The Imposter Princess
In the 1770s, a young woman appeared in the American colonies, claiming to be a sister of Queen Charlotte, the queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland
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Script by JCG
#history #thehistoryguy #Imposterism
Пікірлер: 269
Unfortunately, I've met far too many fake princesses in real life
@cherylklaver7233
Жыл бұрын
That’s why you pursue the Queen 👑 lol
I’m reminded of the chapter in Huckleberry Finn about the Duke and Dauphin. It makes me wonder if this lady was, in part, an inspiration to Mark Twain for those two rascals.
@msjannd4
Жыл бұрын
😯🤔
@adrianwebster6923
Жыл бұрын
Possibly for flavor, but Twain was likely inspired by the 100 plus real claimants to be the "lost dauphin." It was a popular conspiracy theory of the day.
@Cydonia2020
Жыл бұрын
@@adrianwebster6923 Ahh.
@shaunfrench7297
Жыл бұрын
:)
@evensgrey
Жыл бұрын
@@adrianwebster6923 Sort of how there were any number of claimants to being an escaped member of the Russian Imperial Family. (And thus heir to all the money they still have in Swiss bank accounts.)
Reminds me of Emperor Norton of San Francisco- while no one believed his claims, he was treated like royalty, issued his own currency which was well accepted locally (and is a valuable collectible today), and when he died, his funeral was one of the largest the city had ever seen.
@TheHistoryGuyChannel
Жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/qXtrzbVqoaWthrw.html
This reminds me in a small way of the "gentleman" who showed up in San Francisco in the late 1800's claiming to be "The Emperor of North America". He wasn't so much a conman as someone who was honestly delusional. For some reason, the people of San Francisco took him into their hearts and played along, giving him all the respect an "Emperor" deserves. Although they all knew they would never see any money, the best tailors, the best hotels and the best restaurants all allowed him to simply sign his name and "title" for any and all purchases. Even Hansom cab drivers gave him free passage! When he died, he was given a funeral fitting of an Emperor. It seems as if the people of San Francisco were in a way very proud of their own special lunatic!
@TheHistoryGuyChannel
Жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/qXtrzbVqoaWthrw.html
@zatalain
Жыл бұрын
"The gentleman?" Please address his highness by his name Norton I Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.
@tomjustis7237
Жыл бұрын
@@zatalain Thanks, Zat. It's been many years since I read the account and sadly forgot the Emperors name. I hang my head in shame!
@tomjustis7237
Жыл бұрын
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Thanks for the link. I immediately clicked on it and loved the presentation!
@Face2theScr33n
Жыл бұрын
What happened? Now San Fran is full of lunatics and it seems the people couldn't care less.
Considering the paucity of roadways in that time, she certainly managed to get around!
Well, we all have a face that we hide away forever And we take them out and show ourselves when everyone has gone. Some are satin, some are steel, Some are silk and some are leather. They're the faces of a stranger, But we'd love to try them on. --"The Stranger," Billy Joel
Lance, you bring history of all kinds to life with poetic excellence. Keep on breathing life into all of these gems of our past!
@garylefevers
Жыл бұрын
Well said. You have a talent with words yourself.
Thank you, Lance, for the tale of, not pirates, but a very energetic imposter.
This would be a awesome movie! It would be fun to speculate her motives.
Between the tale and the portraits, I've now got an urge to watch Barry Lyndon.
@msjannd4
Жыл бұрын
Me too ha-ha!
@rabbi120348
Жыл бұрын
"I shall suffer no further chastisement from you sir!" Mick Jagger
Very interesting. I did not really feel comfortable in my skin until I was 40, so now I would not let my”self””go. But people like this manufacture themselves and believe it, passing that belief to their victims. Thank you sir yet again.
I’m a simple man, when I see the history guy posts, I click, I watch, I enjoy.
And how could we forget the Baron Munchausen? 😃 I'm reminded of Porthos from the 3 Musketeers Disney 1993 film and his outlandish, outrageous claims. "This sash was a gift to me from the Queen of America."
@Cydonia2020
Жыл бұрын
I am a big fan of the Baron, especially since the Terry Gilliam movie came out in the late 1980s. However, Munchausen was a storyteller, not a liar. His tales were taken by others and turned into fantastical stories for publication and financial gain. It ended up ruining his reputation. He was simply entertaining children and adults; not trying to benefit from them.
@HM2SGT
Жыл бұрын
@@Cydonia2020 Good point, quite true. Only mentioning the barren and Porthos in the context of their outlandish stories and claims
@evensgrey
Жыл бұрын
@@Cydonia2020 Which was even reflected in the movie adaptation. Sally: He flew MILES up into the sky! He really did! Baron: I did nothing of the sort!
