Gossip Guide to the Kingdom of Naples: Inside the Palace of Caserta

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PArt 3 casertaFind in this gossip guide for the 18th century:

  • Palace, Pomp and Politics
  • The British Ambassador as Tomb Raider
  • Love & the Palace
    – Shocking: Emma and Nelson!
  • A King from France & the English Princess

Welcome, dear Regency Enthusiast, to a virtual tour of the Palace of Caserta. The palace is a grand building, and the heart of the government of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily (learn more the kingdom as a travel destination for British travellers in the 18th century here and here). In quick succession, the palace is also the home of 3 royal couples, their British friends and visitors – and their scandals: Continue reading →

The Battle & the Man: 10 Quirky Facts about Admiral Nelson and Trafalgar

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insidevictory

On board the HMS Victory

On 21th October we commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. On this day in 1805, the British fleet defeated the French and Spanish allies west of Cape Trafalgar. 50,000 men were involved in the fighting. 5,000 of them died, among them the commander of the British fleet, Admiral Horatio Nelson. The victory confirmed Britain’s role as “ruler of the waves” and put a stop to Napoleon’s plans to invade Britain.

Being a Regency Enthusiast, you certainly know a lot about Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. But did you also know these 10 facts about the battle and the private life of its hero, Horatio Nelson? Continue reading →

Jane Austen’s “Secret” Brother – Guest Post by Author Lisa Pliscou

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new.Jane.3dI am delighted to have Lisa Pliscou, acclaimed author of both fiction and nonfiction, as guest writer at Regency Explorer. In her newest book, Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer, Lisa highlights Jane Austen’s creative development as a child and teenager. It’s a treat for me to present Lisa’s insightful post about a rather unknown aspect of Jane Austen’s life:

Jane Austen’s “Secret” Brother

Lisa Pliscou, author of "Young Jane Austen"

Lisa Pliscou

As I was making my way through a stack of Jane Austen biographies — what began as pure enjoyment and ultimately became research for my Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer — I was surprised to see that occasionally, an author would tally Jane’s siblings and end up with six.

The correct number, of course, is seven; altogether there were eight Austen children, beginning with James and ending with Charles. Jane’s older brother George, somehow, slipped between the cracks.

And why? Because he was the “defective” Austen child. Continue reading →

Writer’s Travel Guide: Anna-Maria Hunt and the Rescue of Lanhydrock House

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In this post:

Lanhydrock House is located 3 miles from Bodmin, Cornwall. Today, the house is presented mainly on the basis of the events and owners of the Victorian age. But Lanhydrock House is well rooted in the Regency period and can tell you the story of Anna-Maria Hunt (1771-1861) and her arduous inheritance.

An Arduous Inheritance

Anna-Maria had always been considered the heir of Lanhydrock House, at that time owned by her uncle, George Hunt. In the eyes of the fine society, she was a lucky heiress, the aim of every fortune-hunter. But when her uncle died in 1798, she was confronted with a tricky testament and the strange humour of Uncle George:  He left her Lanhydrock, but also the shocking amount of £68,000 (£2.2m in today’s money) in debts. Uncle George’s money, his shares in mines, arrears from tin, copper and timber dues and even the furniture of Lanhydrock went to some distant cousins. Anna-Maria found herself with £100 with which to run the estate and only three people in service living in Lanhydrock: an aged housekeeper, her daughter and the gardener. Continue reading →

Napoleon’s Taste in Shoes and other Delightful Trivia

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Truely imperial luxury: stairs leading up to Napoleon's bed

Truly imperial luxury: stairs leading up to Napoleon’s bed

Napoleon – hero and ogre in one person. I travelled to France this spring to learn more about one of the most famed and famous men in history. I found many treasures and many quirks. Watch my short photo-film “Napoleon – Treasures at Fontainebleau Palace” to learn

  • was Napoleon shortsighted?
  • what was his taste in shoes?
  • did he take snuff?

and to enjoy the beautiful objects.

Click here to go to the video.

People and Places of the Regency – A Writer’s Travel Guide

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Dear Regency Enthusiast

IMG_1376The most entertaining way of doing research for your novel is by travelling. In many towns and historic houses you can still find traces of the Regency and its famous or infamous people. Visiting the right places is almost as good as travelling back in time to the Regency era. I went to many such places in the past years, and to give you an idea of what’s waiting for you, I have written a series of articles about the places, the related people and the history. Continue reading →

Writer’s Travel Guide: Lyme Park – an Austen Drama in its Own Right

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In this post:
• An illegitimate son rescuing the family seat
• Abduction!
• A haunted bedroom

Lyme Park is located two miles south of Disley, Cheshire.

It goes without saying that every Regency Enthusiast knows Lyme Park as Mr Darcy’s Pemberley in the Pride & Prejudice series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. But drama and romance at Lyme Park are not limited to movies. It has its own drama and romance in an incident worth a Wickham/Darcy tale.
Continue reading →

Regency-Explorer-Quiz: Who is “Mr X”?

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Regency-Explorer.net is in search of “Mr. X” !

Here is a little quiz for all History Sleuths: Who is the historic person described below?  Read all about his appaerance, his characteristics and his life up to the year 1815.

Questions to answer:

Who is X?
Who is A?
Who is B?
What is the name of Y?
What is the name of Z?

Write your answers in the comment field below. There are glory and honour to gain – as well as the fun of solving a quiz.

Enjoy it!

Here is your challenge:

Name:       X
Birthday: xx. xx. 17xx / London.
Profession: writer
Appearance:

  • Figure: tall, straight and upright in carriage
  • Countenance: His steps are short and firm, his approach cheerful, almost dashing
  • Hair: black and straight, parted in the centre
  • Eyes: brown, brilliant, reflective, kind and gay, with a look of observant humor Continue reading →