European Royalty discussion
Other Discussions
>
Dinner Date Question
date
newest »
newest »
This is a tough question as there are so many possibilites. I'll try to narrow it down to 5.1. The princes in the Tower - just to find out what really happened to them.
2. Elizabeth I - I'd like to know more about her personal life; her relationship with Dudley; her feelings. Stuff that isn't in the history books.
3. Mary, Queen of Scots - Just to get her in the same room as Elizabeth might be interesting.
4. Nefertiti - I'm reading Nefertiti A Novel right now. Since I don't know that much about the period it would be interesting to learn more about her, what really happened and what life was like in Ancient Egypt. Was she as self-absorbed and manipulative as she is in the book.
5. Joanna of Wales - What were you thinking? What was Llewellyn really like?
Of course, this list will defintiely change as I read more!
Come on! I know there are people you'd all love to meet!For me it would be
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Richard III
Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth I
It was HARD to narrow it down, and honestly, I sort of hate to include 3 Tudors...
I just can't help but find them fascinating!
Originally I left Anne Boleyn off my list, but if this were real there's no way I'd actually miss an opportunity to meet her!
Really, I'd love to meet just about everyone I've read about. If there's a Heaven, I sure hope it's populated with historical characters that don't mind being asked dozens of questions!
Good list, Laura! You were posting when I was, so I didn't see yours first.I want to meet all your people, too!
Mandy wrote: "For me it would beEleanor of Aquitaine
Richard III
Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth I..."
Mandy, I might as well join you at your table, since I'd like to meet most of your companions as well. The only change I'd make is I'd switch out Eleanor for John of Gaunt (he's my historical crush...)
Elizabeth ICleopatra
Anne Boleyn
Julius Caesar
Mandy, I know what you mean about the Tudors...but c'mon, that would be one hell of a dinner party! Very strong personalities! I would have Michaelangelo and Henry VIII on my list in case one of the above were unable to attend. :)
Wait... you said historical, so Marilyn Monroe is out. Let's put Henry in!
Oh my goodness!! What a great question!!! I think I'll post this one on my blog?Is that okay, Mandy?? :)
My 5 would be...man this is tough..Richard III - I want to see what he was really like and of course ask him about his nephews.
Elizabeth I - She is probably my favorite English monarch (along with R3) and I'd just love the chance to talk to her. I get the feeling she could have some biting humor.
Anne Boleyn - Like with R3, I'd love to see what she was really like. I think she would also find it interesting how much people write and talk about her today.
Eleanor of Aquitaine - She was such an amazing woman. It would be fascinating to talk to her (and I'd like to ask her about Rosamund Clifford).
Boudica - I have been interested in her since I saw a program about her and her rebellion on the History Channel. Would love to see what she really was since that time in history wasn't recorded.
Hannahr wrote: "Mandy wrote: "For me it would beEleanor of Aquitaine
Richard III
Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth I..."
Mandy, I might as well join you at your table, since I'd like to meet most of your ..."
I think I'm joining you as well. I thought about Anne, Henry, and Richard but wanted to get the table a bit more varied. Eleanor almost made the list but then I went with Joanna.
Great question! I'd have to say mine would be pretty similar to the other posts. Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth I
Henry VIII
Marie Antoinette
Catherine de'Medici
Henry VIII sure is a popular dinner companion. Should we serve turkey legs, do you think?I'd like to refine my list and request "young" Henry VIII, NOT old, fat, mean, putrid-leg Henry!
Hannahr wrote: "Henry VIII sure is a popular dinner companion. Should we serve turkey legs, do you think?I'd like to refine my list and request "young" Henry VIII, NOT old, fat, mean, putrid-leg Henry!
"
Hahahahhaa!
I'd like to invite just Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I to an intimate family dinner. I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly successful daughter?
Connie wrote: "I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly successful daughter?"He'd say: "...takes after her ole man".
Anne would say: "YOU'RE the reason she never settled down and found a nice boy".
I'd like to see a family reunion of sorts and hear their views on a family squable known as WWINicholas and Alexandra
Queen Victoria
Kaiser Wilhelm
George V and Queen Mary
Manuel, great answer! Just listen to, as one of my undergrad history profs would say, "Georgie, Nicky, and Willy fight over who got to the ride the pony the most at Balmoral"
Hmm, I think I'd ask....(er can I could couples as 1?)1. Erzherozg Franz Ferdinand and Herzogin Sophie von Hohenberg
Why: their assassination started the First World War
2. Katherine Parr (sixth wife of Henry VIII); that's okay Henry VIII can stay home...
Why: I find her a fascinating woman, well-educated, stayed alive, and then fell for Thomas Seymour (which struck me as silly.)
3. George and Martha Washington
Why: I'd love to find out more about the "real" them, they're always so often on a pedestal
4. Erzherzog Karl Ludwig and Erzherzogin Maria Theresa, Infanta of Portugal
Why: I am sort of obsessed with the Habsburgs, and I always read really good things about them, I want to see if they are as down-to-earth (or more so than others) as they come across, plus I'd love their opinions on the whole Sissi, tragedy at Mayerling, etc. etc.
5. Henrik Ibsen
Why: amazing playwright, would love to see what he would make of current emphasis/fashion regarding his plays, is he really a feminist or isn't he?
Hannahr wrote He'd say: "...takes after her ole man". Anne would say: "YOU'RE the reason she never settled down and found a nice boy".
That's hysterical! LOL!
Connie wrote: "I'd like to invite just Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I to an intimate family dinner. I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly successful daughter? "To make it 5,lets add Catherine of Aragon and Mary Tudor. Might need to add some referees.
