, in 1699, he was promoted and made Master of the Royal Mint, and after the Union between England and Scotland in 1707, Newton directed a Scottish recoinage that would lead to a new currency for the new Kingdom of Great Britain.He had solved the clipping issue, the counterfeiting issue was vastly improved, but silver was still making its way across the Channel, just as Newton had said it would. As long as the silver content exceeded the face value of the coins, the trade would continue. By 1715, almost all of the coins that Newton had struck between 1696 and 1699 had left t he country.Newton's studies had moved on from tides, planetary motions, and pendulums to the gold markets. He drew up an extensive table of assays of foreign coins and in doing so realised that gold was cheaper in the new markets opening up in Asia than in Europe, and thus that silver was not just being sucked out of England, but out of Europe itself to India and China where it was traded for gold.Meanwhile, the world's next great gold rush had started.If you are interested in buying gold, check out my recent report. I have a feeling it is going to come in very handy in the not-too-distant future.My recommended bullion dealer is the Pure Gold Company.World gold output doublesSome time in 1694 Portuguese deserters had found alluvial gold two hundred miles inland from Rio De Janeiro in Minas Gerais in Brazil. Soon everyone was flocking there, “white, coloured, black, Amerindian, men and women; young and old; poor and rich; nobles and commoners; laymen and clergy,” said a Jesuit priest who lived in the area. By 1724, within just three decades of the discovery, world output had doubled. By 1750, 65% of global production was emanating from Brazil. The gold made its way to Lisbon, along with sugar, tobacco and other Brazilian products - similar amounts to that which the Conquistadors had sent back to Spain the previous century - and with it the Portuguese minted their moidores coins.The Portuguese used their gold to buy English cereal crops, beef and fish, woollen goods, manufactured articles, and luxuries. Portugal imported five times as much from England as it exported to it, and it used its gold to settle the difference. The moidores, which weighed slightly more than an English guinea, worth 28 shillings, actually became currency, especially in the west country, where there were more of them than local coins. “We hardly have any money,” wrote an Exeter man in 1713, “but Portugal gold.” In London, the Bank of England began buying vast amounts of gold, “to be coined as it comes in” and the Mint began minting guineas from the moidores. By 1715 the Bank had 800 kg/25,700 t.oz, a nascent central bank reserve, and this figure would rise would to 15.5 tonnes/500,000 t.oz by 1730. So much gold coin had never been minted before and London soon overtook Amsterdam as the foremost precious metals market. Gold was coming and staying. Silver was leaving for Asia. In 1717 Newton was called on to investigate.He came up with a new system and outlined it in a report to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury in September 1717. Less than three months later there was a Royal Proclamation that forbade the exchange of gold guineas for more than 21 silver shillings - even if they were clipped or underweight. Thus was a guinea just over a pound, which was 20 shillings, or 113 grains of gold. The ratio of gold to silver was effectively set at roughly 1:15.5.But silver coin clipping continued, and full-weight silver coins continued to be exported to the continent, where 21 shillings of silver could still get you more than a guinea's worth of gold (just over 7.6 grams/1/4 t.oz), and to Asia, especially India and China, often via the East India Company, where silver was even more valuable. The result was that silver was used for imports, and so left the country, while exports were traded for gold, which thus came into the country.All in all, some two-thirds of that Brazilian gold is thought to have ended up in England. Hundreds of tonnes in total.Britain had always been on a silver standard. A pound was a pound of sterling silver. “In all men's minds the only true money of the country was the silver coin,” said Sir John Craig, historian of the Mint. Although that Royal Proclamation suggested a bimetallic standard, in practice, with so much silver going abroad, it moved Britain from silver to its first gold standard. Gold was more dependable than clipped silver. The future would look back on Newton as the father of the gold standard. His system proved the bedrock of Britain's domestic and international trade through the 18th century, helping it to become such a formidable commercial power. But it was an accidental gold standard. Nobody—not the institutions nor the persons involved—had had the slightest intention of creating a new monetary system on gold. Most people wanted to sustain silver as the prime coinage of the land. Newton had tried to create a functioning bimetallic standard. But market forces had other ideas.In the 1770s there was another recoinage in Britain, which, in terms of sheer scale, was unprecedented. Some 155 tonnes/5 million t.oz of gold in total, perhaps 30 times greater than Newton's recoinage of 1696-9, greater than anything attempted by Spain or Venice, or even Rome. No attempt was made to recoin silver. It was a formal admission that Britain was now on a gold standard. Newton's accidental gold standard