Hanoverian Line

My new passionate interest is actually quite an old one--in more than one way!  The most distant genealogical line in my family is that through the royal line--King George II of Hanover being the most recent monarch to grace the family tree.  From there, you know it goes wild with info.  Not that I think 'royalty' have greater inherent worth than commoners of the time--it's just that there simply aren't the same sorts of available records and histories of the commoners.  And the royalty does have the added benefit of hobnobbing with all sorts of other famous people from history--bringing history very much to life for me!  My ancestors rubbed elbows with and even employed famous philosophers, authors, and artists.  They associated and clashed with other European royalty. 

You know, there is some question regarding whether the line actually holds that far back.  The scandals go on and on for these folks (including multitudinous affairs) and I have somewhere in the vicinity of 10 SC generations before we even get back to William, Duke of Cumberland in England--that's 'Butcher' Cumberland, for those in the know!  Despite the very real skepticism of whether the blood lines hold, I'm going on the assumption that they do for now, as there's a very real excitement in thinking that I am descended directly from Mary, Queen of Scots.  Pretty fantastic, right?  And that my ancestors employed Liebniz, hosted Swift, elevated England to a super-power, etc., etc...  They may have a been louts and scoundrels, but they were notable louts and scoundrels--and, simply, the info is there and available and interesting!

So, as we learn more about these folks, more associations are being made, and Michael made one yesterday that was quite exciting for me.  We are looking into horseback riding lessons for Fiona (a couple of months of lessons were promised in lieu of a birthday party back in May!), and the stable that he'd been referred to specializes in Hanoverian horses.  He called to relate that tidbit.  Yep, folks...that's my gggggggggggggggggg(#?)-grandaddy's doin's!  King George I was known for his love of horses, and he bred the Hanoverians from thoroughbreds and Holsteins in Celle (his wife was Sophia Dorothea of Celle).  Know how I know?  Well, when Michael heard of the breed, I simply opened up a book I have on horses (that I also referenced for my Silk trilogy), and there was the bit about King George!  See how very available that info is?  And once you have the hooks, it just opens those doors wide...