Sunday, November 15, 2009

Still, More Ladies of the Regency

This Time, Lord Byron’s Harem. Well, sort of...

I say 'sort of,' because I did not include the young men he was rumoured to have had relationships with and that is because this is list of women of the regency. Also missing from this list is Lady Caroline Lamb and that is only because I already wrote about her in a previous blog.

 Anne Isabella Milbanke Noel, the Baroness Byron, Lord George Gordon Byron’s wife. Annabella was something of a twit with strict pious morals. She married Byron though she did not love him with the hopes of changing him and ruined both of their lives in the process.

Augusta Byron Leigh, the half-sister and believed mistress of Lord Gordon Byron. A pretty amiable woman whose is said to be the real reason for his exile. Also Augusta's third daughter Elizabeth Medora Leigh was widely speculated to have been fathered by Byron. A matter that was not help when one considers that her middle name was in honour of one his poem. Oh and Byron’s wife and only legitimate daughter accepted Medora as his.

Claire Clairmont, Lord Byron's mistress and the mother of his daughter Clara Allegra Byron. At only eighteen, so determined was she to have Byron that she followed him to Switzerland. She was also rumoured to have lived in a ‘ménage à trois’ with her stepsister Mary Shelley and Mary’s husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, a believer in free love, or rather, open marriages.

Jane Elizabeth Scott, Countess of Oxford. The very soul of discretion this one or so she appears when compared to the others on this list. She had a brief affaire with Lord Bryon and the two parted company without incident or much public fanfare. Oh, but there is that business of her children being fathered by such a varied bunch they where referred to as the Harleian Miscellany.
Have a lovely week,
Simone

19 comments:

  1. Ontario is beautiful. I'm there now. I've never been to Australia, but would like to.

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  2. I didn't know Byron was married. I mean, after hearing about his mistresses, it just never occurred to me that he actually had a wife.
    Thanks for an informative post. :)

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  3. Thanks for this bit of time travel back to the Regency period, which has always been a favorite. Yet another nice feature here at your site!
    Best,
    Michael

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  4. Thank you for your lovely words. I just love your pictures from the regency period. Lovely!
    All the best to you!
    Jessica

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  5. I love your description of Annabella - 'something of a twit'! Obviously even in the Regency era...

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  6. Love your blog Simone and the pictures are just beautiful.

    Renee xoxo

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  7. A lazy Sunday made all the better because of your excellent company. individual I just love it when friends stop by and offer encouragement and kind word. We are becoming friends I think for I look around and see nothing but familiar names. I'm glad for you visits and will be sure to call on each of you in the week to come.
    All my very best,
    Simone

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  8. Hello Simone, what a interesting set of women! What a family tree! The paintings are so nearly life like!

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  9. Allow me to add a further kind word and some encouragement, then! :-) Fascinating blog, Simone, and wonderfully illustrated. (Cheers for commenting at mine.) ;-)

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  10. Thanks For Coming By & Comment.
    Interesting About Byron.
    "The Scandalous Adventures Of Lord Byron"
    With Rupert Everett Was On Over Here A Couple Of Months Ago. He Was A "Bit Of A Boy"
    Have A Good Week

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  11. Ladies are the most interesting of all!

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  12. Happy Monday All,
    It is brilliant to hear from each of you particularly now I've been rejected by eHarleqin but I’m not discouraged. All it means is one more story for you guys to read in chapters here on my blog.
    I'm in the middle of finding the perfect editor for my novels so hopefully things will go much easier from this point forth.
    Be Happy,
    Simone

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  13. Hi Simone, I love your blog - so glad to have found you. Thanks for visiting my blog too. So nice to have fellow Canadians 'round here. I always loved that "hook into an eye" quote. I read all her books once.

    So nice to make your acquaintance. xo Terri

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  14. What a great post! I always wanted to know more about his ladies. I did not realize that about the Countess of Oxford- imagine your children being referred to as such!

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  15. Oh what a bunch of loving and open women :)
    My goodness.

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  16. Oh thank you so very much my dears and I'm glad you are enjoying the ladies of the regency they are lovely Complicated creatures aren't they.
    You take care,
    Simone

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