was formalised.Anno domini for goldThe second half of the 19th century proved the golden age of the gold rush. First California, then Australia, then New Zealand, then South Africa, then Western Australia, and finally the Klondike.Aside from taxation (see Daylight Robbery), it is difficult to think of anything more overlooked that has had a more profound influence on the course of human history than the gold rush. Nations, indeed civilisations, have been formed on the back of them. (The beneficial impact of gold discoveries in Northern Spain to the Roman Empire is dramatically understated, for example). The fifty years from January 24th, 1848, were perhaps the golden era of the gold rush. The date stands as a watershed moment, the dawn of a new golden age. You might say there are two histories of gold, one before and one after 1848, akin to a BC and AD moment in time. On that day a carpenter from New Jersey by the name of James Marshall saw something shiny at the bottom of a ditch while carrying out a routine inspection of a lumbar mill he was helping build on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California. The scale of the gold business changed out of all proportion. The amount of metal available changed beyond all recognition. Annual production rose fivefold in five years. The Paris Mint coined 150 million Napoléons D'Or in eight years from 1850-57, compared to 65 million in the preceding 50 years. The US Mint's output of gold eagles rose fivefold.The gold price should surely fall with all the new supply, feared bankers and economists. “The price must fall,” said the Economist, wrong about everything even then. The Times agreed. French economist Michel Chevalier wrote an entire book, On the Probable Fall in the Value of Gold. But the gold price did not fall. It stayed constant. Surprisingly perhaps, the biggest casualty of the gold rush, and the dramatic increase in gold supply, was silver. Silver had been money for thousands of years. Not for much longer. Its price halved. In 1850 only Britain, Portugal, Brazil, and a handful of other nations were on the gold standard. Everyone else was on bi-metallic standards. Come 1900 China was the only major nation not on a pure gold standard. Scarcely had the discoveries in California been made when the US began minting $1 and $20 gold coins, in addition to the $10 eagle. Before the discovery, the US Mint struck $4 million worth; in 1851 it minted over $62 million worth. Gold is “virtually the only currency of the country,” said a Congressman proposing a $3 gold coin in a debate in 1853. 1853 would also prove the last time silver dollars were struck, though they still circulated. In practical terms, if not nominal, the US was moving to a gold standard. Then the Coinage Act of 1873 eliminated the standard silver dollar altogether. The act became known as the Crime of 1873. There was a rearguard action, a “silver crusade” to get silver reinstated, especially as silver supply was now increasing thanks to discoveries in Nevada, Colorado, and Mexico. There was, thought some, a “deep-laid plot” engineered by a foreign conspiracy to increase the national debt, which would have to be paid in gold. Bimetallism became a central issue of the election of 1896, when an ambitious young Democrat by the name of William Jennings Bryan won the nomination that he thought would carry him to the presidency with what is widely regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American political history. “Thou shalt not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold,” he bellowed. But no.Gold rather than silver was now in the pockets of millions of people around the world. The increased gold supply effectively sent both France and the US onto gold standards, even though nominally they remained bimetallic (the US until 1900). The move from silver to gold gathered pace in Europe from the 1870s. In 1872-3 Germany launched its new mark, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy had signed up to a Latin bimetallic monetary union in 1865, which was undermined by the tumbling silver price, and they largely abandoned the silver part of the equation after 1874. By the end of the century, every major nation bar China was on a gold standard, the classical gold standard which Isaac Newton is credited with having designed.But that classical gold standard, that golden age of sound money for which many hard money advocates of today, including yours truly, pine, was not designed and planned, it was accidental.As a the poet Robert Burns wrote:But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,In proving foresight may be vain:The best laid schemes o' Mice an' MenGang aft agleyThe modern system of fiat money by which we operate today is also accidental, evolving from political expediency, political pressure, technological developments, deficit spending, suppressed interest rates, misguided obsession with GDP, and more. Many, especially the powerful, have exploited it for their own ends, but nobody designed a system in which 99% of money is digital, in which 99% of money is debt, in which loss of purchasing power and Cantillon Effect are built in, which robs the young, the salaried, and the saver, which makes an increase in the wealth gap inevitable and so on. The modern system is clearly in its endgame. Better systems are emerging. But endgames last a long time.Enjoy this article? Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe

