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The King's Mistress: The True & Scandalous Story of the Woman Who Stole the Heart of George I

Page 28

by Gold, Claudia

Schnath, George 62

  Schulenburg, Anna Elisabeth von der(née von Stammer) (stepmother) 11

  Schulenburg, Anna Elisabeth von der(sister) 10, 12

  Schulenburg, Anna Louise (Louise) (daughter) 53, 70, 79–80, 109, 130, 133, 176, 205, 270, 275, 176205

  Schulenburg, Daniel Bodo von der (brother) 10, 12, 170

  Schulenburg, Ehrengard Melusine von der (later Duchess of Kendal)

  in Hanover

  acknowledgement of status as George’s mistress and rise of position in court 69–70

  becomes George’s mistress 49

  birth of daughters and refusal of George to accept paternity 53–4, 65, 72

  diplomatic role 78, 81

  and divorce and imprisonment of Sophia Dorothea 63

  leaves for England 91

  lifestyle and routine 85–6

  living at Göhrde 70–1

  as maid of honour to Sophia, Duchess of Hanover 12, 49

  pivotal to maintenance of friendly relations between George and rest of family 77

  popularity at court 73

  presiding at official functions 69

  relationship with Sophia (George’s mother) 20, 51–3, 63, 69–70, 71–2, 89

  rise of after Ernst August’s death 69

  in England

  allowance 119

  apartments at St James’s 110–11, 153

  attack on by Swift 82, 175

  and betrayal by Hardenberg 252–4

  bribery allegations against and reputation of corruption 170, 171, 172–4, 201, 225, 237–8

  diplomatic role 246–7

  dislike of Townshend and role of in downfall 179–81

  elevated to Irish peerage 179–80

  and George’s quarrel with his son 193

  honours and titles bestowed on 91, 147, 247–8

  household and servants 117

  influence and power of 4, 180–3, 245

  instrumental in rise and fall of George’s English ministers 180–3

  involvement in political affairs and intermediary between George and his ministers 4, 5, 163–4, 179–83, 182, 205, 253–4, 261

  Kensington Palace accommodation 202

  life at court 118–19, 119

  looting of Queen Anne’s diamonds allegation 3

  mastering of English 91

  and opera 144–5

  overtures to the Pretender claims 199–200, 201

  Pope’s attack on 172–5

  preferring of intimacy of family life and close friends over court 112–13, 117

  and rehabilitation of Bolingbroke 235–6, 237–9, 241

  return visits to Hanover 91, 178, 190, 249

  selling of copper coinage in Ireland patent 233–5

  and Sophie Karoline 250–1, 253–4

  and South Sea Bubble 4, 201, 211, 213, 215, 219–20, 223, 225, 228, 233

  theatre visits 141–2

  unpopularity of 268

  and upbringing of Georg August and Caroline’s children 201–3

  vilification and lampooning of in publications 91, 147–50, 172–6, 234–5

  and Wren’s dismissal 155

  Personal Life

  antipathy between Sophia Charlotte and 88, 119, 130–1, 251

  appearance and figure 3, 51–2, 84

  attitude towards money 170

  birth and childhood 9, 12

  charity giving 170

  closeness of relationship with siblings 11, 53, 54, 75–6

  and death of brother (Frederick William) 211

  death and burial 274

  and death of daughter (Trudchen) 267

  and death of father 53

  and death of George 268–9

  and death of mother 10–11

  and death of youngest brother (Frederick William) 211

  dislike of daughter Melusine’s husband 272–3

  education 11

  fashion worn by 84–5

  finances 4, 170–1, 233

  generosity and kindness of 77–8, 170

  ill-health 132, 217, 237, 270

  insecurities felt over relationship with George and finances 86–7, 170–1, 199–200, 233

  kindness of 77–8

  life after George’s death 269–72

  marriage to George rumours 259–64

  parental background 9–10

  pension 170, 233

  portraits 5, 84–5, 128

  relationship with daughter (Louise) 80

  relationship with daughter (Melusine) 254, 272

  relationship with and devotion to George 4, 50, 53, 65, 80, 81, 84, 86–7, 163, 248, 260–1

  relationship with George’s children by Sophia 77–8

  and religion 85–6

  reputation 3

  sense of fun 134

  will 273

  Schulenburg, Frederick William von der (half-brother) 11, 12, 75, 166, 194, 197–8, 211