That ending was deep stuff. Thanks history guy for all your hard work on making these videos
This one is truly incredible. Lance, you really know how to find, research, and present history. Many thanks.
Very astute observation at the end. Many (most?) people want their lives to be better- more comfortable, prosperous, interesting; as visits to Facebook will show. Besides the hope of financial improvement, I believe the strongest motivation for imposters is that it can, possibly, relieve boredom. Life, for most people, is simply repetition, so if pretending to be grander than one is, it gives an comforting fantasy.
Wow..she ended up in Berwick, Maine. I've always wondered how anybody even finds this place...
@n1ksf
Жыл бұрын
Almost tempted to find the grave now..Berwick isn't too far from me.
@vinfidel551
Жыл бұрын
Ditto from Dover.
To be this successful she probably had some things going for her - such as being really pretty ... but also there is something about a person's personality that gets other people to like them and want to help them. .
@christineparis5607
Жыл бұрын
I had a cousin like that. She was unbelievably charismatic, people always wanted to do things for her. Even as a little kid she was impossible to resist. Of course she started getting into trouble as a preteen, smoking, sleeping around, running away. She would show up at our house, and my mom, instead of turning her away as she insisted she would, would, in five minutes, be on her side, giving her money, etc. She was so magnetic, it was impossible to resist. She continued to raise hell wherever she was, including during her 8 marriages (I'm not kidding!). She had two kids, started and ended several businesses and somehow stayed friends with her busloads of ex husbands...I haven't seen her in 30 years, but she has been happily married for years now to a multimillionaire and doing well. I always felt that she was very like Elizabeth Taylor, just too much of everything in one person...
@WinterInTheForest
Жыл бұрын
I wonder about the number of men she satisfied.
@BobSmith-dk8nw
Жыл бұрын
@@christineparis5607 Yeah. .
What a beautiful finale; it left me with tingles. Thank you.
I admire you for your work,, It must take hours, days even months to come up with all the information you find on a person like this! Keep 'em coming and we thank you!
Very good episode. I am reminded of a related story I heard from a witness. She grew up in a poor neighbourhood in the west of Europe in the 50's. There was an old couple without children living among them. The old couple were friendly, lived modestly and were very thrifty. Still they were able to drive a tiny old car. Every summer they packed up that old car with a tent and some camping gear. The neighbourhood waved them out, being told that the old couple went camping somewhere in the country. After they both passed away the neighbours learned what the old couple really did during those summer holidays. They drove to Monaco, parked their old car outside the border. Rented a Rolls Royce for driving around, went into in an expensive hotel, changed into smart looking suit and dress, and frequented the gambling casinos and restaurants. For a week the couple lived the good life. Their secret was that they saved every penny they could during the year, so that they could go wild once a year, living a fabulous life for only a short time. They happily sacrificed the rest of the year for that. To the rest of the world they were 'imposters', when pretending to be poor, and when pretending to be rich.
As always, Lance, very informative and a ton of fun! Your unique presentations are always a great joy. Thank you, sir.
By the end of her life I wonder if she even remembered who she was?
This guy's awesome 👌 👏 👍
@DaneOrschlovsky
Жыл бұрын
THG is the OG of history
Great job. You paint an amazing story. This is like something I would see on dateline!
AS ALWAYS THE HISTORY GUY, AN EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! This woman knew how to spin a tale. Makes me wonder if Baron Munchausen ,possibly, used her tactics as inspiration. 🤔🤔🤔 It's been said that truth is stranger than fiction. Lance, you're mentioning the playwrights made me think this: I HAVE ALWAYS RELIED ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS (Tennessee Williams' words). I know that this is bad, but I couldn't resist. 😃😃😃🌞🌞🌞✌✌✌✌
I have run into such individuals when I was younger. They have a strange ability to entrance others.
Interesting how you mentioned convicts being sent to Australia. The first convict colony was established in 1788 by Captain Phillip.
@cindyknudson2715
Жыл бұрын
After the independence of the American colonies. I never knew that. Thanks.
@chuckkottke
Жыл бұрын
Interesting! Australia did get a later start, but I wasn't aware of Australia having it's first convict colony in 1788. Although that makes sense; even as late as 1651 English maps described Australia as a beach, abundant in "certain sundry spices".. 🏝️🌴🏝️
@evensgrey
Жыл бұрын
@@cindyknudson2715 Given the cost of transporting convicts so much further, it probably shouldn't be such a surprise. There's also the fact that, despite them being convicts, the Crown was interested in them surviving their non-capital punishments. The Crown switched to payment only for those who were delivered alive to the prison colonies after a while, and observed a dramatic increase in the survival rats of transported convicts.
