The princes

by H.D. Molesworth

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author divides his anecdotal study of most Continental royalty in the 17th and 18th centuries neatly into topical chapters: The Mystique of Royalty, The Court, Ambassadors, Mistresses, Religion, Hobbies, The Prince Travels, etc. There are no great insights here, nor even much originality, but copious photos of royal artifacts and of the art that decorated the palaces of Europe enliven the text. The Baroque era is recent enough in our history to have had considerable influence on our own century (many of the royal houses examined lasted until the Great War) and the author seems genuinely to regret that in a modern egalitarian democracy the distinctions of "Gentlemen" and "Ladies" are relegated to public platforms and public restrooms, where everyone qualifies.