  Schulenburg, Gustav Adolph von der, Count (father) 9–11, 53

  Schulenburg, Johann Matthias von der (brother) 10, 12, 49, 75–6, 86–7, 118, 170, 262

  Schulenburg, Johanna Auguste von der (stepsister) 11, 12

  Schulenburg, Margarete Gertrud von der (sister) 10, 12, 54, 72–3

  Schulenburg, Petronella Melusine von der (Melusine) (daughter of Melusine) 65, 70, 109, 176, 205, 206, 238, 254, 270, 272–3, 275

  Schulenburg, Petronilla Ottilia von der (mother) 9, 10

  Schulenburg, Sophie Juliane (sister) see Oeynhausen, Sophie Juliane von

  Schutz, Baron 101, 169

  Scotland

  and Pretender’s cause 104–5

  union with England (1707) 104

  Settlement, Act of (1701) 38, 74, 163

  Shrewsbury, Duchess of 125–6

  Shrieder, Mrs 117

  slave trade 137, 214

  and South Sea Company 214–15

  Sophia Charlotte (illegitimate sister of George I) see Platen, Sophia Charlotte von

  Sophia Charlotte (Figuelotte) (sister of George I) (later Queen of Prussia) 37, 44, 72, 77, 80, 115–16

  Sophia Dorothea of Celle (wife of George I)

  affair with Königsmarck 4–5, 51, 55–60, 77

  appearance and figure 52

  birth 27

  birth of son (George II) 44–5

  break down of marriage to George I and divorce 4–5, 45–6, 49, 54, 55, 60–1

  death 259, 262

  as focus of opposition to Hanover 61

  and husband’s affair with Melusine 55

  incarceration in Ahlden prison and separation from prison 5, 61–3, 64, 65, 188, 259

  marriage to George I 41–2, 43–4, 53

  motherhood 64–5

  popularity at Hanover court 44

  relationship with mother-in-law 44

  Sophia Dorothea (daughter of George I and Sophia Dorothea) 27, 77, 78–9, 255

  Sophia, Duchess of Hanover (mother of George I) 12, 17–24

  admiration of Versailles 33

  birth of children 27

  birth of George 27–8

  childhood 21

  court of 33

  death 89

  and Eléonore’s marriage to George

  William 25–7

  Grand Tour of Italy and France (1664) 33, 34

  and husband’s mistresses 42, 52

  and illegitimate granddaughters 70

  and Leibniz 33, 34

  lineage and parental background 19–21

  love for son (George) 27, 28

  and marriage of George to Sophia Dorothea 41

  marriage to and relationship with Ernst August 23–4, 39, 50, 66

  quest for husband 21, 22–3

  rebuilding of Herrenhausen and re-creation of gardens 29, 30–1

  relationship with Melusine 20, 51–3, 63, 69–70, 71–2, 89

  relationship with Sophia Dorothea 44

  succession and Act of Settlement 38–9

  suspected of treason against husband 37, 39

  Sophie Karoline see Platen, Sophie Ka
roline von

  Sorosina, Benedetta 145

  South Sea Bubble 4, 143, 182, 201, 211–23

  Aislabie made scapegoat 227

  bribe list 222–3, 224

  bursting of 217–18

  ending of crisis 229

  failure of Sunderland to inform George of disaster 218–19

  flight of Knight and failed attempt to get extradited 222–3, 225–6

  losing of fortunes and bankruptcies 221–2

  and Melusine 4, 201, 211, 213, 215, 219–20, 223, 225, 228, 233

  ministerial casualties 227–8

  origins 213–16

  Pope on 213

  and Walpole 228–9

  South Sea Company 213, 214–15

  Speck, W.A. 96

  Spencer, Charles see Sunderland, Earl of

  Spörken, Baron von 269

  Stafford, Earl of 101

  Stair, Lord 236

  Stanhope, Charles 227, 228

  Stanhope, James 101, 176, 179, 180, 181, 182, 196, 205, 207, 215, 227, 227–8

  Steel’s Company 199

  Steffani, Agostino 19, 85, 145

  Suffolk, Countess of (Henrietta Howard) 51–2, 153, 270, 271

  Sunderland, Earl of (Charles Spencer) 177, 178, 179, 180, 182, 192–3, 196, 205, 207, 216, 218, 228