@brasschick4214
Жыл бұрын
@@chuckkottke Captain James Cook didn’t even map the Eastern seaboard of Australia and proclaim it for King George the third until 1770.
@MrUlyseses
Жыл бұрын
Australian colonisation was a direct response to the war of independence and the problems it created in the English legal system
As always a fascinating story, so like the people who believed that Anna Anderson was real life, the granddaughters Anastasia, surviving daughter of the last Czar Of Russia. People are always fascinated by stories of royalty.
That’s gotta be my favorite episode. Well researched and presented as always, but also really interesting to see someone do this back then. Great work!
I love your final comments about imposters! Have a great day, sir!
You could do the 20th Century version . He was called "THE GREAT IMPOSTER" and there is a movie starring Tony Curtis as the great imposter. Ferdinand Waldo Demara
@randallmarsh1187
Жыл бұрын
Also, the real life character in "Catch Me If You Can"
Her story would make a fascinating miniseries on TV.
As Lance Geiger features obscure history like this show does,I like the channel.As they say,”Familiarity breeds contempt.”
When I was a teenager on my own for the first time, I pretended that I was somebody else .. (ie. a deaf mute or a foreigner from a relatively obscure country unable to understand English so that I could hear what my 'friends' thought of me without suspicion). I was even a Cockney at one time. One evening I was at a party where some people from each community I had been fooling were at too. I spent the entire night dodging them or at least separating them from each other so that I would not be found out. Eventually, sitting at the poolside with one of my 'suitors' who was declaring his love for me knowing I wouldn't be able to understand him, I just couldn't cope anymore so spoke back to him in perfect English. Well, needless to say he stomped off quite angry and of course that was the end of my pretending to be somebody I wasn't. Instead, I actually became the person I aspired to be when I didn't know anything at all. 🌹
Thanks!
Okay okay. You don't have to argue with me. You're the best! This is definitely one of your better episodes and that's saying a lot because you put out some fantastic content
I would agree, I often find my self wondering, after meeting an unsavory person, if “am I ever like that person-I hope not” and wonder further how someone like that has gotten as far in life as they have. It seams to be a common trait among both men and women to protect the female. Again another relative story from history. Thanks Hguy 👍
Never left a comment with you but that was a good one. Thanks history guy, always enjoy your " history that deserves to be remembered! "
Thank you.
Wow , still happens today . Just a little harder today . Both men and women in history have done this. They didn't have the internet like we do today.
What a smooth operator!
New idea; in this day (August 1,2022) the Admiralty will cease creating physical paper maps after 222 years of diligence. A lot of my sailing friends are a bit worried about this for obvious reasons. A critical part of navigation will be lost to history without a proven replacement. Keep up the excellent work HG!
@emilyadams3228
Жыл бұрын
That's what the whole modern world is: destruction of history.
@jeraldbaxter3532
Жыл бұрын
No more paper (hard copy) maps?!?! That is disturbing for obvious reasons; while digital maps are easy to update, they also depend on a connection to a source- heaven help the sailor with no WiFi connection or a dead battery in their kindle...
@emilyadams3228
Жыл бұрын
@@jeraldbaxter3532 And that's before you get into their total hackability. If they want to weaken themselves & make themselves vulnerable to their enemies like this, I better not hear a peep of bitchin' when shit comes down.
@WALTERBROADDUS
Жыл бұрын
Really? Seems like a bad idea...
@sonkeschluter3654
Жыл бұрын
Did a cruise this June (Norwegian Fjords) did a behind the scenes tour and on the bridge they told us they dont have paper maps any more. Asked to clarify if they dont really have a drawer in the back with paper maps - nope.
Another fascinating presentation thanks xxx
Just for Future Reference the town of Devizes is pronounced as De - Vizes (rhyming with Prizes) Here's a little Limerick to help you remember "There was a Young Lady from Devizes" "Who's T1tties were two different sizes" "One was so small, it was no t1t at all" "The other so big it won Prizes".
@51WCDodge
Жыл бұрын
Thee bin at the scrumpy then?🤣🤣🤣🤣
@marklatimer7333
Жыл бұрын
@@51WCDodge I like my Cider I do, It makes I fart it do, and when I's fart I's happy, and when I's happy I's does my work, and when I's does my work I's get my money, and with my money I's get my cider, It makes I fart it do.........