We're getting our first information about Kate, but it's all about how wonderful William is, and the kids are bringing Kate soup and all fluff like that.Meanwhile, is William going to step up?Royal Insider Deep Crown observes, “Whereas Harry seems to have sidestepped every lesson from Elizabeth, William grasps the essence of monarchy: visibility is paramount. Kate will understand this too. William knows being in the public eye isn't optional; it's the very fabric of their duty. There truly is no alternative."

Is this all too much change too soon? And with whatever is going on woth Kate, can William handle it all?Royal source Deep Crown says not to worry: “The monarchy is built on resilience and adaptation. William fully grasps the essence of 'to be seen is to be believed,' and should he step in for Charles or even ascend as a younger King, the monarchy will undoubtedly thrive. The variable in this equation is Kate. Post-recovery, envisioning her as a radiant young queen alongside King William isn't just a picturesque image; it's a powerful narrative that could propel the monarchy for decades

No, we aren't writing Charles off nor wishing him doom. But William will likely have to ACT as king, at least for a bit. The monarch has to be seen to be believed, as Elizabeth said. Is he ready?A friend of Charles told the Sun : “If you didn't know there was anything wrong with him you wouldn't know.”

A senior studio executive sourced by The Express blasted Harry and Meghan's 'alarming lack of original content' and bleakly forecasted: 'They could find themselves walking a financial tightrope simply to survive.'Is Camila's podcast to risky?Will William separate Church and STate?

Wallytron 101

In the first episode of Season Four of History's Greatest Idiots, Lev and Derek delve into the wild, insane, and deplorable life of The Netherland's most notorious monarch (William III) and relive the career and rapid decline of one of social media's most influential early figures (Tila Tequila). Join our Patreon for Exclusive Content and Gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/HistorysGreatestIdiotshttps://www.instagram.com/historysgreatestidiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/greatestidiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/historysgreatestidiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hosts: Lev & Derek ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Lev_Myskin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ThatEffnGuy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Artist: Sarah Chey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fiverr.com/sarahchey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Animation: Daniel Wilson ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wilson_the_wilson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music: Andrew Wilson ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/andrews_electric_sheep⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historysgreatestidiots/support

Poor King Charles. He's had the job for five minutes and already everyone is looking at the Danes and daydreaming about King William and Princess Kate.Is there a logic to Charles announcing he will step down at age 80? He's 75 now.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4522904/advertisement

Behold! His excellence, Immortan Hoof, has graced our pitiful video store with his presence. And he comes bearing gifts; specifically, George A. Romero's criminally underseen 1981 motorcycle jousting film, Knightriders. I am your humble video store manager, Dave, and joining me as we embark on a journey through anachronistic Ren-Faires and crazed motorcycle gangs are my fellow knights Ryan, Cody, and special guest: His Excellency, Immortan Hoof (aka: Nick). Topics of discussion in ye episode include the Mad Max level stunt work on display; we all bask in the awesomeness that is Tom Savini's chiseled abs; and finally, we all pick which member of King William's merry band of knights we would want to be (Spoiler: We all want to be Tuck). Be sure to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also Follow Us on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, or shoot us an email at apocalypsevideopod@gmail.com. Got a movie you'd like us to watch? Hit us up and we'll talk about it on the show! And thus concludes this episode of the podcast. Go forth brave knights and beware the wrath of your local small town Sheriff. 

George Romero's rare departure from horror is an Arthurian tale about a band of traveling performers who have a kind of Renaissance Faire-meets-motocross-meets-professional wrestling, lead by the idealistic King William played by Ed Harris. It's a defense of independent film, a rumination on selling out, a celebration of a receding counterculture, and a clear-eyed examination of utopianism and its faults and contradictions. In short, its one of the best movies we've covered for either of our shows, and one that got right to our hearts.  It doesn't hurt that it was filmed in Pennsylvania. We go all over the map with this one, from 19th century Romanticism to labor rights, from the inherent contradictions in Arthurian myth to a love for the woods of Pennsylvania. This is a preview of the episode, part of our series Hollywood Avalon, a podcast dedicated to Arthurian film; to hear the entire episode, join the Mary Versus the Movies patreon for $3/month to hear this and the entire series Hollywood Avalon: https://www.patreon.com/maryvsmovies

King Charles moved some titles around. So here's the scenario....King William abdicates for some reason, but George isn't yet 18. Do we really want Harry running the show for a few years?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We will look at French Canada and the growing rivals in north America. then we will detail the first 2 years of the King William's War

We will continue the details of King William's War, and the ignominious end to "Governor" Lester of New York 

We conclude King William's War and the narrow escape of Boston, New York and Philadelphia from French destruction because of the ego of two French officials.  

Word soon reached King William's Court that Hereward remained free.  Even worse, the man tasked with capturing the Wake (William de Warenne) had barely escaped with his life.

