[chajin]

Practically every royal ruler during WWI was a descendant of Queen Victoria, and she died in 1901.

Also, in Jane Austen’s last novel, “Persuasion,” Anne Elliott, the protagonist, almost marries her first cousin, but decides against it, not because he was her first cousin, but because he was a con man, and she loved Captain Frederick Wentworth more, anyway.

[Dr. Franklin]

Practically every royal ruler during WWI was a descendant of Queen Victoria, and she died in 1901.

Back when people were expected to marry, the elites married among themselves closely. There is a bit of sociology in that as well as history.

Also, in Jane Austen’s last novel, “Persuasion,” Anne Elliott, the protagonist, almost marries her first cousin, but decides against it, not because he was her first cousin, but because he was a con man, and she loved Captain Frederick Wentworth more, anyway.

Some of those old fashioned marriages of convenience were likely what we call bearded marriages today. A homosexual man would marry a homosexual cousin and no one needed to know their private sexual preferences. Not surprisingly, they often didn't produce offspring.