First cousins marrying? A universally accepted truth… in Austen’s world

 

An added benefit of sharing my stories on YouTube for free is the possibility of introducing a wider audience not just to Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF), but to her beloved Pride and Prejudice itself.

More than once, listeners have expressed disbelief about cousins marrying cousins. I want to say, “Have you met Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”

“While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family!”  —Pride and Prejudice

The possibility of Miss Anne de Bourgh marrying Mr. Darcy is not some creative liberty taken in fan fiction—it is a core premise of Austen’s original story.

Historically, cousin marriages were not unusual during days of yore. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who was her first cousin. They shared the same maternal grandmother, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha.

Their marriage in 1840 was said to be both a love match and a dynastic alliance—quite common among European royalty at the time. In fact, cousin marriages were especially prevalent among the upper classes and nobility to maintain political alliances and keep property or power within the family.

Still, for today’s listeners, such details often provoke a raised eyebrow or two. That, too, is part of the fun—watching modern sensibilities brush up against historical ones.