fitat60plus

The Italian diplomat and political philosopher, Niccolo Macchiavelli, has, thanks to his book “The Prince” gained negative fame as a man who supports totalitarism, deceit  and the acquisition of power at all costs. In fact, machiavellian, stands for everything, that is bad in rulers and politics.

This however, was never his intention. He was born in 1469 in Florence as the son of a lawyer who submitted his son to a strict and intensive upbringing and education. His time was one of political upheaval and constantly changing alliances. Machiavelli wanted to serve the new Florentine Republic, because he was an ardent patriot and hoped that Florence would be strong enough to unify Italy.  He entered service as a clerk, but soon advance to ambassador, entrusted with important political negotiations and missions. When the Medici were ousted and the Borgias, particulalrly Cesare Borgia, came to power, he wrote “The Prince”, modelled on Cesare, in the hope of garnering favours and positions to be able to pursue his patriotic goals. The treatise however backfired. Cesare didn’t like what he read and Machiavelli’s reputation was blackened forever afterwards. His true political views and his genius are revealed in his other important book: “Discourses of Levy”, which was only published after his death. His anti Medici attitude led even to his arrest and torture for conspiracy, but he was eventually released. Disappointed, he retired from politics to his country seat until his death in 1527.

Lucretia Borgia was born in 1480 as the daugher of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and his mistress. This was not an unusual event in Renaissance times. She had three brothers, the most notorious of them Cesare Borgia.  Lucretia had a happy childhood, pampered and spoiled because of the great wealth of his father and by age 11 had already been engaged twice to be married in arranged marriages. None happened. By all accounts, Lucretia was very beautiful with thick, blonde hair which reached to her knees, hazel eyes and a natural grace, all physical ‘beauty ideals’ of the period.

When her father became Pope Alexander VI, her life changed dramatically and Lucretia became a pawn in her father’s power plays. He first married her to Giovanni Sforza to forge an alliance with the powerful Milanese family. When that alliance was no longer useful, Pope Alexander embarked on arranging a divorce which resulted much more difficult than anticipated. During this time, rumors and allegations spread about incestuos relationships between Lucretia and/or her brother Cesare. Of late, historians have come to the defence of Lucretia, pointing out that few of the rumors concerning this epitom of female viles and murderous femme fatale have a proven basis in history. After her divorce and being declared a virgin (although she had meanwhile given birth to a child) she was forced to marry Alfonso de Aragon. Again, rumors prevail, charging Cesare with his murder because he was jealous and wanted his sister all to himself, whilst Lucretia was truely fond of her husband.

Her third marriage to Alfonso d’Este took her to Ferrara, where she became a well respected and influential Duchess at the court, furthering the arts and literature and even taking on political responsibilities. She died in childbirth in 1519.

Ironically, although her last name, Poisson means ‘fish’ in French, Madame de Pompadour, born as Jeanne Antoinette de Poisson in 1721, was a butcher’s daughter. At least, officially. It was rumored that her real father was a rich banker. Supported by said banker’s finances, she received an excellent education and married a nobleman on her first step on the ladder from commoner to nobility.

She attended a masked ball and attracted the attention of King Louis XV. Shortly afterwards, she was offficially installed as his mistress and separated from her husband. To be able to perform her role as the King’s mistress, she needed a title and was given the title of Duchesse de Pompadour.

She was not only very beautiful, but also extremely intelligent and educated. During her marriage she had founded her own salon in Paris which was frequented by such intellectuals as Voltaire. She was multi talented and an accomplished singer and actress, all qualities which stood her in good steed in her role with the King, which was not an easy one. Luous needed to be amused and entertained and was notorioulsy fickle. Jeanne furthered the arts and literature and founded th procelaine manufactury of Sevres. She also held strong opinons on politics and gained a lot of influence over the king and his decisions. She was blamed for the 7 year war and after the defeat of France by the Prussians in the battle of Roosted, she famously uttered the words: apres nous le deluge - after us the flood.

With growing age her attraction to the king abated in favour of new, younger mistresses, but he still kept in conact with her until her death of tuberculosis in 1764.

Lady Godiva is a historical figure, but everything surrounding her fame is more or less legend. She was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, ruling in the English town of Coventry. It  appears that she lived between 997 and 1067, although the exact dates are disputed. Both were benefactors of the church and monasteries, but Leofric had no such considerations for his subjects, who suffered from a heavy burden of taxes.

