h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In 19th Century Austria, Count Sandor Vay proposed to Miss Marie Engelhardt.

Two people in particular objected to this. Who were they, and what were their reasons for opposing the match?

I haven't the slightest idea, so I'm going to guess their respective spouses

Aha!

Very impressive

I'm not sure how the scoring works here, but you definitely get plus points.

Miss Englehardt wasn't married at the time, but Count Vay was, and his wife did indeed object.

I fear the worst, but was Miss E. under age & her guardian objected?

Or an alternative suitor?

not sure but somewhere in the back of my mind tells me that the count might have been a countess...

Hi Teasswill

No, that wasn't the reason, no problem (and you just about escaped the klaxon I set for anyone saying Miss E's parents )

No alternative suitor, either.

Hello logicus tracticus philosophicus

Plus points for you That was indeed the second reason for objections.

Points structure for QI, Sasha.

+1 for anything which 'decreases general ignorance' (i.e owt which could be deemed 'getting warmer' so not correct per se, but 'in the ball park' or more likely restricting of options. (e.g so not medicine - was it alchemy?') Correct might be - the recipe for paint digused as an alchemical recipe for making a a basalisk) so 'alchemy' advances the discussion in the right direction without being THE correct answer.

+3 for a correct statement which is as factually accurate as possible. It was so-and-so, I think 'x' was 'y' as a guess about the specific recipe for Basalisk or gold paint, would be.

+6 for anything deemed to be "Quite Interesting" (and may be only partially relevant) - this is awarded at the setters discretion, however as guidance the mildly unusual and quirky don't count, it has to be a geuine "oh that IS quite interesting, I did not know that!" moments. To be awarded seldomly but as with DGI +1s can be awarded as many times as someone 'decreases general ignorance' or is 'quite interesting'

-5 points for anything pre-determined to be to be 'klxonable' (i.e obvious) or as close as damnit.
I once awarded a klaxon for "Blackhole" even though the researcher in questions went to great lengths not to say "black hole" but nevertheless that is clear what they meant by 'collapsing gravity well singularity made up of former star bits.'


And take an automatic +2 'QI Elf Bonus' for being the clever bugger of having thought up the question to challenge us with.

Thanks Clive!

So, a roundup of the game...

+3 for Milla and +3 for logicus tracticus philosophicus

Count Vay's wife did object to the proposal, because she was still married to him at the time (he had to pay her off to allow him to marry Marie instead).

It was Count Vay's mother who also objected, because Count Sandor was actually Countess Sarolta.

She had brought up her first child (who had actually been assigned female at birth) to be a son, so as not to disappoint her husband, who wanted a male heir, but when she had another child who was male, she decided that Sandor should become Sarolta and learn to be a girl instead. Sandor was quite happy as he was, though.