Stories and Anecdotes

The Mistress and the Duke

From a report by Carl Eduard Vehse on "The Courts of Württemberg" we have the following story of Countess Wilhelmine von Grävenitz, mistress of Duke Eberhard Ludwig:

"One should have seen how she mocked the Duke's wife with the greatest impudence, mistreated the weak, sickly crown prince, deceived the Duke with minor affairs, and governed and directed everything. There were soirees every evening at her house, whereby the Duke and the court appeared, and the strictest etiquette prevailed. Under the pretense of indisposition she received visitors in her negligée, while all other ladies were required to appear in all their finery".

The Duke and the Ladies
How was it possible to recognize the ladies on which Duke Carl Eugen bestowed his favor?

"Due to a new court ceremony, all women who had not sworn to the Duke's flag were forbidden to wear blue shoes, and in contrast all those who would be worthy both now and in the future to be allowed to devote their honor to him, were enjoined at the threat of greatest disfavor never to appear without this distinguishing mark." (From a court report of 1765.)

Table Luxury and Pleasures for the Eyes

"The table represented an over 30 foot high temple of Diana, the goddess of hunting, and consisted of 4 columns supporting ornate statues; on said columns rested 4 arches, each adorned with green bands, festoons, vases and hunting trophies, as well as French horns in which the royal Württemberg hunting medal hung. Above this temple one saw a life-sized Diana, painted in a halo shining through on both sides. And still higher hung a large silver chandelier illuminated with many burning wax candles. The entire machine was also lit with a countless number of colored balls and burning white wax lamps. (...)

The sweetmeats on this table adorned with figures was laid out according to the above presentation and showed in particular the goddess Diana in a chariot of triumph pulled by 8 lions driving toward a temple, with all nature of hunting trophies, mottoes and other decoration of this kind."

From: Friedrich Wilhelm Schönhaar: Description of the wedding of Duke Carl Eugen von Württemberg and Elisabeth Friederike Sophie von Brandenburg-Bayreuth in 1748

Courage and Tidbits

The Swabian poet Justinus Kerner (1786-1862) was born in Ludwigsburg. In his childhood memoirs "Bilderbuch aus meiner Knabenzeit" (Picturebook from My Time as a Boy), he describes an encounter with Duke Ludwig von Württemberg. The young Kerner belonged to a state militia, which numbered over 100 boys. Each boy was equipped with a drum and was also presented with a "pretty yellow and blue flag of silk material, with golden fringe as a gift". "As soon as this gift had been received, I commanded the corps into the palace and in front of the Duke's dining hall, and had the Duke told by the court servant who received us that he should come out and see our flag. In response the good Duke gave the order to bring us all into the hall. We marched around the table and then lined up behind the Duke; he took the flag, passed it around to those seated at the table and sat me on his lap, where I was overfilled with sweetmeats by himself and the Duchess. The other heroes were also given sweets and other tidbits. The Duke then dismissed us in a friendly manner and we called, "We shall return again soon!", which then also happened often.