Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part four

Bonjour and welcome to Hortense’s Salon Internationale! In this week’s episode, we learn more about Hortense Mancini’s time as Charles II’s maitresse-en-titre, her relationship with Charles’s daughter Anne Lennerd, her love of swordfighting, her self-sabotaging affair with Louis I of Monaco, and her platonic life partner Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis, seigneur de Saint-Évremond aka CM, and overall her new era as Renaissance Influencer.

And the story doesn’t end here! Next week we’ll wrap up the Hortense Saga with her post-post Charles era, and finally see how she scores on the Fredegund memorial scale.

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References:

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter 

The Kings’ Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith

https://www.winemag.com/2022/02/11/hortense-mancini-runaway-duchess-champagne/

https://www.thecambridgelanguagecollective.com/arts-and-culture/annalisa-nicholson

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/28/restoration-influencer-how-charles-iis-clever-mistress-set-trends-ahead-of-her-time

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Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part three

So in 1675, Hortense Mancini fled France to hang out in London during the Restoration era. She truly took the city by storm with her superpowered beauty and scandalous ways. But in order to appreciate just what an effect she had, we need to talk for a minute about what London was like P.H. (Pre-Hortense). This week we learn about what Charles II had been up to since he unsuccessfully tried to marry teen Hortense (like being a volunteer firefighter, sexy Captain Hook impersonator, and oh yeah being the literal King) as well as info about his mistresses Moll Davis, Nell Gwyn, Barbara Villiers, and Louise de Kéroualle AND also the jewel heist saga of Thomas Blood. 

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter 

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order 

Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help 

References: 

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter

The Kings’ Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith

https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/sex-scandals-and-betrayals-charles-ii-and-his-court/ article by RE Pritchard 

Leading Ladies: the many mistresses of Charles II wielded real political power by Annalisa Nicholson (History Extra magazine) 

Rex Factor podcast about Charles II

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Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part two

In the next thrilling installment of the saga of Hortense Mancini, our heroine escapes from her awful husband with the help of her brother and sister, becomes the most popular muse in Rome/Europe, has a not-so-secret sexy affair with a servant, and writes her memoirs (all before age 29). And she’s just getting started! Featuring special guest narrative: what her sister Marie had been up to since being forced to consciously uncouple from Louis XIV.

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help

References:

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter

The Kings’ Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith

Marie Mancini: writing for her life, by Sarah Nelson

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part one

Hortense Mancini appeared one day with Sailor Moon buns and such a fascinating Wikipedia entry I had to make room for her in this internationale season. Her story is like if you did a Frankenstein thing of putting together all the most scandilicious bits of every story ever on Vulgar History ever before into one story, because it’s all here! Wearing a pants disguise! Breaking new ground for women in publishing! Putting on plays in which she plays the main part! A terrible husband! Lovers! Outfits! Here in part one we learn about Hortense (incl how to pronounce her name), her sisters, brother, and cousins, her terrible husband, and set the scene with some important people who will show up in later episodes.

Content warning: discussion of the details of her abusive husband and marriage begin at around 37:30. You can skip that and still listen to future bits of Hortense’s story!

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help

References:

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter

The Kings’ Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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Kristina of Sweden, part three

This episode finds Kristina of Sweden entering her BANGERZ era as she a) shaves her head b) is a wrecking ball all over Rome as she ponders how to live as a Freelance Queen/King. She meets some new friends (some of whom aren’t grifters), is surprisingly chill about other peoples’ religions, goes TITS OUT both with her collection of erotic artwork AND her neckline, and, fully just vibes out with the electric enthusiasm of a recently escaped bear that’s been held captive indoors.

References:

Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

History of Yesterday article by Ira Larsdotter

Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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Kristina of Sweden, part two

If this was an episode of Friends, it would be called THE ONE WHERE SHE YEETS THE CROWN. Picking up from part one, Kristina is Teen Queen/King of Sweden and her main focus is doing the opposite of what Axel Oxenstierna wants her to do. But the more she remains Queen/King, the more she starts to channel Belle from Beauty and the Beast, wanting adventures in the great wide somewhere. And so, as Big Freedia says in the latest Beyonce song, time for her to release her job!

References: 

Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

History of Yesterday article by Ira Larsdotter

Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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Kristina of Sweden, part one

Kristina of Sweden, like her distant ancestress Princess Cecilia of Sweden, wasn’t going to let being a Swedish Royal get in the way of her just vibing out and doing wtf she wanted. In part one, we learn about her parents, the non-typical manner in which she was brought up, and the first years of her reign. We also talk a bit about her gender identity and the longstanding rumours that she may have had intersex traits.

Learn more about intersex people at InterAct Advocates for Intersex Youth: interactadvocates.org

Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness: How Can We Put The “I” In LGBTQIA+?

References: 

Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

Queer as Fact podcast

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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