Godiva, taking pity on her subject’s plight, entreated her husband to lower the taxes. But Leofric didn’t want to hear. Godiva persisted and finally, in despair and tired of his wife’s constant urging. Leofric told her, that he was lower the taxes if she rode naked on a horse at noon from one end of the town to the other. he obviously had underestimated his wife’s determination because, according to legend, Godiva did.

The people, who knew about her bravery and generosity, determined that everybody should stay indoors and all windows and doors should be tightlo shut during her ride to protect her modesty. Legend continues, that a tailor, by the name of Tom, couldn’t re

Lady Godiva was a historical figure but much of the fame surrounding her life is more or less legend. She was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia and they resided in the English town of Coventry. It seems that she lived from 997 - 1067, although the exact dates of her birth and death are disputed. Both were well known benefactors of the church and monstaries, but Leoric’s generosity didn’t extend to his serfs and subjects. They suffered from a heavy burden of taxes which they had to pay to their Lord.

Godiva took pity on her subjects’ plight and entreated her husband to lower the taxes. Leofric however didn’t want to hear. Godiva persisted and one day, tired of her constant nagging, Leofric  told her, that he would lower the taxes if she rode naked on a horse at noon from one end of the city to another. He must have greatly underestimated Godiva’s determination, because, according to legend, that’s exactly what she did.

Her subjects who knew about Godiva’s courage and determination, vowed to stay indoors and to keep their doors and windows thightly shut to protect their lady’s modesty. Legend continues that all complied, except one tailor by the name of Tom. He couldn’t resist the temptation, cut a hole in his shutter and peeked out. Hence the term ‘Peeping Tom’ originates from. Still according to legend he was struck blind on the spot.

Godiva’s bravery did pay off. Leofric lowered the taxes after his wife’s defiant ride.

Wallis Simpson, the later Duchess of Windsor, was born in 1896 into an upper class Baltimore family. Her father died when she was only five months old and she and her mother, although belonging to the elite, had to live on handouts from wealthy families. This siutation haunted Wallis from an early age on and she escaped into an unfortunate and unhappy first marriage, which soon ended in divorce.

After that, she married British-American businessman Ernest Simpson and, through him and his position, settled into British society. She met Edward, the then Prince of Wales, during a house party given by his mistress Lady Thelma Furness. When Thelma, a friend to both Simpsons, had to go on a trip to America, she told Wallis “to look after the prince.” Wallis did, with a vengance. Edward fell hopelessly in love with her and her marriage broke up under the strain of the relationship.

Edward became King as Edward III in January 1936. He wanted to marry Wallis, but it was impossible for a twice divorced American woman to became Queen. Hence Edward took the consequences and abdicated on 11th of December 1936 to be able to marry Wallis.

 Wallis Simpson has remained a controversial figure to this day. Polititians of the day, witnesses and biographers have called her cold, ambitious, calculating and dangerous. She allegedly had an affair with Nazi foreign minister von Ribbentrop and there was even an FBI investigation into whether or not she might haved passed on information. Edward’s infatutaion with her has also been the subject of many speculations, including sadomasochist tendencies.

Wallis is credited with two sayings: ‘You can’t abdicate and eat it” and ‘ you can never be too rich or too slim’. Exciled from England and shunned by the royal family, the couple spent their life living mostly in France, but travelling the world and filling the society pages. The Duchess of Windsor died in Paris in 1986, many years after Edward.

Motandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in 1869 in Gujarat. The name “Mahatma” is in fact an honorific title, first applied to him by poet Rabindranath Tagore and means ‘great soul’. Born into an upper class family, we was married at age 8 to his bride in an arranged child marriage as was the custom of the time and in his region.

In 1888, he was sent to London and studied law at University College London, later to qualify as a barrister. Although admitted to the Inner Temple, his success was limited and he returned to India where he ran a small law firm. A vegetarian by tradition, his stay in London brought him into close contact with the Vegetarian Society, and he advocated vegetarianism as a means of self purification as well as economics. Several of his books and articles are dedicated to the subject which he practised all his life, interspersed with long periods of fasting.

A year long contract from an Indian firm brought him to South Africa where he experienced at close quarters what apartheid really meant and how the system affected  not only  his countrymen but other races too. He started to organise civil rights movements, always advocating the principles of defying tyranny and dictatorship by non obedience and total non violence. During his life, as well in South Africa as in India, he was arrested and sentenced to prison on several occasions.

