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Friday, May 5, 2017

A Fragmented Palatinate -- Mid-eighteenth Century by Carrie Fancett Pagels




The picture above is of the modern-day German Palatinate, courtesy of Pixabay. Isn't this a pretty photograph landscape?

During my research for Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter, I learned that there was much upheaval in the area during the mid-eighteenth century. One surprising finding was that the Palatinate was geographically fragmented. Some parts of the duchy were situated near Alsace-Lauraine while others were in Bavaria and some land that was also to the west of what is modern-day Germany (in modern-day France.) Germany was divided into many duchies at that time, all under different ducal rulers.  The Palatinate was an almost ruined duchy because of the attacks they suffered from the French, who'd been incensed over their taking in Amish and other Protestants and Huguenots.

In my recent release, Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter, my heroine's aristocratic family are Huguenots who are "discovered" and betrayed. She must flee, and is aided by a Palatinate farmer and woodsman. Getting her there was tricky. But she has a wonderful hero, Johan, to help her!



Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter was the first full length Christian fiction novel that I wrote so I had the luxury of spending a lot of time in the research stacks.  I spent several years researching, reading, and writing trying to get my story accurate. I was surprised to learn that the impact of the war in Europe had so decimated the region where my own real-life ancestor, Johan Adam Rousch, had lived. I don't know why Johan left the area, but in conducting the research I understood why so many Palatinaters departed. Their land had been decimated. I was dismayed to read that despite King Louis XV's supposed end to punishing wars against the Palatinate for taking in Huguenots, there were still skirmishes and burning of villages well into his rein. 



Bio: Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is the ECPA bestselling and award winning author of Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter which received a 4 Star Romantic Times rating (White Rose/Pelican, June, 2016). Carrie is the founder of Colonial American Christian Writers and the administrator of the Colonial Quills blog. www.carriefancettpagels.com

16 comments:

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    1. It really looks so beautiful. I'd love to go there. I think during the real Johan Rousch's time the countryside may have not looked so pretty.

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  2. Very pretty view Carrie! Your research is very evident in your story.
    Blessings, Tina

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    1. Thank you, Tina! They say you'll never get as much time to research a book as you do for the first one and I've found that to be true!

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  3. I had no idea what a palatinate was! It must have been wonderful to dig in to that history with a personal connection, Carrie.

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    1. The wonderful reference librarian at our nearby Yorktown Public Library handed me a massive research book on European history for that time frame. Little did I realize the gold she was giving me!

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  4. When I read Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter, Carrie, I thought this will stimulate lots of people's curiosity about the Palatinate. Great story.

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    1. So many people came out of there during that time and immigrated to the colonies. And once I read the history in the gigantic reference book, I better understood why they did.

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  5. Very interesting, Carrie! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thanks, Melanie! I got "dinged" by a reviewer who didn't understand that the Hugenots were still being persecuted despite there being a supposed tolerance of them at that time.

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  6. Thanks, Carrie. Both my husband's and my family came from Germany or Tyrol . He did some research and my mother-in- law's family may have Huguenots in her background! This looks super interesting!

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    1. Hi Paula, you and your MIL might enjoy reading my novel then! So many people came out of this area of Germany during the 18th century.

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  7. A gorgeous landscape! I read Saving the Marquise's Grandaughter and truly enjoyed the story. :-)

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    1. It looks so pretty doesn't it, Melissa? Thanks for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed Johan's story!

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  8. A simply beautiful view! The historical background in your book was wonderful to read, Carrie. I learned so much about that part of history. So very glad you had lots of research time. :)

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    1. Thanks Betti! It is like with a first child I suppose!

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