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6 famous personalities of the past who fell victim to court etiquette
6 famous personalities of the past who fell victim to court etiquette

Video: 6 famous personalities of the past who fell victim to court etiquette

Video: 6 famous personalities of the past who fell victim to court etiquette
Video: Ludmilla Belousova and Oleg Protopopov at 2015 An Evening With Champions - YouTube 2024, May
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The norms of etiquette that reached the point of absurdity
The norms of etiquette that reached the point of absurdity

Previously, in any royal court, the behavior of subjects and the monarch was strictly regulated. Observance of etiquette was supposed to exalt the royal person in the eyes of courtiers and ordinary people. But it often happened that the accepted norms of behavior and formalities literally reached the point of absurdity, while bringing harm not only to others, but also to the monarch himself.

Tycho Brahe

Danish astronomer, astrologer and alchemist Tycho Brahe
Danish astronomer, astrologer and alchemist Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe was a respected Danish astronomer, astrologer and alchemist. The cause of his death still haunts researchers. A rather popular version is connected precisely with the absurdity of the norms of court etiquette.

According to legend, Tycho Brahe ended up at the royal table. He really wanted to go to the toilet, but, according to court regulations, citizens were strictly forbidden to get up during a meal. The scientist had to endure, although he was already in old age. It is believed that Tycho Brahe died of a ruptured bladder.

Marie Louise of Orleans

Marie-Louise of Orleans - Queen Consort of Spain, wife of King Charles II
Marie-Louise of Orleans - Queen Consort of Spain, wife of King Charles II

In February 1689, the wife of the Spanish king Charles II, Maria-Louise, decided to ride a horse. She was known as an excellent rider, so she chose the obstinate horse for herself. Suddenly the horse reared up, and then carried. The Queen was thrown from the saddle, but, unfortunately, her leg was stuck in the stirrup.

The most absurd thing is that it all happened in front of the king, but he forbade anyone to help Marie Louise, because according to etiquette, no one had the right to touch the queen. When the horse was far enough away, two courtiers stopped it and helped Her Majesty out of the stirrup. The men immediately disappeared, because they were afraid of the king's anger. Well, Marie-Louise was destined to die soon.

King Philip III

Spanish King Philip III
Spanish King Philip III

As already mentioned, in the Spanish court, the norms of behavior were exaggerated. On November 22, 1604, King Philip III sat down to warm himself by the fireplace, when suddenly the flame flared up too much. A special nobleman was responsible for closing the damper, but at that moment he was not there. The king forbade anyone present to help him. While the desired nobleman was found, Philip III's face was burned, but he retained his honor.

Catherine II

Russian Empress Catherine II
Russian Empress Catherine II

At the Russian imperial court, there were also enough memorable events associated with the ceremony. So, once Catherine II cut off a piece of hair for the maid of honor Lopukhina because she did not do her hair according to etiquette. And another courtier was completely removed from the palace, and then from the capital for the fact that she daringly allowed herself to make her hair with flowers much higher than that of the empress.

The very same Catherine II drew up "Hermitage etiquette", which, among other things, indicated that when examining a porcelain figurine, one should not then put it in one's pocket.

Boyarynya Olsufieva

Assembly under Peter I
Assembly under Peter I

Under Peter I, assemblies (meetings) began to be organized, to which women were allowed to appear too. After discussing matters, the ball began, which was accompanied by a real booze. Nobody could refuse to participate in the assemblies, and those who were late were given a "penalty". Once the boyar Olsufiev was late for the event with his wife, who was in the last month of pregnancy. The noblewoman begged Peter I to take pity on her, but she was given a "penalty" glass of unimaginable size of vodka. Olsufyeva suffered a miscarriage at night. The dead child was alcoholized and sent to the Kunstkamera.

Mother of the Chinese Emperor Pu Yi

Chinese Emperor Pu Yi
Chinese Emperor Pu Yi

In 1908, 2-year-old Pu Yi was declared the Chinese emperor. Immediately after this, the child, who had become sacred, was shared with Yulan's mother. Now she had no right to touch him, and she could not even be in the same room with him. Naturally, the child, separated from his mother, began to cry. Observing etiquette, a nanny was assigned to the child. But she could not calm the baby, who was bursting with screams. The mother, distraught with despair, committed suicide right in the reception hall of the imperial palace by drinking a lethal dose of opium.

If we turn to the second half of the 19th century, at that time, behavior between people was also strictly regulated. Some the rules of etiquette of the Victorian era, which are puzzling today.

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