In this episode, Charlie Higson continues his voyage through the rhyme of 'Willy Willy Harry Stee', stopping at the second Willy, King William the 2nd otherwise known as William Rufus. This week's proper expert is James Hawes, author of the smash hit 'The Shortest History of England', who's been in the bestseller charts as both a crime novelist and a popular historian.In this episode, find out how the Norman invasion directly led to Brexit!It really is a real life version of Succession! Subscribe or Follow as there's a new King or Queen to hear about every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you mix alcohol with sectarianism? Well the results are messy, and that's why a Buckfast knockoff has been asked to rebrand its packaging. King William Fortified Wine, which has an alcohol proof of 16.90% ABV in a nod to the Battle of the Boyne – was launched in Glasgow last September. Dave Scott, Director of the Anti-Sectarianism Charity joined Sean to discuss...

Welcome to the Dark History podcast. We've talked about William Hearst on here before. He is one of the OG Nepo Babies. On top of being born into wealth, he pretty much ran the newspaper industry so he was rolling in it. And one of the big things he spent his cashola on was his house, nay his CASTLE. Oh yeah. In today's episode, we are talking about Hearst Castle. No surprise here, but the story behind a castle in California is juicy and I have been dying to share this one with you all. Get ready to hear all about this nepo baby's pimped-out crib. Episode Advertisers Include: High Strange, OUAI Haircare, Ship Station, and Stitch Fix US. Learn more during the podcast about special offers!

Full episode herehttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/52258016Get access to every episode of WTFrick Live!https://spreaker.page.link/9ZpAVK99G2UBaBT57The Forbidden Knowledge Network https://forbiddenknowledge.newsRumblehttps://rumble.com/c/c-746123

The Queen's reign was defined by her strength and continuity, with her beloved Prince Philip by her side every step of the way. People aspired to their love story, especially their closeness and their loyalty - but will they feel the same about King Charles? Zoe Forsey speaks to historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, author of Elizabeth and Philip, to discuss how we're seeing the end of the ‘Family Monarch' and what could potentially come next - both for Charles and Queen Camilla, and King William and Queen Catherine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel writer Doug Mack felt trapped. Winter was approaching in Minnesota. Another surge of lock-downs and travel restrictions loomed. Staring at his blank passport pages, Doug turns to his keyboard and encounters a Twitter post about ... strawberry bon bons. In this episode, we take a trip into the colorful world of old-timey candies.Voice acting by: Darlene from The Voice Realm, Kevin Pang, and Jon McCormack. The “King William” recording is from the John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection at Lyon College.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Murder. Intrigue. And a financial product that bets on the death of people you don't know. Tontines! Welcome to the Insurance vs History Podcast! In this episode, I dig into the rise and fall of the tontine, a unique life insurance product that includes a mortality lottery. How did a financial product build bridges and real estate, fund wars, and even contribute to the French revolution? I'm talking Kings, Insurance Barons, and estimating who would live longest. What could be more exciting? Sources and Links: Books: com: King William's Tontine: Why the Retirement Annuity of the Future Should Resemble its Past (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics (Hardcover)): 9781107076129: Milevsky, Moshe A.: Books Milevsky has a nice history of tontines in here, and then a discussion of the math and how he thinks a tontine could work. If you're an actuary, you probably will understand the math, but laypeople likely will not. com: The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity eBook : Gratton, Lynda, Scott, Andrew J.: Kindle Store The book that prompted the interest in tontines in Japan. Betting On Lives: The Culture of Life Insurance in England, 1695-1775 (Politics, Culture and Society in Early Modern Britain): Clark, Geoffrey: 9780719056758: Amazon.com: Books Articles: Japan's Aging Population Breathes New Life Into a Centuries-Old Investment Idea - WSJ (behind a paywall, sorry) The Tontine Principle - Historic UK (historic-uk.com) Short overview of using tontines for smaller public works projects or private projects Tontine Thinking - The Actuary Magazine Article by Moshe Milevsky if you don't want to read the book It's sleazy, it's totally illegal, and yet it could become the future of retirement - The Washington Post Well, I wouldn't go exactly that far, but okay, Washington Post, hit that clickbait. The Tontine Coffee House (narratively.com) Alexander Hamilton's Tontine Proposal on JSTOR by Robert M. Jennings, Donald F. Swanson and Andrew P. Trout Tontine Insurance and the Armstrong Investigation: A Case of Stifled Innovation, 1868-1905 on JSTOR by Roger L. Ransom and Richard Sutch Music Credits: Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library Contact Me: insurancevshistory@gmail.com Website: https://insurancevshistory.libsyn.com Contact me!  Twitter: @insurancevshist Instagram: @ insurancevshistory Facebook:  Insurance vs History | Facebook  