  Sunderland, Lady 83

  Swift, Jonathan 96, 111, 143, 200, 221, 233–4

  attack on Melusine 82, 175

  Gulliver’s Travels 175

  lampooning of Melusine in Irish coinage patent scandal 234–5

  on London 139–40

  ‘Prometheus’ 235

  ‘A Simile on our Want of Silver’ 235

  The South Sea Project 209

  theatre, London 141–2

  Thirty Years War 18, 21, 28, 32, 56

  Thomas, Hugh 214–15

  Toland, John 73–4

  Tories 97–8, 99, 100–1

  Townshend, Charles, Viscount 105–6, 163–4, 168–9, 176, 177, 178–9, 182–3, 192, 197, 205, 211–12, 250, 251

  Townshend, Dorothy (née Walpole) 105

  Tract of the National Interest, A (1757) 96

  trade, British 137

  Trudchen see Schaumburg-Lippe, Margarethe Gertrud zu

  Tulip Mania (Netherlands) 212

  Ulrich (tailor and fool) 154

  United Provinces 99

  Utrecht, Treaty of (1713) 99, 100, 139, 213

  Vanbrugh, Sir John 153, 155, 157, 168

  Venice 29

  Versailles 33, 81–2

  Villette, marquise de 236

  Walpole, Horace 126, 127–8, 137, 188–9, 238, 265, 267, 273

  Walpole, Robert 100, 105, 106, 163, 177, 178, 211–12

  background and character 106, 180

  and Bolingbroke 237, 241

  and Georg August 192, 194

  and Irish copper coinage patent scandal 234

  and Melusine 106, 180–1, 183

  and reconciliation of George I with son 206–8

  relationship with George I 205, 241

  and Sophie Karoline 250

  and South Sea Bubble 212, 228–9

  War of the Spanish Succession 75, 99

  Weekly Journal 149

  Wentworth, Peter 166

  Wesley, Samuel 149

  Westminster Bridge 139

  Westphalia, Treaty of (1648) 18, 28

  Wharton, Duke of 172

  Whigs 97–8, 176

  and George I 100–1, 105–6

  rift amongst and reconciliation 192, 194, 205–8

  Whitworth, Charles 247

  Wilhelmine (granddaughter of George I) 88–9, 187, 247, 255–6, 259

  William III, King 38, 39, 80, 95, 98, 99, 157

  Windham, William 221

  Windsor Castle 156

  Wood, William 171, 233, 234

  Worsley, Lucy 125

  Wren, Sir Christopher 138, 153, 154, 155, 157

  Wyndham, Sir William 104

  * A left-handed, or morganatic marriage was the union between two people of different rank, usually a ruling prince with a commoner. Although the marriage was binding, neither the spouse nor any children of the marriage had rights of inheritance. It was called a left-handed marriage as during the ceremony the groom held the bride’s left, rather than her right hand.

  Table of Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  Family Trees

  1 A Portrait

  2 The Mermaid and the Girl

  3 Venice of the North

  4 The Mistress

  5 Beloved

  6 The Crown at Last

  7 Germans in England

  8 A Strange Family

  9 A City out of Rubble

  10 Palaces

  11 Politics and Players

  12 A Battle

  13 A Bubble

  14 Venality

  15 Diplomacy

  16 A Marriage?

  17 Endings

  Plates

  Notes on illustrations

  Acknowledgements

  Bibliography

  Notes

  Index

  Table of Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  Family Trees

  1 A Portrait

  2 The Mermaid and the Girl

  3 Venice of the North

  4 The Mistress

  5 Beloved

  6 The Crown at Last

  7 Germans in England

  8 A Strange Family

  9 A City out of Rubble

  10 Palaces

  11 Politics and Players

  12 A Battle

  13 A Bubble

  14 Venality

  15 Diplomacy

  16 A Marriage?

  17 Endings

  Plates

  Notes on illustrations

  Acknowledgements

  Bibliography

  Notes

  Index

 

 

 


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