@marklatimer7333
Жыл бұрын
@@51WCDodge There was a young lady from Bude, Who went for a swim in the nude, A young man in a Punt, Stuck his pole in the water and said "You can't bathe here it's private.
Hey Playboy 👋 I've known Anna since 2009. She would come and visit me here in Las Vegas. Last time I saw 👀 her she stayed with me for 15 days!
Thank you for the great content.
Fascinating story. Thank you sir.
As Mr. Samuels wrote “ truth is stranger than fiction “
I think people often believe because they want it to be true. Who wouldn't want an influential friend. I think most of us could point to a time or two in our lives when we believed a story that was a bit outrageous, and without merit.
This story reminds me of Joshua Nortion, a San Franciscan in the 19th century who proclaimed himself the Emperor of America. Counter intuitively the people of San Francisco embraced his claims...he hand drew his own money, and it was accepted by local businesses. He was feted at public events and was greeted by the public when he appeared at the theater or in the halls of government. When a rookie policeman arrested him for loitering he was immediately released and the poor first year cop was harshly taken to task. The story was made into a beautiful episode in the graphic novel Sandman series, wherein the titular character Dream grants Norton the idea of being Emperor. When Norton died of a heart attack, the city gave him an elaborate public funeral, and he's a legacy of San Francisco's legacy today.
@rhuephus
Жыл бұрын
and .. "King of Mexico" ...
thanks
Much appreciation for the art you posted. 👍
A fascinating lady.
A screenplay waiting to be written...
Respect to Anna S!!!
Excellent content as always. My spouse and I really look forward to your interesting and extremely well researched vids. Stay safe folks. Greetings from Southeast Kentucky.
An Interesting Lady Indeed!
Well told story sir
Those final comments are an intriguing consideration & I surmise, because of whatever measure of truth they hold...
Yeah liked that one, the Devils Punch Bowl is really just a description of the geography of the area, the 'HogsBack' is another land feature in the area. The area was called the Winchester hundred a huge area owned & taxed by the church.
Wonderful -I think we all want to believe!
Address her by her proper title, sir - a pirate 😂 🤣
reminds me of that woman ( can't recall her name right now) who claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of Andrew Carnegie and managed to fleece banks out of a fortune until somebody bothered to ask Carnegie if he had a daughter.
She was a politician and bureaucrat of unrealized potential.. She would have made a great Republican or Democrat these days!
When I read the title I thought it was going to be about Anastasia Romanov.
About time to do one on Norton I, Emperor of the United States, Protector of Mexico.... This man printed his own money, and it was accepted by the shop keepers of San Francisco.... quite a person.
i think deep down in our subconscious we are attracted to deceiving someone in this manner. just some of us it's more prevalent
Amusing.
I knew her recreation in 1983, her name was Maria ...
Interesting story!
Interesting
This reminds me of "Catch Me If You Can." I think "imposters" are creative, dynamic, restless, charismatic individuals, who get that rush of living in the edge. Most importantly though, they can tell a good story; note how many of these folks created elaborate, exotic backgrounds. People love a good story, hence the reason for accommodating patrons. I imagine, if put to it, THG could probably regale some elite gatherings back in the day, as well! 💚✌️😎
Reminds me of a Duchess who called herself "such a fraud".
Perhaps the best stories involve imposters... with pirates being a close second.
Great video.
Every writer, artist, chef, and even athlete, all suffers to a greater or lesser degree, with the fear that they will be found out to be a fraud.
@christineparis5607
Жыл бұрын
I think they call it, "imposter syndrome". People who feel, in spite of proof and encouragement, that they are somehow fooling people and feel unworthy to the point of occasionally insisting that they are no good at whatever it is that they do. I always think success needs a lot of confidence, since you really need to forge your own path and believe in yourself when no one else does. The most successful, like Picasso, Hemingway, etc., were determined in spite of years of poverty and criticism until suddenly, they were geniuses....
I seriously like this channel. I'm a history guy, every non-fiction I've ever owned (there's quite a number), has been about history in some fashion. I like them all but if forced to whittle it down to three, #1- Guadalcanal by Richard B Frank, #2- Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully, #3- Undaunted Courage by Stephen E Ambrose
@tomjustis7237
Жыл бұрын
May I suggest you try to find a copy of "American Insurgents, American Patriots" by T. H. Breen. While it deals with the how's and whys of the beginnings of the American Revolution, it does NOT concentrate on the rich and famous as most histories do. This work concentrates on the average colonist, the farmers and shopkeepers, as well as their attitudes and beliefs, who proved to be the backbone of the revolution. As Breen points out (and I paraphrase) "Without the support and dedication of the average colonist, the First Continental Congress would have been little more than a debating society." Fascinating read for any true history buff, so I think you would really enjoy it.