‘World's most extravagant' vibrator among stolen items in Texas sex shop heist   A naughty trio swiped more than $58,000 worth of sex toys from a Texas shop — including “the world's most extravagant” Swarovski crystal-encrusted vibrator, according to the store. The racy, broad-daylight heist happened June 30 at Sexology Institute in San Antonio, with surveillance video catching the creeps breaking into the front door, then filling bags with sex toys, lubricants and lingerie before bolting in a truck. “We came in to empty racks,” Sexology Institute manager Jasper St. James told the San Antonio Express News. “They took the world's most extravagant vibrator and they were done.” The fancy pleasure toy valued at $10,000 was a favorite among customers, who'd take pictures with it, St. James told the paper. The thieves — who took nearly everything in the store, including the cash register, according to St. James — have not yet been nailed. The only items left behind were books and LGBTQ merchandise. The store was forced to close its brick-and-mortar and online shops in order to restock. “We feel incredibly violated and our hearts are broken,” the shop wrote on Instagram. “As a small business this loss not only impacts us financially but emotionally as well. We know it will get better but even re-watching the videos of what happened makes us so anxiety-ridden. We are so glad no one was hurt and we completely understand things could have been worse, but it's still awful.” Donations helped the store reopen its location in San Antonio's King William neighborhood. “Unfortunately, the men are wearing masks, gloves, and there are no clear identifiers,” the Sexology Institute said in a post. “The truck seems to be a 2006 black-primed Chevy Silverado. If y'all recognize these men, the truck, or see any of our stolen items on Facebook Marketplace or local flea markets, please let us know.”     Texas man John Birdwell charged for allegedly headbutting father-in-law to death in bar   A Texas man is facing charges for allegedly killing his father-in-law by headbutting him at a local bar.  According to the incident report, the Fort Worth Police Department was called to Woody's Tavern at approximately midnight after a fight broke out between John Birdwell, 38, and Robert Bearden, 66.  Birdwell was talking to his wife's father at the bar about his troubled marriage and Bearden was trying to convince his son-in-law to sign divorce papers. Birdwell suddenly lost control and allegedly grabbed his father-in-law's head and headbutted him three times, according to a police affidavit obtained by Fox 4. The assault continued until both men fell to the ground, Bearden unconscious from the attack. Other bar patrons were forced to pull Birdwell away, the affidavit states. Birdwell fled the scene after the attack. Bearden was taken to the hospital where he later died from his injuries. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said the cause of death was blunt head trauma. Birdwell is being held in the Tarrant County jail on a $75,000 bond.   Records show Bearden was a veterinarian at VCA Mercedes Place Animal Hospital in Benbrook, Texas.   Oklahoma woman Rachael Zion Clay slips out of cuffs, shoots cop   Oklahoma authorities have released wild dash and bodycam video that shows a handcuffed woman retrieving a police rifle and firing it out of the back of a patrol car – striking a civilian and a deputy. The Grady County Sheriff's Office responded to a wellness check at a home in Blanchard just before noon on Aug. 12. Deputies took a woman into custody, placed her in handcuffs and into the back of a marked SUV. Video taken inside the vehicle shows her squirming in the backseat, slipping one hand out of her cuffs and fishing out the rifle. She loads it, aims out the window and begins firing. Officers' bodycams recorded the civilian getting shot in the chest. A deputy also suffered a minor injury when a bullet grazed his head, according to authorities. The victims scrambled to take cover behind another law enforcement vehicle as they called in the incident.  The wounded man's son was also nearby and is seen running over and assisting with first aid as officers call for backup and an ambulance. Both victims were hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to authorities. Police initially described the encounter as a barricade situation and eventually the suspect, Rachael Zion Clay, surrendered to authorities. Jail records show she is being held at the Grady County jail on $1 million bond and a charge of “shooting with intent to kill.”     