Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune
How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen's England
1st Edition
Published on 21. October 2019
384 pages
978-0-300-24954-5 (ISBN)
Description
A history of younger sons in Regency England and how these "spares" supported themselves: "Illuminates the hard facts with vignettes of actual lives lived." -
TheSpectator
In Regency England the eldest son usually inherited almost everything-while his younger brothers, left with little inheritance, had to make a crucial decision: What should they do to make an independent living?
Historian Rory Muir weaves together the stories of many obscure and well-known young men of good family but small fortune, shedding light on an overlooked aspect of Regency society. This is the first scholarly yet accessible exploration of the lifestyle and prospects of these younger sons.
In Regency England the eldest son usually inherited almost everything-while his younger brothers, left with little inheritance, had to make a crucial decision: What should they do to make an independent living?
Historian Rory Muir weaves together the stories of many obscure and well-known young men of good family but small fortune, shedding light on an overlooked aspect of Regency society. This is the first scholarly yet accessible exploration of the lifestyle and prospects of these younger sons.
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Person
Rory Muir is a visiting research fellow at the University of Adelaide and a renowned expert on British history. His books include Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon and his two-part biography of Wellington, which won the SAHR Templer Medal.
Content
- Cover page
- Halftitle page
- Title page
- Copyright page
- CONTENTS
- ILLUSTRATIONS
- PREFACE
- A NOTE ON MONEY
- chapter one YOUNGER SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES
- chapter two MONEY AND SOCIETY
- chapter three THE CHURCH
- chapter four MEDICINE
- chapter five THE LAW
- chapter six THE LAW
- chapter seven BANKING AND COMMERCE
- chapter eight CIVIL OFFICE
- chapter nine THE NAVY
- chapter ten THE NAVY
- chapter eleven THE ARMY
- chapter twelve INDIA
- CONCLUSION
- appendix one
- appendix two
- NOTES
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
- INDEX
