Do you know, dear readers, how many people died for a strange reason - simply because they observed or tried to observe palace etiquette?
May I go out?
No, of course, there is nothing to compare with losses during world and even local wars. But still, imagine: the monarch summoned you, and not to execution, but solely for encouragement - he handed you a medal, laid the table. treats and stuff. And you suddenly died, and only because in front of the monarch's eyes you strictly observed palace etiquette.
Such a sad story, according to legends, happened with the famous Danish astronomer, astrologer and alchemist Tycho Brahe. This name is familiar to you: in honor of Tycho Brahe, craters on the Moon and on Mars and the supernova he also discovered are named. So, they say that the astronomer, being invited to the table of His Majesty Emperor Rudolf II, really wanted to use the toilet. But leaving the table before the emperor did it was considered extremely indecent. Rudolph was not going to leave the meal, and poor Tycho endured as much as he could. And then he could not stand it and … died, as it was believed, from a ruptured bladder.
However, later the researchers came to the conclusion that the bladder could not burst purely physically, it was just that the astronomer's kidneys failed at the most inopportune moment. But all the same, you see, the event is unpleasant.
Horseback riding
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And here is a case when a person of royal blood was already unlucky. In 1689, Maria Louise of Orleans - wife of the Spanish king Charles II - decided to ride a horse. The horse turned out to be angry and obstinate, he disliked the queen from the very first second, and as soon as she got into the saddle, the horse immediately reared up and threw their majesty to the ground. More precisely, he tried to throw it off, but the graceful leg of Maria Louise got stuck in the stirrup, and the horse, galloping, dragged the royal person behind him.
No one came to the rescue - according to etiquette, no one is allowed to touch the queen except the king. And the king somehow was not particularly eager to rush to the aid of his wife. Or maybe he was just confused. In any case, two courtiers, having waited until the horse, dragging the unconscious queen, galloped far enough, at their own peril and risk, stopped the enraged horse and freed her majesty from the fetters. The queen lived a little longer, and then she died.
Save! I'm burning
Kings weren't always lucky either. Take, for example, the Spanish ruler Philip III. Once Philip III sat down to warm himself by the fireplace, and from there it blazed! It would have been necessary to put a mantelpiece between the king and the flame (which for some reason was not installed), but, to the royal misfortune, the nobleman who was supposed to do this left somewhere, and everyone else present (especially the king) was not the rank turned out to be wielding fireplace equipment.
The king, of course, survived - etiquette, but he was not a fool, in fact, and, apparently, ran to the side, but his majesty's face was notably burned. Although - scars adorn men, so perhaps Philip III also benefited from this adventure.
Penalty boyaryna
But the boyaryna Olsufyeva was extremely unlucky. Not only was she born during the reign of Peter I, but she herself decided to give birth in this turbulent time. Tsar Peter, as you know, loved to drink, and even more loved when boyars drink. For this purpose (to give the boyars a drink), the emperor periodically organized assemblies, roughly speaking - drinking parties, where everyone, including women, had to appear. Boyarynya Olsufieva and her husband came to such an assembly. Moreover, both were late, and therefore the king personally poured them a penalty cup. Olsufyev - he is still nothing, but his wife had a miscarriage after the free kick. The result of this miscarriage, by the way, is still kept in alcohol in the Kunstkamera.
Crying Pu Yi
In China, the situation was even worse, and quite recently, in comparison with previous events - in 1908. In that year, a certain Pu Yi, who was only two years old, was officially declared the Chinese emperor. And according to Chinese laws, no one can touch the emperor, not even his own mother.
Now imagine: the child is two years old. He cries, demands his mother, but she is not allowed to see him - what a nightmare, especially for a mother. She herself cried, and begged everyone to let her calm the child - not in any!
As a result, my mother could not stand it and was poisoned right in the reception room of the emperor - her own son. He, of course, learned about this already at a more mature age, but did not punish anyone - etiquette is etiquette. True, most likely, he did not even remember his mother by that time.
Great Catherine
At the court of Catherine II, there were also all sorts of cases directly related to etiquette, albeit of a more humane nature. For example, the maid of honor Lopukhina, the empress cut off a clump of hair with her own hands, since the maid of honor did not correspond to the palace etiquette.
Lopukhina was still lucky - think, her hair was ruined, especially not by anyone. and the empress herself. Catherine drove some of her ladies away altogether, and not just out of the palace, but "into the wilderness, to Saratov," away from the capital, only because their hairstyles turned out to be taller than hers.
It's funny that in the "Hermitage Etiquette" compiled by the Empress herself, there was the following instruction: if a guest suddenly became interested in a porcelain figurine, or some other trinket standing on the shelves, then after proper consideration and study, it must be put back on the shelf, but not in Never put it in your pocket. This remark clearly characterizes the customs that reigned at court in those days.
Magazine: Secrets of the 20th century №7 Igor Nikitin