Off-campus UC Berkeley student housing bans white people from common areas   An off-campus housing co-op for University of California, Berkeley students bans white people from entering common spaces to “avoid white violence” — sparking criticism that the policy inflames racial tensions. The five-story, 30-room “Person of Color Theme House” near the school requires students to declare their race when signing in and to announce when they're bringing white guests in to the building, according to house rules leaked on Reddit.com. “Many POC moved here to be able to avoid white violence and presence, so respect their decision of avoidance if you bring white guests,” the rules declare. “White guests are not allowed in common spaces.”           Woman charged for killing fellow panhandler with stake over turf war   A woman killed a fellow panhandler while they fought over turf along a Chicago expressway last Friday. Mary Normand, 26, and Eriberto Hernandez, 47, had “ongoing issues” about panhandling on the southbound Edens Expressway exit ramp at Wilson Avenue, Assistant State's Attorney Danny Hanichak said during a bail hearing on Monday afternoon. At 2:45 p.m. on Friday, Normand accused Hernandez of panhandling in her territory. The disagreement quickly turned physical.  Normand repeatedly struck Hernandez with a 3-foot-long metal stake and then pushed him under a moving box truck, Hanichak said. After Hernandez was run over by the truck, Normand continued to repeatedly beat him with the stake while he cried for help and attempted to defend himself with his hands. Hernandez was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, he did not survive the assault. The Cook County medical examiner ruled the death as a homicide. Despite panhandling in the same area as Hernandez, Normand is not homeless, Assistant Public Defender Jennifer Hodel said. Normand lives with her fiancé and has been working at real estate company for the last three years, Hodel said.  Normand ran away from the scene but returned almost five hours later and was arrested, according to Fox 5. Normand was ordered held without bail on a count of first-degree murder by Judge Maryam Ahmad.     False prophet' pastor berates congregation for not buying him pricey new watch   Time for a new preacher! A Missouri pastor was caught on camera berating his “broke” congregation for failing to buy him an expensive Movado watch — sparking criticism that he wants to make a profit, not be a prophet. Pastor Carlton Funderburke of the Church at the Well in Kansas City was giving a fiery sermon about “honoring God's shepherds” when he scolded his followers for being too poor to give him the pricey timepiece he'd requested, according to now-viral TikTok footage. “See that's how I know you still poor, broke, busted, and disgusted because of how you've been honoring me,” Funderburke said during the speech on Aug. 7. “I'm not worth your McDonald's money? I'm not worth your Red Lobster money? I ain't worth your St. John's knit? Y'all can't afford it no-how,” he continues in the clip, as some church-goers amazingly respond with encouragement. “I ain't worth your Louis Vuitton? I ain't worth your Prada? I'm not worth your Gucci?” Funderburke, who founded the church with his wife, then tears into his flock for failing to understand what “God is saying” about how to treat those who deliver his message. ‘”Ooh, you can buy a Movado [watch] at Sam's [Club] and you know I asked for one last year. And here it is all the way in August and I still ain't got it,” he says of the watch, which ranges in price from roughly $300 to $3,000. “Let me kick down the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.” Observers called him a “false prophet” and said he's spinning the word of God for his own material gain. Funderburke later apologized, saying the “video clip does not reflect my heart or my sentiment toward God's people.” “Though there is context behind the content of the clip, no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish caused by my words,” Funderburke says in a video posted to the church's YouTube page. “I have also privately apologized to our church, who has extended their love and support to me.”

