The Howe Dynasty

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.

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.