Women had very little resources back then. I admire Nell for her intelligence, because it's her intelligence that gave her great instincts to use her looks, charm and wit, to make a life for herself. Good for her.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Absolutely agree! Considering the cards she was dealt, Nell used what she had to improve her situation.

@Weeeewriter

5 ай бұрын

Exactly@@HistorysForgottenPeople

@lindatimmons3675

5 ай бұрын

And in reality that's all they had to use. No matter how moral or immoral it was. Survive is the key.

I love the fact they think the kings mistress died of syphillis but not him when they died the same way and he was a known philanderer.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

3 ай бұрын

Right? Like being royal was the cure. 😂

I love the story about Nell calling her son over as a way of getting the King's attention that he hadnt given them any titles. AWESOME thinking Nell!

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I'm not certain it's completely true, but I REALLY want it to be! 😂

@user-fg9xz4bz3b

4 ай бұрын

Despite what fairy tales say men seem drawn to and respect women who weren't the docile perfect lady but strong willed, clever and flirtatious.

I think her biggest accomplishment is overcoming a learning deficit to have a career as an actress. That had to be a huge obstacle to overcome.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

She must have had an incredible memory. I can't even remember people's names half the time! 😂

I have to concur with the other comments regarding her life as a woman of limited financial means at the start of her life and how she was able to ascend above her station by using not just her natural beauty, but also her wit and charm. What I find most endearing about her is that she never attempted to alter her character for the sake of pretense at the royal court. Instead by being who she had always been as a person, she was able to win not only the affections of a reigning monarch, but also that of the British people. Thank you for making this wonderfully riveting video with your distinct narration and wit. Have a wonderful weekend and week. 😊

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the video! 😊 I absolutely agree, my favourite thing about Nell is that she had no airs and graces about herself as her situation changed, and she never wanted to be anything but herself. I think it is also testament to her wit and charm that she didn't (in her early years) go into say, prostitution, but instead found the stage and knew she could win over the audience.

It’s incredible how well known she is.

Quite the femme fatale she was! Excellent video as always. 😊

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊

Wowzers! As a resident of Nottingham, I never knew of Nell's connection to Bestwood Country Park!

Nell has to be one of my favourite royal mistresses😭 She was, in any case, a crack-wit, and seems to be a good match to Charles' character- albeit in a vastly different way than Louise de Karoualle: where one was soft and likely calmed Charles down at times, Nell appears to have gone with his more wild side. Were it not for Catherine of Bragança, the story would've been perfect- though I think Catherine's tenure as Queen was much more pleasant than Constança's back in the XIV century, Pedro was too dedicated as a lover to be an acceptable husband :')

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I agree, she's definitely one of my favourites, too! It's hard not to like her, Nell seems to have continued being down-to-earth all her life, and never tried to be something she wasn't. The sticking point is of course, poor Catherine was stuck as the unwanted wife of Charles, and that wasn't the fault of either woman.

@lfgifu296

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople yeah :') but Nell knew she was a low-born "Protestant Whore" and owned it- what else can be asked of a person lol?

@ccasey1904

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople But Charles’s wife couldn’t have children (or so I read). I assume he did sleep (or did) with her at some time.

Learnt about Nell Gwyn from Suzanne Lipscombe’s Royal Greatest Scandals series. Hers is a incredibly interesting story of a woman born in poverty rising to the top of society. However, I wasn’t aware that she was so witty 😂

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I saw that series, too, it had a great episode on Nell! One of the reasons Nell is a favourite historical person of mine is her humour - there's another anecdote about her that always makes me laugh. Apparently her coach driver was fighting another man who had called Nell a whore. She went over and broke up the fight by loudly saying, "I AM a whore. Find something else to fight about." I think she'd probably be a brilliant addition to the imaginary 'which 6 people in history would you have to a dinner party?'. 😂

@crocodiledundee8685

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople 🤣 LMAO

Great video on Nell but can you also do a video on Charles II often overlooked mistress Louise de Kérouaille? Nel may have been the more famous, Barbara the most notorious Louise was Charles' eventual second in command. She had a bigger influence than Barbara and Nell. Despite the competition for his affection Nell and Louise did get along with each other.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I promise I definitely will - Louise is on the list for this series, actually! 😊 She's probably going to be the video for New Year's Eve.