Duke William was experienced at wielding terror.  Whether he was at home or on campaign, William often employed terror tactics. The people of France were well aware of this, and now the English were learning his skill first hand. 

In Episode 255, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head to the woods of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to search for some ghostly soldiers and scouts who plagued the town for weeks back in July of 1692. With the Salem Witch trials happening just a few towns away, and King William's War raging to the north, everyone is on edge. Pretty soon, the people of Gloucester think these aren't soldiers at all, but minions of the devil who can't be shot or scared.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee    Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter |  Daily Gardener Community   Historical Events   1698 On this day, the English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier, and diarist, John Evelyn, went to Deptford to "see how miserably the Czar... left my house after three months [of] making it his Court." Keep in mind John's appreciation for the amount of work a garden requires as I tell you this little story about him. In 1698, John Evelyn had owned his estate for 40 years. Everyone who knew it said it was magnificent - both inside and out. It was decorated to the nines. Of all he had accomplished, John's garden was his pride and joy. That year, the Russian Czar, Peter the Great, brought an entourage of 200 people to England to visit William III. In a gesture of hospitality, William volunteered John Evelyn's home to host the Czar and his people during their visit. John and his wife graciously moved out to give the Czar his privacy. But it wasn't long before John's servants began sending urgent messages begging him to return. And when John returned home, he walked into a nightmare. The whole estate had been trashed. Priceless paintings had served as dartboards. His floors were ruined, windows were smashed; even the garden was destroyed. The servants told how the 6'8 Czar had played a game with his friends where they put him in one of John's wheelbarrows and then raced him through the garden beds, crashing into walls, trees, and hedges. It must have been a scene akin to the movie Animal House. Clearly, the Czar had shown a complete disregard for the sanctity of John's garden. As gardeners, we can imagine how John must have felt. For twenty years, John had nursed along a hedge of holly that had turned into a glorious living wall. John, who was an expert on trees, was particularly proud of that hedge, and he wrote, Is there under heaven a more glorious and refreshing object of the kind than an impregnable hedge of about 480 feet length, 9 feet high, and 5 feet in diameter Sadly the hedge was also ruined by the Czar. And even the hardscapes were no match for the Czar's party, and part of a stone wall surrounding the garden was toppled over. John immediately sent word to the king about what had happened, and arrangements were made straight away to move the Czar to other lodgings. King William made arrangements to have the Evelyn home fully restored - the house needed to be gutted and rebuilt from the floors up. John Evelyn was 78 years old when this happened to him. I'm sure there was no amount of restitution that could restore the years of love he had spent in his garden. He lived for another eight years before dying in 1706. Today John is remembered for his detailed diary that he kept for 66 years. As a passionate gardener, many of his entries pertain to plants, landscaping, and related garden topics. John believed that gardening was a year-long endeavor and that the experience of gardening provided immeasurable benefits. John wrote, The gardener's work is never at an end, it begins with the year and continues to the next.  Gardening is a labor full of tranquility and satisfaction; natural and instructive, and [aids the] most serious contemplation, experience, health, and longevity.   1714 Death of Sophia of Hanover, the Electress of Hanover. She died at 83. Sophia was next in line to become the Queen of England, but she never got the chance. She was strolling through her magnificent garden in Hanover, Germany, when she was caught in a rainstorm, and after she rushed to find shelter, she collapsed and died of heart failure. Today a sculpture memorial of Electress Sophia stands on the southern edge of the garden. In 1714, after Sophia died on June 8th, her cousin, Queen Anne, died just two months later at the beginning of August. And that is how Sophia's eldest son was able to claim the British throne as George I. Today, both Sophia and her son, George I, are buried in the very garden she ran out of over three centuries ago. Incidentally, George I became the last British monarch to be buried outside Britain. And while it is unfortunate that Sophia got caught in the rain, there's no doubt that the beautiful grounds she had installed at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover brought her great joy. Sophia once said, The garden is my life. A patron of the arts, Sophia commissioned Herrenhausen Palace and the surrounding gardens, which remain the greatest treasure in all of Hanover. As one of the most important historical gardens in Europe, Herrenhausen Gardens is one of the few baroque gardens remaining in Europe. And the garden remains true to its original design and comprises four separate gardens that feature over 60,000 blooming flowers and 1,000 containers. The baroque garden, also called the big garden, is home to thirty-two magnificent statues made of sandstone. The sculptures represent the four continents, the four seasons, the four elements, and the gods of the ancient world. A statue of Juno standing next to a swan is particularly stunning. Herrenhausen also encompasses Georgengarten, a beautiful English-style park, and Berggarten, a botanic garden featuring orchids and cactus.  In 2020, Ronald Clark, Director of Herrenhausen Gardens in Hannover, presented Garden Thinking and Garden Behavior. Garden Thinking was defined as, Tending a garden in the long term in such a way that it yields produce in harmony with nature. The eternal cycle of growing, thriving, and decaying can only work if I take care of the soil and plants. And Garden Behavior was described as, Garden thinking put into action. Let us start small and look at a private garden. Which plants do we find there? Are there any at all? Many gardens reflect well how we deal with our surroundings. A few decades ago, it was the three R's (Rasen, Rosen, Rhododendron = lawn, roses, rhododendron), today's fashion are gravel gardens. Again let's start small and look just past our patio door. Is gardening really labor?  Of course... a garden takes time, but no generation before us has had this much leisure time, and caring for a garden is one of the most meaningful and fulfilling opportunities for leisure activities.   