In Regency society all the family hopes and expectations fell on the shoulders of the eldest son who would succeed to any title and inherit the bulk of the family fortune. Women were married into other families, with eldest sons from other families preferred as their mates. For younger sons, however, unless there was a lot of money to spare, the only option was to find a career and make their own fortune. Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune by Rory Muir examines the different paths taken and opportunities available to younger sons.
There were a number of acceptable options for younger sons, of which there might be several in one family. Lucky young men made their own decision but some younger sons were forced by their family into roles and occupations which didn’t suit them or made them unhappy. Some took holy orders and entered the church, some joined the army or navy, others became doctors, some obtained government jobs and still others entered the business world. Many of them travelled abroad to the countries of the rapidly expanding British Empire. How they flourished depended a lot on who they knew, their aptitude for their chosen path and what money they brought with them. Occasionally, of course, the older son died and they came into money and titles but often they made their own way in a precarious world but with fewer societal expectations upon them and, therefore, a bit more freedom to live life the way that they chose.
In this book the author looks at the different options open to younger sons. He examines their chances of success or failure and the problems facing them. He also takes examples of sons who chose these paths and personalises the book by telling their stories.
I found this book a little hard to get into at first but as it progressed I was drawn into this world and found the book fascinating and illuminating.
Anne Is Reading 