Royal Flash

Book two of Flashman's adventures see him wrapped up with historical figures Lola Montez and Otto von Bismarck.

I admit I needed to look up Lola Montez (Eliza Rosanna Gilbert), who has a detailed write up in Wikipedia. However I think Fraser used some artistic license when Flashman (more than once) refers to her as the most beautiful woman in the world, as most of the Wikipedia photographs don't bear that out, especially the Joseph Heigel portrait.

Again Fraser has done a masterful job of inserting Flashman into historic events, although in this story involves a considerable number of fictional characters and a fictional state between Denmark and Germany where the primary action takes place.

Set initially in London in the years after Flashman's return from Afghanistan (1842-43) where he is biding his time, he meets Rosanna Gilbert in the company of a young Otto von Bismark. Von Bismark takes (of course) a dislike our main character, and other events in which Flashman does little to endear himself to von Bismark, return to do him ill later in the book.

I enjoy the way Fraser writes Flashman's ‘memoirs' - with plenty of self-reflection. Flashman's own self analysis and recognition of poor decision making (he reflects on whether he would have ever been remembered by von Bismark if he had not continued to needle the man); similarly, this interactions with Lola Montez are perhaps cumulative in her final act towards Flashman, who quickly forgets his past actions, living in the moment as he does. Also enjoyable is how such a self-confessed coward, when backed against the wall, commits himself fully, and puts up a better than average fight.

But I have skipped ahead. The majority of the story skips over a gap of several year (later filled by Flashman's Lady, and Flashman and the Mountain of Light) to take place in 1847 & 1848. The plot revolves around the Schleswig–Holstein question - better googled than relying on me explaining it - should you require more than this quote I enjoyed from the book:

“Let me begin by asking you a question,” [von Bismark] says. “What do you know of Schleswig and Holstein?”
“Never even met ‘em,” says I. Rudi laughed aloud, and de Gaulet gave his sidelong smile.
Bismark didn't show any amusement. “They are states,” he said “not persons. I will tell you about them.” And he began to explain what historians call the ‘Schleswig–Holstein question.' I won't bore you with it here, because even diplomats agree it is the most infernally complex affair that ever bedevilled European politics.