Maria Fitzherbert: The Secret Wife of George IV - Softcover
‘By far the most exhaustive account of its subject yet written. It sheds much new light on the nature of a woman whose ambition and pride almost altered the line of succession.’
Saul David, Daily Telegraph
‘The tangled history of the marriage is handled... with a surefooted knowledge of the period. Much new material... allows Mari Fitzherbert to emerge as a woman of interest in her own right... Munson’s description of her wider life gives real insights into the world of capable women at the end of the 18th century.’
Leslie Mitchell, Times Literary Supplement
‘In his fascinating book Munson is alive to the parallels with today’s royal family... but never overdoes the connection.’
Kathryn Hughes, Mail on Sunday
‘Munson deserves credit for his energetic digging into archives to retrieve her life.’
Sarah Bradford, Spectator
‘This sparkling and scholarly biography. Dr Munson’s heroine is no soupy Victorian caricature, but a real and always interesting woman who leaps from the page as vividly as from a well written historical novel This is an important book, as interesting for its historical analysis as for its insight into the characters of this strange but illuminating story; it is also a fascinating and entertaining read.’
Catholic Herald
‘This bright and amusing book is a rollicking tale, written with great panache and enthusiasm.’
The Tablet
Maria Fitzherbert became famous when in 1785 she secretly and illegally married the heir to the throne, later King George IV. Maria came from a Catholic landed family and had already been twice widowed. Sympathetic biographers, several of whom were fellow Catholics, presented her as a much abused and almost saintly woman who was used, betrayed and taken up again by a fickle and mentally unstable Prince.
This biography, using for the first time diaries kept by her closest friends, shows that Maria was far from abused. She had a healthy, if not excessive, opinion of herself and it was her pride more than her religious convictions that demanded marriage before pleasure. She was sophisticated and cultured, if not highly educated, an acute businesswoman and strong willed. While this biography does not ‘debunk’ her it does give us, at last, a fully rounded portrait of a fascinating woman, her topsy-turvy marriage and the bizarre worlds of court and politics in which she lived and for a time, triumphed.
Saul David, Daily Telegraph
‘The tangled history of the marriage is handled... with a surefooted knowledge of the period. Much new material... allows Mari Fitzherbert to emerge as a woman of interest in her own right... Munson’s description of her wider life gives real insights into the world of capable women at the end of the 18th century.’
Leslie Mitchell, Times Literary Supplement
‘In his fascinating book Munson is alive to the parallels with today’s royal family... but never overdoes the connection.’
Kathryn Hughes, Mail on Sunday
‘Munson deserves credit for his energetic digging into archives to retrieve her life.’
Sarah Bradford, Spectator
‘This sparkling and scholarly biography. Dr Munson’s heroine is no soupy Victorian caricature, but a real and always interesting woman who leaps from the page as vividly as from a well written historical novel This is an important book, as interesting for its historical analysis as for its insight into the characters of this strange but illuminating story; it is also a fascinating and entertaining read.’
Catholic Herald
‘This bright and amusing book is a rollicking tale, written with great panache and enthusiasm.’
The Tablet
Maria Fitzherbert became famous when in 1785 she secretly and illegally married the heir to the throne, later King George IV. Maria came from a Catholic landed family and had already been twice widowed. Sympathetic biographers, several of whom were fellow Catholics, presented her as a much abused and almost saintly woman who was used, betrayed and taken up again by a fickle and mentally unstable Prince.
This biography, using for the first time diaries kept by her closest friends, shows that Maria was far from abused. She had a healthy, if not excessive, opinion of herself and it was her pride more than her religious convictions that demanded marriage before pleasure. She was sophisticated and cultured, if not highly educated, an acute businesswoman and strong willed. While this biography does not ‘debunk’ her it does give us, at last, a fully rounded portrait of a fascinating woman, her topsy-turvy marriage and the bizarre worlds of court and politics in which she lived and for a time, triumphed.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Book Description:
About the Author:
The turbulent story of the Prince Regent's first wife
James Munson read Modern History at Oxford University between 1966 and 1969. In 1968 he won the Matthew Arnold Historical Essay Prize and, in the following year, began his doctorate in Victorian religious and political history. In 1974 he received his D. Phil. degree.
For ten years he taught history in the University. In 1981 he began writing scripts for BBC Radio and Television and by 1991 he had written scripts for over 60 programmes. His seven part series on Queen Victoria, written with Richard Mullen, led to a highly successful BBC book.
James Munson has also written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Illustrated London News, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, The Listener, Country Life, Die Presse (Vienna), Radio Times, British Heritage, Essex Countryside, The Oxford Times, Essex Journal, Orient Express, Contemporary Review, Singapore Airlines, The Economist, Catholic Herald, The Baptist Quarterly, The (Cambridge) Historical Journal, Church History, and The British Journal of Educational Studies.
In 1994 he was appointed Literary Editor of Contemporary Review, the monthly journal of international affairs founded in 1866. He has recently finished researching a biography of the Victorian radical reformer and publisher, John Cassell, and is presently working, again with Richard Mullen, on a book on Victorian travel to Europe.
For ten years he taught history in the University. In 1981 he began writing scripts for BBC Radio and Television and by 1991 he had written scripts for over 60 programmes. His seven part series on Queen Victoria, written with Richard Mullen, led to a highly successful BBC book.
James Munson has also written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Illustrated London News, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, The Listener, Country Life, Die Presse (Vienna), Radio Times, British Heritage, Essex Countryside, The Oxford Times, Essex Journal, Orient Express, Contemporary Review, Singapore Airlines, The Economist, Catholic Herald, The Baptist Quarterly, The (Cambridge) Historical Journal, Church History, and The British Journal of Educational Studies.
In 1994 he was appointed Literary Editor of Contemporary Review, the monthly journal of international affairs founded in 1866. He has recently finished researching a biography of the Victorian radical reformer and publisher, John Cassell, and is presently working, again with Richard Mullen, on a book on Victorian travel to Europe.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherThistle Publishing
- Publication date2017
- ISBN 10 1786080419
- ISBN 13 9781786080417
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages444
- Rating
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
Maria Fitzherbert: The Secret Wife of George IV
Published by
Thistle Publishing 01/y /22 M
(2017)
ISBN 10: 1786080419
ISBN 13: 9781786080417
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9781786080417
Buy Used
£ 19.39
Convert currency
Stock Image
Maria Fitzherbert: The Secret Wife of George IV
Published by
Thistle Publishing 01/y /22 M
(2017)
ISBN 10: 1786080419
ISBN 13: 9781786080417
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781786080417
Buy Used
£ 19.39
Convert currency