tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post3253286151110436792..comments2024-02-14T22:57:55.638-05:00Comments on The Cross of Laeken: Defending the WittelsbachsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-40102470013568286572011-03-16T12:22:34.479-04:002011-03-16T12:22:34.479-04:00I don't think I denied that the Wittelsbachs h...I don't think I denied that the Wittelsbachs had mental and emotional problems in the family, I was just pointing out that there was also much more to this dynasty than many seem to remember and that people ought to avoid stereotypes.<br /><br />As Mad Monarchist said, I think we should also be careful of confusing full-blown "madness" with other kinds of psychological weakness or odd behavior.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-42003863996430300132011-03-16T11:48:16.340-04:002011-03-16T11:48:16.340-04:00This article speaks of events and people that were...This article speaks of events and people that were exceptions, but the Wittelsbach madness is well documented which is most likely the result of inbreeding that occured to preserve royal ties. Crown Prince Rudolf grandmothers were sisters and 4 of his 8 great grandparents were of the Wittelsbach clan- we know what means.......lots of 1st cousin lovin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-55522057033326817082011-02-14T14:40:35.180-05:002011-02-14T14:40:35.180-05:00Thank you, Jorge. Yes, I remembering hearing about...Thank you, Jorge. Yes, I remembering hearing about those Habsburgs. I suppose the in-breeding accentuates whatever vulnerabilities are in the family, weaknesses which might never come to the fore otherwise.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-35512271700332431292011-02-13T17:14:56.310-05:002011-02-13T17:14:56.310-05:00I don't think there was anything wrong in the ...I don't think there was anything wrong in the Hesse blood, but maybe too much concentration can provoke mental disorders in some individuals. The Spanish Habsburgs intermarried so much that several members of the family were born with terrible deformities, incapacity to have children, etc. Not all descendants are affected, of course.<br /><br />JorgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-52830083412892695132011-02-13T14:49:51.055-05:002011-02-13T14:49:51.055-05:00Be my guest, Gareth! I am honored.Be my guest, Gareth! I am honored.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-19638850925615919722011-02-13T14:26:22.990-05:002011-02-13T14:26:22.990-05:00Matterhorn, this is an absolutely magnificent arti...Matterhorn, this is an absolutely magnificent article and I'd like to link to it, if you would allow? Really an incredible set of stories and a fantastic defence of the Wittlesbach dynasty!Gareth Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102113677858015813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-905061753453330612011-02-13T10:16:34.777-05:002011-02-13T10:16:34.777-05:00Thank you, Christina!
Jorge, that's a good qu...Thank you, Christina!<br /><br />Jorge, that's a good question. Maybe there was something odd in the makeup of the Hesse-Darmstadts? Did they have other family members or relatives with such problems?Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-36130216335680731792011-02-13T10:13:20.919-05:002011-02-13T10:13:20.919-05:00Both King Maximilian II and Queen Marie had a lot ...Both King Maximilian II and Queen Marie had a lot of Hesse-Darmstadt blood in their veins. Marie's two grandmothers were princesses of that family, while Maximilian's two grandmothers also had H-D blood (one was a princess of H-D and the other was the daughter of one). Maybe such concentration of blood produced some effect in the genetics of their Bavarian descendants.<br />However, all royals have intermarried across the centuries, so why they are not all mentally ill? Strange.<br /><br />JorgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-41447395337028727782011-02-13T04:56:20.235-05:002011-02-13T04:56:20.235-05:00What a wonderful and fascinating post! Thank you, ...What a wonderful and fascinating post! Thank you, Matterhorn. <br />I had no idea that Queen Elizabeth trained in her father's infirmary; or what an interesting man he was.<br /><br />There is something charming and quite disarming about some of the Wittelsbachs' eccentricities and I think, in Sisi's case, her instability was exaggerated because of the sense of imprisonment she felt in the stifling Austrian Court. Perhaps, in a freer and simpler life, she would not have appeared so unstable. <br />I can image how desolate Queen Elizabeth felt, separated from her Bavarian relations - I think Alix, Empress of Russia, felt that, too, when separated from her Hessian friends and relations. <br />Thank you for a really interesting post!Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00714569232976515363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-35471234111323827242011-02-13T00:13:30.248-05:002011-02-13T00:13:30.248-05:00Marie-José used to complain that whenever she or h...Marie-José used to complain that whenever she or her mother did something unconventional, people would go: "Ah, those Wittelsbachs, they're all crazy!" I've seen similar comments and got tired of it.<br /><br />Even Elisabeth's husband, King Albert, has been attacked on psychological grounds; much has been made of his supposed "moodiness" and "insecurity", whereas both Leopold III and Marie-José emphasized their father's inner serenity in coping with the challenges life cast his way.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-5071077515453107812011-02-12T23:39:58.794-05:002011-02-12T23:39:58.794-05:00The Belgian royal family did have quite a steady, ...The Belgian royal family did have quite a steady, good reputation, traditionally, but now all too many seem eager to fire "cheap shots" at them, and to latch on to whatever seems likely to weaken their image, including, in some cases, the Wittelsbach connection.<br /><br />I agree with you about the "insanity" of the Wittelsbachs not being so widespread; that was one of the points I was trying to convey. I also would not say Sisi and Rudolf were crazy, but I do think they were rather emotionally unbalanced.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666114716955489883.post-63766469914395395612011-02-12T23:31:31.314-05:002011-02-12T23:31:31.314-05:00Mental illness is extremely widespread (only in re...Mental illness is extremely widespread (only in recent years have we found out just how widespread) and no family, royal or otherwise, is untouched by it. However, it seems to me that the reputation of the Belgian Royal Family has been one of very sane, sober, moderate and thoughtful people. Given the nature of the country they have had to be expert at making a realistic evaluation of the situation at any time, very subtle and very considerate. I would also question just how widespread the famous "insanity" of the Wittelsbachs was. In the cases of Sissi and Rudolf I would be careful to avoid confusing bad judgment, being willful or self-absorbed with suffering from an actual full blown mental illness. Not everyone who makes bad decisions or behaves oddly is crazy.MadMonarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08083008336883267870noreply@blogger.com