Now that would be an interesting dinner!
what a great question to really make one think. Now will tis be a formal dinner or a private intimate dinner that does make a difference. If it was a small intimet dinner I would envite:Julis Ceasar - Ceasar has always had my interest, he was a man of political power, military prowess and I have to admit that he had lots of women yet not one really caught his full attention and heart so I would like to sit across from and ask a few questions on the ones he knew and about Rome.
Vlad the Impaler - I know he's got a bad wrap but his story would be rather interesting coming from himself, being held hostage most of his youth then having to fight his own blood family to stay alive and become Prince and all along the way be a military leader and keeping the enemy at bay. I tink I would set him to the left of Ceasar, see how they mesh.
Barbra Villiers Palmer - the woman was a royal mistress but she was determined to change her future and being the mistress of King Charles II she advised him(!) on allsorts of things, though she almost lost him. I would want to ask how she managed it while trying to stay true to herself and all that she secretly accomplished. She would sit to Ceasar's right. Wonder how they would get along?
Catherine the Great - I've only recently found an interest in her, she was a woman that did not back down. I know she was believed to be a fornicator of the worse kind but why did she perfer the lower class rather then the lavish handsome fellows and why was their so many? What motivated her, not the obvious reason but what really did. I would set her to my right, across from Countess of Castlemian, I think they would have fun with Ceasar.
and lastly,
Mary Bolyen - I know everyone is so gitty about Anne but my heart goes out to Mary. I think she was passed around at the whim of man and well her story is just as interesting as Annes though she did not change the course of English history nor set herself on the throne. She did take care of elizabeth thoser first years, got a few questions on that myself. She seemed to have simple wishes when it came to life and well I'ld love to talk to her about it all, even the love of her life, Stafford. I would seat her to my left across from Vlad, with all the pain in their lives they might have something in common and Mary might bring him out of his shell.
Ahh, now what to serve?
Nona, that is a fantastic post! And you're right, Mary's story is every bit as interesting as Anne's. Maybe more so since Mary actually managed to live!
Nona,Barbara Villiers was on my original list...last time I answered this question. LOVE her.
Mary Boleyn was on that list, too. Both are still on my sub list! Very interesting stories!
Okay...seriously...
THIS
He'd say: "...takes after her ole man".
Anne would say: "YOU'RE the reason she never settled down and found a nice boy".
is the funniest thing EVER! LOL!
Robin - post on your blog! No problem :)
Hannahr wrote: "Connie wrote: "I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly successful daughter?"He'd say: "...takes after her ole man".
Anne would say: "YOU'RE the reason she never s..."
Haha, that's hilarious...and probably true!
Laura wrote: "Connie wrote: "I'd like to invite just Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I to an intimate family dinner. I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly successful daughter?..."Think that would generate a food fight, at best....haha.
Okay, I'll add Bess Hardwick and Lady Frances Grey.
OO... Lady Frances Grey... I do want to know if she was the horrible woman she is portrayed to be. My list is:Adolf Hitler
Henry VIII
Katherine Howard
Anne Boleyn (Just cuz I want to know if the adultery was real or not)
Tsar Nicholas II (I am slightly obsessed with the Tudors and the Romanovs)
Some great thoughts here... Can I come to ALL the dinners?For myself, I'm still debating who I would chose. It's hard! Maybe what I would most like is to send a modern physician with a full bag of tricks back in time to Edward IV-- what if he had lived to see his son claim the throne at a more advanced age?
But if I couldn't do that, then I'd love to have dinner with his sons and ask them what happened to them. Also, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Loius XV, Llewellyn the Great, and Hatsheput.
Connie wrote: "Laura wrote: "Connie wrote: "I'd like to invite just Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I to an intimate family dinner. I wonder what Henry would say to Anne in front of their incredibly succes..."Good list, Aly. I thought to add Lady Frances Grey because I would like the chance to sort her out for myself. The recent Sisters Who Would Be Queen" really discounted the earlier portrayals of her as an abusive dragonlady.
I did add this to my blog the other day. You can check it out at:almostcrazymommy.blogspot.com
Connie wrote: "Good list, Aly. I thought to add Lady Frances Grey because I would like the chance to sort her out for myself. The recent Sisters Who Would Be Queen" really discounted the earlier portrayals of her as an abusive dragonlady. "Was this a good book? I've been looking forward to reading it and am even more interested now as I've always heard nothing but bad things about Frances.
I'm interested, too!It's on my to-read list...
I have a hard time believing that any mother could be as awful as I've read Frances. I know that's naive of me - there are lots of awful parents out there...
Anyway - would love to know what you thought of the book.
Jennifer wrote: "Connie wrote: "Good list, Aly. I thought to add Lady Frances Grey because I would like the chance to sort her out for myself. The recent Sisters Who Would Be Queen" really discounted the earlier po..."Yes, I enjoyed "Sisters Who Would Be Queen" quite a lot. It was well sourced and offered new insights (always good at this point in my Tudor education). I blazed through it very quickly. Always found Catherine Grey as interesting & tragic as her sister. Must say my opinion of Elizabeth I was affected. She was more vengeful and punative to the Grey girls than I had realized.
European Royalty
Books mentioned in this topic
The Invisible String (other topics)The Memory Box: a Book about Grief (other topics)
Nefertiti (other topics)
But because history is so full of so many intriguing characters, I think let's change it to 5.
So...
If you could have dinner with any 5 historical figures, who would they be?
What would you talk to them about?
I love Historical Fiction, mostly because it makes me think about what actually may have happened. An authors interpretation is fun to read, but I'd really love to ask the characters how it went down.
I think we did this once before...a long time ago. I only sort of remember what I said then. I think this answer has probably changed for me a dozen times!