The Howe Dynasty
The Untold Story of a Military Family and the Women Behind Britain's Wars for America
by Julie Flavell
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Pub Date Jul 20 2021 | Archive Date Jun 30 2021
W. W. Norton & Company | Liveright
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Description
Finally revealing the family’s indefatigable women among its legendary military figures, The Howe Dynasty recasts the British side of the American Revolution.
In December 1774, Benjamin Franklin met Caroline Howe, the sister of British Admiral Richard and General William Howe, in a London drawing room for “half a dozen Games of Chess.” As Julie Flavell reveals, the games concealed a matter of the utmost diplomatic urgency, a last-ditch attempt to forestall the outbreak of war.
Aware that the Howes, both the men and the women, have seemed impenetrable to historians, Flavell investigated the letters of Caroline Howe, which have been overlooked for centuries. Using these revelatory documents, Flavell provides a compelling reinterpretation of England’s famous family across four wars, centering on their enigmatic roles in the American Revolution. The Howe Dynasty interweaves action-packed stories of North American military campaigns—including the Battles of Bunker Hill and Long Island—with parlor-room intrigues back in England, creating a riveting narrative that brings alive the influence of these extraordinary women in both peacetime and war.
About the Author: Born in Massachusetts, Julie Flavell has pursued a lifelong interest in Anglo-American relationships as reflected in her first book, When London Was Capital of America. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Flavell lives in Britain.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781631490613 |
| PRICE | $35.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Cassidy P, Reviewer
Like many people, I had a vague sense of there having been a General Howe involved with the American Revolution ... and that was it. I really had no idea what to expect from this book.
However, the Howes turned out to be a fascinating opening for a window into Georgian society. The dynasty begins with Charlotte von Kielmansegg, niece of George I (via his illegitimate sister) and immigrant from Hanover; she married Emanuel Howe and had several children, including the future military commanders George, William, and Richard. But her daughters, though extremely obscure today, would also be quite important power players in politics as well. Caroline in particular would be of great importance in two ways: her letters would survive while her brothers' would not, leaving her (female and long-ignored) voice to be the only one to tell their story, and she would be the crucial lynchpin connecting Benjamin Franklin to the American Secretary in George III's government.
At the same time, they're far from singular. If there's one thing I hope that readers take away from this book, it's the fact that women like Caroline, Charlotte, Juliana, and the other female Howes existed in a world that was not entirely accepting of female political activity or achievement, but did still allow it.
Josh C, Educator
The Howe brothers have spent centuries under the microscope, their decisions and apparent timidity in waging war against the American rebels having been scrutinized and lambasted. However, only now has an author shed light on their female relatives. This book is a welcome addition to Revolutionary and Georgian research, and it is impeccably detailed in its coverage of the Howe women through their correspondence and contemporary accounts. Flavell has done an exceptional job illuminating these auspicious characters, and her work both timely and extremely well done.
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