PinnedLaura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe Emperor’s Schizophrenic Son Who Tortured and Killed a WomanAfter asking a barber’s daughter to live in his castle, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II’s bastard son committed crimes bad enough for his…·7 min read·Jul 31, 2020--4--4
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtinLessons from HistoryThe Life of Napoleon’s French MistressesOne was a painter and a novelist, others a noblewoman and a middle-class beauty. A commoner nicknamed “Cleopatra”, with another a divorcée…·6 min read·Sep 24, 2023----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtFour Weird Facts About King Charles IX of France You May Find InterestingReigning during the French Wars of Religion as a young and immature King, Charles IX’s time on the throne could have had so much more…·9 min read·Jul 14, 2022----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe Wife Who Carried Her Husband’s Head in a Velvet BagTill death did them part, Sir Walter Raleigh’s loyal Bess kept his head with her after his execution until the day she died.·7 min read·Jul 7, 2022----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe Most Unfortunate Pope in HistoryCommissioned Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement’, was the ‘handsomest’ of all Supreme Pontiffs, and got captured by Emperor Charles V.·8 min read·Dec 24, 2021----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe Persecution of Homosexuals in 17th Century UtrechtThe ‘Utrecht sodomy trails’ took place amid natural disasters, for which the moral panic of the populace sought some scapegoats·5 min read·Dec 23, 2021----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe Life of Tsar Nicholas II’s MistressUnlike most royal mistresses, she was done away with as a consequence of her lover’s marriage·5 min read·Jul 24, 2021--2--2
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtFox Tossing: An Example of Animal Cruelty in the Baroque PeriodFrom 17th to 18th century Europe, animal cruelty took on the shape of yet another pointless aristocratic blood sport·5 min read·Jul 18, 2021----
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtThe West’s First Erotic NovelAn 18th century work far ahead of its time… it stirred as much controversy as you can imagine·5 min read·Jul 12, 2021--1--1
Laura / L.E. van AltfeldtHow a King’s Sister Wrote of Her Brother’s Sexual ExploitsIntelligent, open-minded, and bold; Marguerite of Navarre was the perfect sister for the chivalrous Renaissance King Francis I of France·6 min read·Mar 21, 2021--1--1