Imposters are able to work off other people's desire for prestige, status, and wealth. The risk of Imposters is that they will play another for gain BEFORE the other person plays them. Imposters help keep the game fun and a little honest...vive la Team Imposter!!!!!! 🤪
People *want* to be deceived, so . . . deceive them!
@rhuephus
Жыл бұрын
the tRUMPubliKKKLans have been doing it since 2015 .. at least to those stupid enough to believe the lies
no mention of Anastasia in NY City? rather big in the 1930s after the 1917 russian revolution claiming to be the last member of the TSAR family that was murdered.
Great story. I enjoyed your summation of why people kept taking her in, knowing full well she was an imposter. I suspect she was extremely charismatic as well. People are magnetically drawn to charismatic people and always have been. 10:46 " Her fentence was foftened to tranfportation" (clearly the "s" wasn't working) : )
@rhuephus
Жыл бұрын
way back then, they WROTE the "S" without both tails, so to "us" it appears to be an "f"
@Pygar2
Жыл бұрын
@@rhuephus Except at the ftarting and ending letterf.
Oh wow, I just started reading My Friend Anna yesterday.
We don't want to be like them, and we do not worry that we are them....we are just really disappointed in the way life and the world is, and desperately wish that we could get away from it.
People can pretend all they want, we all do that and many of us do feel like imposters at times, asking ourselves if we really belong. But when that means taking advantage of stealing from and in other ways harming others, I cannot understand how they could still be admired or even tolerated.
Sales is tough, if I see a good sale I’m impressed
I'm suprised you didn't talk about the fake German princess who lived in Jamaica during captian Morgan's time as governor
Deep down the Darkness begins.
She supposedly passed in Berwick Maine in 1780
Officer's commissions in the British Army were sold until 1871.
@TheHistoryGuyChannel
Жыл бұрын
Although her promises of commissions might have been government positions rather than military.
Fascinating thank you! I was wondering if you would do like a short series on legends on the channel? Like the history of mermaids or the history of dragons or unicorns? I just think that could be really interesting because for a long time people really did believe in them and it influenced their behavior. And if enough people believe something is real and everyone acts as if it is real does it really matter at that point if it isn't technically real?
@TheHistoryGuyChannel
Жыл бұрын
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@ninianstorm6494
Жыл бұрын
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel bush could of prevent europe migrant crisis since obama target Libya Sudan Somalia Syria was originally bush admin rumsfield idea pnac! we can give all medicare by reduce warfronts, no more allowing new daca abusers, force senators to cut their own wealth in gov by half if they want to keep above 70% of current daca population so inflation/living cost stay reasonable wesley clark foreshadow reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzread.info/dash/bejne/kaGmrLSBp8W8d5s.html establishment kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip, crash car in to wisconsin parade thanks to nbc follow jury bus smearing ritten house too kzread.info/dash/bejne/h6yjrpqteLbHZ8o.html bush 14y ago said add ukraine to nato with nuland f eu coup 2014 support = kzread.info/dash/bejne/oIiFlaZqkZDQYpM.html current ukraine gov is proxy since cia drew red line just like did in syria earlier arming rebels telling russia not to interfere while zelensky ethnic cleanse donbass region 7y= kzread.info/dash/bejne/ppVtxrmLk6e7gKQ.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/e3aZtKRworrRj5s.html
The conclusion reminds me of a quote from somewhere, "We hope we're Bugs Bunny, but are afraid we're Daffy Duck."
@briane3657
Жыл бұрын
Or worse, Elmer Fudd !
@calvinkatt662
Жыл бұрын
I think the wording is a bit different, but I believe that quote is from Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones.
"I exploit you, still you love me. I tell you one and one make 3. The cult of personality."
I love the way you used the art, it would be great to know the titles of the pieces
People are gullible. Why do you think so many politicians get away with the shit that they do?
as always great stuff but i have a question for you i noticed that some of the pich in this podcost that they look like modern ones were this pich of miss history guy that you my have used .
can you do some on Abigail Adams ,Louisa Adams . Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Louis ?
She may have been an influence by the woman who claimed to be Anastasia. Great vlog as always! Keep up the good work. Btw. This week the Norwegian int. Soccer turnanent is 50 yrs old. It is the largest of its kind. Look up Norway cup.
Wow
7:53 Devises is one of those perculiar English town names, pronounced Dee-vise-is. Sarah Wilson would’ve practiced such a thing but clearly she was not as genuine as your good self.