any historical personages you wish had fiction composed about them

Doug Bradshaw · Post by **Doug Bradshaw** » Fri July 3rd, 2009, 3:31 am

Hans Bethe.

theredsoldier · Post by **theredsoldier** » Fri July 3rd, 2009, 3:46 am

Gavrilo Princip - now THAT could be interesting!

annis · Post by **annis** » Mon November 23rd, 2009, 7:23 pm

Posted by MLE earlier this year

After reading the wik link on renaissance artist Sofronisba Anguissola, it seems this lady would make an excellent protagonist for some ambitious writer. And it allows for romance and a happy ending, too!

Just noticed on a list of books fortcoming for March next year, this one:
Lynn Cullen, "The Creation of Eve", Putnam (set in the 16th-c Spanish court, based on the life story of Sofronisba Anguissola, the first renowned female portraitist of the Renaissance)

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon November 23rd, 2009, 7:56 pm

I'll probably buy that one!

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Sat December 12th, 2009, 9:07 pm

[quote=""gyrehead""]Now this is a topic near and dear to my heart!

I'd love to see someone who actually knows how to research and how to write (like say Colleen McCullough) a book about the various Cleopatras who came before VII. While the last Cleopatra who ruled Egypt was famously interesting, her predecessors were as much if not moreso. From the first who was the daughter of Antiochos III to second and third who ere murderous rivals and mother and daughter. To the three who were sent off to the Seleucid court and wreaked mayhem that defied even Shakespeare to get a good enough grasp to write a play about them.

[/quote]

Me too! I'm writing an alternative history about Cleopatra VII right now, and the other Cleopatras are fascinating me!

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Sat February 6th, 2010, 12:25 am

this one would be fun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_Harlan

Josiah Harlan, the American who travelled to Afganistan and made himself the Prince of Ghor. The inspiration for Kiplings "Man who would be King."

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Tue March 2nd, 2010, 9:02 pm

gotz von Berlichingen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingen

The 15th century German mersenary who lost his right hand in battle. he went ahead and constructed a mechanical hand from metal with working joints, the basis for modern prostethics. Contined to ply his trade of fighting well into his 60s.

Also credited by Gothe with the famous phrase "Leck mich im Arsch". You dont even need to know German to be able to figure that one out

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue March 2nd, 2010, 9:34 pm

A slightly esrlier (14th century) badass: Klaus Störtebeker (born around 1360 in Wismar; died 20 October 1401 in Hamburg) a Baltic pirate who was the leader of a company of privateers cum pirates known as the Victual Brothers("Vitalienbrüder" in German). I'm sure there must be the potential for some exciting fiction in there somewhere.

Störtebeker reputedly struck a deal before he was executed; any of his company he managed to walk past after being beheaded should be spared. He is said to have walked headless past 11 before his body fell, but the authorities reneged on the deal and executed all his followers anyway. Störtebeker's skull has taken on iconic status and I came across his story in this article about his skull being stolen:
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/eu ... 74764.html

Störtebeker's execution in 1401

Reconstruction of Störtebeker's head, taken from his skull

Gabriele Campbell · Post by **Gabriele Campbell** » Tue March 2nd, 2010, 9:39 pm

[quote=""Ludmilla""]Stilicho would be an interesting subject. He was an ancillary character in Breem's Eagle in the Snow, but I don't know that much has been written about him (compared to Belisarius and Justinian's contemporaries for example).[/quote]

There is one by Felix Dahn. Very 19th century-ish, pro Gothic, and probably never translated into English.

Catherine Delors · Post by **Catherine Delors** » Tue March 2nd, 2010, 10:59 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Yeah, and why hasn't anyone written anything about her sister Mary?[/quote]

Didn't Philippa do that? I didn't read TOBG, mind you, just saw the film, and there was plenty of Scarlet Johanson (sp?) as Mary.

But yes, there was much more to say about May as one of the mistresses of François I. Right, Julianne?