1908 On this day, a review of the Peterson Nursery in Chicago offered an update on their annual peony week. ...About 8,000 [peonies were] cut on June 8.  The next day there was a grand display of all the fine kinds for which Wm. Peterson is justly famed.  That beautiful variety, Golden Harvest, is well known as one of the most constant and excellent varieties and an English firm [bred] Duchess of Somerset, [which is] supposed to be an improvement on it.  ...Trials cost a lot of money and trouble, but... it eventually pays [as] is evident by the class of orders Mr. Peterson is now receiving. Perhaps the finest sight of all the varieties at the time of our call was... the good old Festiva Maxima, (with its snowy white flowers with red flecks) consisting of 500 fine five-year-old plants, every one covered with flowers. For sereral days [before our visit] about 1,500 flowers per day had been cut from this lot of plants, but they were still very fine.  Another grand thing from landscape or border point of view is Gloria. The flowers are pink and very beautiful, but they do not all come double.   Peonies are a beloved flower. They are the national flower of China, where they are native and where they are called sho-yu, which means most beautiful. There are two main types of peonies: tree peonies and herbaceous peonies. Tree peonies are deciduous shrubs that can have huge colorful dinner-plate-sized blossoms. Herbaceous peonies die back every winter and return every spring. Herbaceous peonies make the gorgeous cut flowers we all know and love, and the blowsy blooms come in shades of white, pink, coral, and crimson. The largest peony cut flower operation is in Holland, which sells 50 million peonies annually. The most popular variety by far is "Sarah Bernhardt," which accounts for 20 million stems. The ruffly pink-petaled Sarah Bernhardt peony with emerald green foliage was bred by the French plant breeder Victor Lemoine. The Sarah B peony debuted in 1906, and Victor named the peony in honor of the famous French stage actress.  And don't forget two crucial herbaceous peony planting tips for flourishing blossoms: plant them in full sun and plant them high. If you bury the peony crown too deeply, it will not flower. Finally, don't forget that those pretty peony petals are edible. You can impress your guests and children by elevating a humble salad with peony petals or using crystallized petals to dress up baked goods like cupcakes or a basic sheet cake.   1947 Birth of Sara Paretsky, American mystery writer. In her book Fallout, Sarah's character Doris imagines heaven as a garden in this excerpt: Doris thought life was like a high-speed train where you kept leaving friends and brothers and lovers at stations along the route. Maybe when you died, you walked back down the tracks until you met each of the people you'd lost. You collected them all, brother Logan, mother, father, Lucinda, and you got to find a quiet garden where you sat and watched the sun go down, the huge red-gold Kansas sun sinking behind the waves of wheat, while you sipped a little bit of a martini that your beloved had mixed for you.     Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation Take It Outside by Mel Brasier, Garrett Magee, and James DeSantis This book came out in 2021, and the subtitle is A Guide to Designing Beautiful Spaces Just Beyond Your Door. Mel, Garrett, and James are the hosts of Bravo's Backyard Envy. They have been called the "plantfluencers" by the New York Times, and they also own the Manscapers landscaping company. Their main differentiator is viewing outdoor spaces the way interior designers evaluate rooms. And in this book, Mel, Garrett, and James take you step-by-step through their process of transforming outdoor spaces -  no matter the size.  In the introduction, they write, The three of us came to the landscape business with backgrounds in design, not degrees in horticulture: Mel and James are interiors experts, and Garrett trained as a graphic designer. Together, we decided to pool our talents and take our collective skill set outside. We learned to transform city lots into lush hideaways, tiny terraces into chic outdoor lounges, and suburban yards into anything-but-cookie-cutter retreats. Along the way, we realized that no matter the size, location, or budget of any outdoor location, the makeover process is pretty much the same. Rather than be put off by the unpredictability of garden design, we fell in love with its ever-changing nature. Today we are constantly inspired by the prospect of working outside, where every project mirrors the seasons and offers the promise of transformation and progress. Nothing is stagnant outside. Time and again, we're faced with many of the same landscape design conundrums, but we're always up to the challenge of solving them. With this book, we're stoked to share our tried-and-true tricks and solutions with anyone who wants to design and build their own outdoor oasis. Whether you are a seasoned or brand-new gardener, a semiskilled DIYer, or someone who just wants to turn things over to the pros, we'll help unpack the process for you. Now, let's take this outside and get started!   This book is 272 pages of planning outdoor spaces worthy of an episode of Backyard Envy - and the authors are quick to point out that, There's no "one size fits all" approach to landscape design. You don't have to become a gardening expert (you don't even have to love flowers!). You just need to understand a few basic landscaping principles and how to apply them to the space you're working with. We've streamlined the process into manageable steps that can work in any area. Feel free to follow each step or cherry-pick them as you please-whatever works for you. Remember: the goal is to experience your home in a different way-from the outside in. You can get a copy of Take It Outside by Mel Brasier, Garrett Magee, and James DeSantis and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $16.   Botanic Spark 2009 On this day, Martha Stewart's peonies bloomed. In her book, Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations (2011), Martha wrote, For the last few years, I have had a "peony party," scheduling the date to coincide with what I thought would be the apex of the blooming of the hundreds of peony plants. Unfortunately, global warming has played havoc with such "schedules" and it is now almost impossible to judge accurately when a plant is going to bloom. Two years ago the peonies bloomed on June 8. One year ago, they bloomed on May 28. This past year they bloomed closer to May 20. I am now trying to find more varieties with longer blooming periods, and more with early, midseason, and late-blooming properties.   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.