Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] (Papewaio @ Nov. 13 2002,01:00)]Modern families with two children is a recent first world event. Look at poorer countries or your own family tree going back 3 to 5 generations and you will see the family size was much larger in previous generations.
Quite true. My father was born in 1944, and he`s got six siblings. Mother on the other hand was an only child, and she`s just two years younger. They never saw the need for more than two kids, so I`ve only got one brother.

Back on topic: some of those kids may well be illegitimate sons/daughters. It wasn`t unheard of for nobility or royalty to provide their bastards with an education and a high office. IIRC someone who was officially acknowledged as your child could even inherit.