Upon his return to India in 1915, he organised the resistance of the Indian people and the fight for independence from the British Empire, which was finally granted after WWII. Gandhi was assessinated by a radical Hindu during his usual evening walk in a park in 1948.

Nellie Melba, whose real name was Helen Porter Mitchell was born in 1861 in Australia. She was the first Australian who became world famous as a soprano. A free spirit, she resented an early motherhood and marriage in rural Australia and headed for Europe. Fame and fortune didn’t come easy, but eventually her superb voice revailed and she turned into the epitome of a ‘diva’.

She changed her name to Nellie Melba, reminiscent of her birthplace near Melbourne. Despite her angelic voice, Melba’s nature was not so sweet. She had a need to dominate the stage and often deliberately upstages her co-perfomers. She particularly incited the rage of Enrico Caruso, whom she considered vulgar and coarse. He called payback time with the following incident: when singing in La Bohme with her and reaching the words: ‘what a cold little hand, let me warm it’, he pressed a hot little sausage into her hand which he had hidden in his costume. However, to do her justice, she also furthered the careers of young singers and gave many benefit performances.

The famous French chef Escoffier invented a dessert especially for her, known the world over as Peach Melba, a concoction of vanilla ice cream, a peach, rasberry and cranberry sauce, almonds and whipped cream.

Melba died in 1931. Rumour has it, that she caught a sepsis which developed after a face lift.

Modern day movie stars will be hard pressed to match the excenticities of French actress Sarah Bernhard. Born in 1844, although the exact day of her birth is unclear, she was the daughter of a Dutch Jewish courtesan, known by the name of “Youle”. She received a strict catholic education in a convent. Due to lack of money, her mother had to remove her from there. To support herself, Sarah soon forgot about becoming a nun herself and turned to acting. At the same time, she followed her mother’s footsteps as a courtesan. Both professions were considered scandalous, but Sarah was sponsered into acting class.

Her stage career took off in 1862, appearing mostly in comedy and burlesque. But Sarah had a great talent for serious, dramatic acting and her fame rose. She appeared on stage all over Europe and the USA, gathering admirers and a fortune along the way. She had numerous love affairs, among them with the Prince of Ligne with whom she had her only child, a son called Maurice. Mother and son remained close all their lives.

Fame brought on excentricities. Sarah used to travel in specially outfitted railroad cars, surrounded by an entourage which often included cats, monkeys, leopards and alligators. And, of course, the coffin. She sometimes used to sleep in it and it was lined with the letters of her many lovers.

Sarah also made a debut as a silent movie star, performing as Hamlet. She made a few more movies and, being multi talented, painted, sculpted and wrote several books.

In 1915, several years after a serious accident, her right leg was amputated. Being Sarah Bernhard, she was undeterred, had herself fitted out with a wooden limb and continued appearing on stage and in movies until her death, in the arms of her son, in 1923.

Italian actress Eleanora Duse was born in 1858 in Lombardy. Her parents were actors, running their own company and Eleanora started touring with them and acting at age 4. Money was tight and she worked tirelessly, in the process developping her own style and revolutionising acting. She despised set rules and rigid performances as well as excessive make up and created her own style which consisted of expressing emotions and drama with facial expressions and body movements. For modern taste, her  acting techniques seem over-dramatic and exagerated, but they became popular at her time.

Duse’s fame rose, first in Europe and then on extensive tours throughout South and North America. She married twice and had several affairs, most notoriously with playwrite Gabriele d’Annunzio. However, when Gabrielle gave the lead role of his play La Citta Morta to arch rival Sarah Bernhardt, a furious Duse broke up the relationship.

Duse made history in 1896, when, on the occasion of her tour of America, she became the first actress in whose honour a tea party was held in the White House by Mrs. Cleveland. Another ‘first’ occurred in 1923 when she was the first woman ever to make the cover of TIME magazine.

In contrast to Sarah Bernhardt, Eleanora Duse was reserved and, mostly, kept her private life to herself and shunned interviews. She sponsored young actors to help them in their career. Not so private was her lesbian love affair with Sibilla Alermo, which lasted for 2 years. Altough Duse retired in 1909, she made come back tours. The last was in 1923, when she caught pneumonia and died on the last leg of her tour in the United States.