Life in the Georgian Court

by Catherine Curzon

Overview

This lively history of Europe’s royal families through the 18th and early 19th centuries reveals the decadence and danger of court life.

As the glittering Hanoverian court gives birth to the British Georgian era, a golden age of royalty dawns in Europe. Houses rise and fall, births, marriages and scandals change the course of history. Meanwhile, in France, Revolution stalks the land. Life in the Georgian Court pulls back the curtain on the opulent court of the doomed Bourbons, the absolutist powerhouse of Romanov Russia, and the epoch-defining royal family whose kings gave their name to the era, the House of Hanover.

Beneath the powdered wigs and robes of state were real people living lives of romance, tragedy, intrigue and eccentricity. Historian Catherine Curzon reveals the private lives of these very public figures, vividly recounting the arranged marriages that turned to love or hate and the scandals that rocked polite society. Here the former wife of a king spends three decades in lonely captivity, King George IV makes scandalous eyes at the toast of the London stage, and Marie Antoinette begins her final journey through Paris as her son sits alone in a forgotten prison cell.

Life in the Georgian Court is a privileged peek into the glamorous, tragic and iconic courts of the Georgian world, where even a king could take nothing for granted.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473845534
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	484,936
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

CATHERINE CURZON is a royal historian who writes on all matters 18th century at www.madamegilflurt.com. Her work has been featured on HistoryExtra.com, the official website of BBC History Magazine, and in publications such as Explore History, All About History, History of Royals, and Jane Austens Regency World. She has spoken at venues including Kenwood House, Wellington College, the Royal Pavilion, the Hurlingham Club, the National Maritime Museum and Dr Johnsons House.

Catherine holds a Masters degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, can be found cheering on the mighty Terriers.

She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements viii

Illustrations ix

Timeline of Major Events xi

Introduction xv

Act 1 Childhood 1

An Era Begins 2

The Princess of Variolation 4

Before Frederick Was Great 6

The Infant Prince 8

The Twins of Versailles 10

The Nameless One 12

A Forgotten Princess 15

An Untold Life 16

The Boy Who Would Be King 17

A Tar from pretty Princess 19

A Scandalous Babe 21

The Lost Dauphin 24

'She would have been my friend' 27

'My birth and my death; that is my whole story' 29

Act 2 Marriage 32

'I will not marry the pig snout!' 33

The Mysterious Monsieur de Busch 37

The Teenage Widow 39

Farewell to the Infanta 41

The Night Emperor 44

A Quiet Couple 47

A Scandalous Walpole Bride 49

Dentists and Dauphines 52

A Marriage in Exile 56

Henry and the Widow Horton 59

A Marriage Denied 61

A Match Made in Hell 67

The Princess Who Got Away 69

'The next best thing' 71

The Second Empress 73

The Last Georgian Monarchs 76

Act 3 Scandal 79

A Diplomatic Distraction 80

The Wanton Widow 84

A Prussian Soap Opera 87

You Can't Choose Your Parents… 89

The Many Lovers of the King of Bling 92

A Duchess, a Duke… and His Best Friend 99

A Necklace Fit for a Queen 101

The Princess and the Equerry 107

Dora and the Duke of Clarence 110

A Delicate Scandal 113

Two Ladies of the Court 122

A Deadly Passion 124

Act 4 Death 129

'A Weary Traveller': The Birth of Georgian Britain 130

The Sunset of the Sun King 132

Death on the Road 133

'Harness my sledge' 134

A Historic Hernia 135

The Death of a Westphalian Ham 138

The Fungi that Felled an Emperor 140

A Fatal Wicket 141

The Prince Who Died of a Broken Heart 144

A Fatal Toilet 145

Death is just a Word 146

One Semla Too Many 148

A Masquerade to Remember 149

'I die innocent' 151

'My blood alone remains' 156

'I beg you take courage' 159

Bloody Murder in St Petersburg 161

Death of a Devoted Consort 163

A Tragic Mother 164

The Death of Farmer George 166

'What eye has wept for him?' 167

The King Who Rotted on his Throne 169

Afterword 172

Bibliography 173

Notes 177

Index 179

Editorial Reviews

You can tell, almost from the first page, that Catherine has researched this book with fervent skill and accomplishment. I loved, especially, how you can literally go almost into every court of every kingdom and find something scandalous about one of them, a famous feud maybe, an affair to remember, or a shocking murder. Anything a prospective reader wants you will get with this book. I cannot wait for her next novel, a more in depth look at 'Kings of Georgian Britain' and her first novel 'The Crown Spire' due to be published soon. I count Catherine as an integral part of the history lovers community, a true Madame of the salon, and a good friend.

D.D. Wynn: The Choice of Duty

"Overall, this historical non-fiction is very readable, well-written and I certainly came away with a stronger knowledge of the Georgian period which is such a fascinating period of European history. I would highly recommend this book anyone who wants to learn more about the royal courts of 18th century Europe, the Georgians or anyone who is interested in this fascinating period of history. "

There's Paper Where There's Ink

"You can tell, almost from the first page, that Catherine has researched this book with fervent skill and accomplishment. I loved, especially, how you can literally go almost into every court of every kingdom and find something scandalous about one of them, a famous feud maybe, an affair to remember, or a shocking murder. Anything a prospective reader wants you will get with this book. I cannot wait for her next novel, a more in depth look at 'Kings of Georgian Britain' and her first novel 'The Crown Spire' due to be published soon. I count Catherine as an integral part of the history lovers community, a true Madame of the salon, and a good friend."

D.D. Wynn

"'I started off being frustrated by the stopping and starting, but the more I read on the more I saw how the book comes together as a whole and realized what a terrific achievement it is, indeed worthy of more than the 4* I was initially going to award it. A delightful book, beautifully presented, and one I shall return to again and again.'"

Terry Tyler Book Reviews Blog

"In little over 200 pages, Catherine Curzon takes you on a quick whistle-stop tour through life in the Georgian era, across the royal residences of London to the Palace of Versailles. From the birth of George I and the drama in his ensuing bloodlines to the relatively calmer court times of William IV, the Georgians were no stranger to controversy...... Time and time again, Curzon makes every prince and princess fascinating, no matter their story. Not only that, she makes them all just as important as each other and it's hard to imagine any other author doing these royals a similar amount of justice. ]Life in the Georgian Court is a great beginner's guide to the inner lives of one of the tumultuous courts in history."

History of Royals

"The book itself is divided into several ‘acts’, childhood, marriage, scandal and death and takes us through interesting stories from the Georgian era, like the death of Marie-Antoinette’s daughter, Princess Sophie Hélène Béatrice and the catastrophic marriage between the future George I of Great Britain and Sophia Dorothea of Celle. I had read most of the stories before so perhaps it’s more fun as an introductory read into the era. The style of writing is very fun though, and the author manages to throw in a few jokes. It makes for an easy and enjoyable read."

History of Royal Women - Moniek Bloks

The book itself is divided into several ‘acts’, childhood, marriage, scandal and death and takes us through interesting stories from the Georgian era, like the death of Marie-Antoinette’s daughter, Princess Sophie Hélène Béatrice and the catastrophic marriage between the future George I of Great Britain and Sophia Dorothea of Celle. I had read most of the stories before so perhaps it’s more fun as an introductory read into the era. The style of writing is very fun though, and the author manages to throw in a few jokes. It makes for an easy and enjoyable read.

History of Royal Women - Moniek Bloks