As a historical fiction author, I have researched for years on legal issues my characters have encountered in their stories. In talking to readers of historical fiction, particularly regency romance, I’ve learned that many people have questions about some of the issues addressed in novels, as well as misunderstandings about inheritance and marriage laws (yes, women could inherit property, but they seldom did). But despite all my research, I’ve never been able to find a comprehensive treatment of the legal structure of certain historical periods, so I decided to create one, starting with the Regency era.
This class is designed to answer many of the questions you may have had either reading historical works or writing your own historical fiction. We’ll explore some of the common legal issues of the day, and provide resources for finding more information.