@einezcrespo2107

4 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Awesome! Merry Christmas!

I like the sound of Nell, helping the poor

This artwork is exquisite!😯

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Aww, thank you, I'm glad you like it! ☺

Nell is my all time favourite person ever

Hi, awesome live history video I enjoyed it. How are you doing? How's the weather where you are? I'm doing well and so is my cat Benjamin. The weather in Ontario Canada is lots of rain today. Your history videos are always enjoyable and wonderful. Have a great weekend see you next video 😊

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Hi Michelle, I'm well, I'm glad you are Benjamin are too! We've actually got snow here in the UK, so we've swapped around! I love the snow, so I'm happy about it.

Yay I’ve been so excited for this video ❤🎉

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I hope you enjoyed it! 😊

Thank you for this history I would have never known about it and you tell so well thank you

@HistorysForgottenPeople

4 ай бұрын

Aww, that's very sweet of you, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. ☺

Nell is my favorite of all of Charles’ mistresses. I like her because she is so *real*. In the same way, I actually really like Barbara Villiers, too. There was a time a few years ago where I read every book on Charles and his mistresses that I could get my hands on (this was just pre-Kindle.) All the women surrounding him are a fascinating bunch, such as his overbearing mother, his beloved little sister Minette, Lucy Walter, La Grande Mademoiselle, Hortense Mancini, Frances Stewart, the women mentioned here in the video, and of course, his long suffering wife. They are remembered by history because of their association with the king, but each has a story that has something to teach us about the lives of women in that era. They are individually interesting people. I feel very close with Nell in particular, and have her portrait in my house, as well as the famous one of the young children of Charles I.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

18 күн бұрын

Same here, I think Nell was a very down-to-earth person, and she never lost that. I think she was aware that was probably one of the reasons Charles liked her so much - not only was she witty, attractive and sexy, but she was a refreshing change from the stiff formality of court and noble mistresses. I think Madame du Barry was very similar for Louis XV in that role of being someone 'normal'.

Why is nell called outrageous, she wasn't doing anything that the other mistresses weren't doing. At least she didn't try to be the queen of england like anne boleyn.

@altinaykor364

Ай бұрын

Maybe because Anne unlike her, was a virgin and didn't want to give it up and Charles wasn't deadly obsessed with Nell, making her life miserable in a case if she rejects him and follows her around, making her feel uncomfortable and trapped constantly. he could satisfy himself with any other woman or other of his mistresses

The accent and the patter of the narrator and her emphasis on certain words is captivating. AI will never replace the distinction of the human voice. Please ridicule me if the voice is AI. I am old and I don't give a crap.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

4 ай бұрын

Aww, that's very kind of you to say so! Thank you very much. ☺ I'm definitely not AI!

@paden1865able

4 күн бұрын

I enjoy your narrations, as well, your human warmth comes through completely. I also greatly admire your ability to pronounce the words of different languages, they seem to trip easily off of your tongue and I wish I had the same ability.

Maybe, that is how Understudies came about..from people like Nell, who could not read their lines..

