Ok, so we've all heard of the book, and connecting movie stars is a popular game, but let's try connecting historical figures through other historical figures. The person with the fewest steps wins.

The First Challenge:
Catharine of Aragon to Samuel Taylor Coleridge

(I don't neccessarily have an answer )

The First Challenge:
Catharine of Aragon to Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Hmmmm.... Let's see... She married Ferdinand of Castille, then the two of them chased the Islamic and Jewish people out of Spain, thereby destroying classical Spanish civilisation, but creating a bellicose naval power. Spain then greatly expanded its maritime trade routes, and it was due to Spanish sea trade that Coleridge got his opium, on which he was tripping when he wrote his best stuff. How's that for revisionist history?

Get Kevin Bacon in between Cate and Sammy and still come out with six degrees or fewer.

Anu Garg to Michael Fischer.

>Anu...

too easy. Anu subscribes to *my wordlist.

Ok, since the first one was so obviously easy , I'll offer the next.

The Second Challenge:
Geoffery Chaucer to Archduke Ferdinand

I don't understand any of this. What are the rules, please?

Geoffrey Chaucer's mother... her mother... (etc.)... Mitochondrial Eve... one of her daughters... (etc.)... Archduke Ferdinand's mother.

Piece of cake.

Probably not optimal, I admit that. And is it a rule that you have to know their names?

I don't understand any of this. What are the rules, please?

There aren't really rules, you just have to use real historical events or people to connect the two.

Geoffrey Chaucer's mother... her mother... (etc.)... Mitochondrial Eve... one of her daughters... (etc.)...Archduke Ferdinand's mother.

So we're spanning 1000 years with a couple of mothers? I doubt they're related. And yes, you need names with verifiable events.

So we're spanning 1000 years with a couple of mothers?

antediluvian separations

Chaucer visited Italy (on government business) where he first read Boccaccio and Dante. Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavrillo Princip - and there's an Italian-sounding name if ever I heard one.

There is some evidence that Chaucer, who at the time was head of the customs house, went to italy to study double entry bookkeeping-- which was gaining popularity at the time. It was first taught in the new universities of italy. Not just any bookkeeping-- but the double entry method that is still used today.

<<double entry bookkeeping>>

Then only three degrees of separation will be needed. [Runningforcoverikon]

<<double entry bookkeeping>>

Does the IRS (Inland Revenue) know about this?

Oh, oh! No. Thinking of double set of books not double entry!
(joining IP under the desk)
wow