Why I love the Regency

I love romance but my 'specialism' is definitely historical.

And yes, I know it's a huge cliche but my favourite setting is Regency England, in other words, England in the first couple of decades of the 19th century.

The period takes its name from the time when George III was still alive but his son (later George IV, uncle to Queen Victoria) was on the throne as Prince Regent.

Prince George ruled due to the fact that his father was incapax (or afflicted, as we now know, with porphyria). He was Regent from 1811-1820. However, generally 'the Regency' is taken to denote the period from the last years of the 18th century until Victoria acceded to the throne in 1837. So more like forty years.

Why is it such a compelling setting?

For me, it's a number of things:

- the early nineteenth century was the arguably the start of modern society, the Industrial Revolution was well underway and the middle classes were on the rise. The old feudalistic order was beginning to break down. The French Revolution had recently taken place and Britain had its own share of political unrest.

- it was a time of war - the Napoleonic Wars culminating in the battle of Waterloo in 1815.

- it was a time of great excess: fortunes were won and lost on the gaming tables. alcohol was consumed to excess, sexual mores were (at the highest levels of society) possibly a little looser than in the Victorian era to come.

- the fashions were interesting and extreme: there are accounts of women of the Ton going out without corsets and wearing almost transparent gowns, like prostitutes. Many clothes and hairstyles were inspired by classical antiquity (I also adore Greek and Roman myths and legends so that is soooooo speaking to me). And clothes were taken terribly terribly seriously. They were a religion to the Dandys.

- there were many colourful, extreme personalties, such as the Duke of Wellington, Emma Hamilton, Beau Brummell, Lady Caroline Lamb, Lord Byron, Sarah Siddons , William Wilberforce and Mary Wollstonecraft.

- women were very vulnerable. Once they married, they became the property of their husbands (as did everything they owned. The purpose of "marriage settlements" was to keep assets out of the husband's hands so that they would pass directly to children).

A man could divorce his wife for adultery but the same opportunity was not afforded to women. In fact, the wife was not even party to a divorce action - the husband had to sue the wife's lover for damages. He then had to petition the House of Lords for a divorce. Apparently there are contemporary reports of men colluding to obtain a divorce when the supposed lover hadn't even met the wife. Since she had no right to appear or be heard in the proceedings, it was difficult for the wife to refute this. Legislation began to come in from the 1830s onwards that protected married women, their property and children. (Obviously this is all awful, but from a romance-lover's perspective, a Regency setting readily delivers personal conflict).

So: an interesting time: a time of change and conflict, a time of excess and extremes. What's not to like?

My top 5 Regency novels (in no particular order):-

1. Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen (well really, what did you expect?)

2. An Infamous Army - Georgette Heyer (the ultimate 'Waterloo' book)

3. One Night for Love - Mary Balogh (my favourite Balogh)

4. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susannah Clarke (my 'alternative Regency universe' choice) and

5. The Devil to Pay - Liz Carlyle (louche but amiable rake meets very spunky lady; a very modern Regency)