Can I ask you which Tudor monarch is your favorite in terms of ranking? Which was the most successful in your opinion and the one whose reign had the best legacy? 1. Henry VII 2. Henry VIII 3. Edward VI 4. Mary I 5. Elizabeth I

@HistorysForgottenPeople

2 ай бұрын

Okay, so starting with the worst: 1. Henry VIII (I think everyone who watches this channel now knows I really don't like him! 😂) 2. Edward VI - I honestly think he would have been a lot like his father, from the little known of his short reign. 3. Mary I - on a personal level, I feel a lot of sympathy for her, and I actually think deep down she was a likeable and kind person. But she was also a religious extremist, and you can't get away from the fact she killed hundreds of people in horrific ways because they would not conform to her way of thinking. 2. Henry VII - I don't think he was perfect, but I also don't think he went out of his way to cause problems, and he also helped the economic recovery of the country. 1. Elizabeth I is my favourite, even if it's cliché! I think again, like all the Tudors, she wasn't a completely likable person, and she definitely had a nasty streak. But I also think she recognised that killing off everyone she disagreed with would only make her a tyrant, and she wanted to be loved and respected in a way her father and sister hadn't. I also think her reign was without a doubt both the most successful and had the best legacy. She fought off the Spanish, helped the country recover economically, surrounded herself with a council of the best men for the job, rather than just those who would agree with her, and most importantly, put the needs of her country before her own desires, unlike her father. It absolutely ensured she had the best legacy - but then I think this also covered up a lot. Elizabeth was presented as a goddess, but in reality, she was a flawed human being, and it's taken a lot of historical unpicking of the propaganda around her to find the 'real' Elizabeth.

Witty? Upsetting the status quo? 😂😂😂I knew this B was an Aquarius like me😅❤

4:05 the girl in the back is peeking very strongly indeed

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

"SSH. I'm pretending not to look. Okay?"

@lfgifu296

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople "ACT. NORMAL."

For ye question, which Cromwell do you think was the worst? Thomas or Oliver? I asked History Calling the same, and while at the time (aka two days ago lol) I wasn't 100% sure, the answers I got there got me thinking better and I think it's definitely Oliver.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Oooh, good question! It's Oliver for me as well, although it's one of those close contests, haha. Oliver Cromwell I think started out with good intentions at the very start, but when he saw the opportunity to become a dictator, he took it. And the Scottish and especially the Irish campaigns were horrific in their treatment of ordinary people, and even if one takes the view that many of the specific events themselves were not actually carried out by Cromwell, he allowed it to happen. He was also a religious radical, and this of course led to many people who didn't follow his particular brand of Christianity being persecuted. I do admire his drive for wanting the best for England, and for bringing to the table the idea that a government who rule a country without a royal, but I'm afraid I don't have a high opinion of him, really.

@lfgifu296

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople yeah, he was king in all but name, and, much like Edward II and his favourites' actions, nothung happened without his say so. I agree with you that he may have started off- emphasis on the word started, please- with good intentions, but that faded quickly, and his rule over England was tyrannical, and, most unforgivingly of all, boring for the common people- fr, imagine coming home after a day of work and not being able to enjoy a good cup o' ale or go to your go-to brothel lol

Poor Charles wife ,how awful that Charles bits on the side had sons but she could not give her husband the one thing he most wanted.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Agreed - he did express regret on his deathbed, but I expect that was little comfort for her.

❤❤❤

Woohoo! My husbands family!

Maybe it's just me, but a lot of those lords look weirdly related and not in a good way.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

I think there were a lot of facial features that were probably shared by having the same great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents, definitely! It's never close enough to be really icky relationships, but then if everyone in my social circle shared at least some relatives with me I'd probably look a bit further for a spouse, personally. 😂

@kathleenmccrory9883

5 ай бұрын

@@HistorysForgottenPeople I had 3 step siblings from a small town in Kansas. We went to visit their mom's folks there. Half the people in the town eerily had the same features as my step siblings. I suppose England's upper classes were like their own small town. Lot's of cousins. Lol.

I thought she was an orange seller in the theatres.

@HistorysForgottenPeople

5 ай бұрын

Yup, I mention it in the video. ☺

Having all of those kids is so disgusting to me, how men couldn’t keep it in their pants is beyond me. Nell is so funny though, what a character.

@animallover6645

5 ай бұрын

Eh a Protestant though not a fan of that. Sad that she has a stroke though my grandfather died from that very tough to have.

....😊

weird, so many strokes.. you wouldn't think..