Birthright: The True Story that Inspired

ISBN: 0393340015

Author: Ekirch, A. Roger

Condition: Used

The astonishing story that inspired Robert Louis Stevensons classic novel Kidnapped.In 1728, in the wake of his fathers death, the twelve-year-old heir to five aristocratic titles and the scion of Irelands mighty house of Annesley was kidnapped by his uncle and shipped to America as an indentured servant. Only after twelve more years did Jemmy Annesley at last escape, returning to Ireland to bring his blood rival, the Earl of Anglesea, to justice in one of the most captivating trials of the century. Hundreds of years later, historian A. Roger Ekirch delves into the court transcripts and rarely seen legal depositions that chronicle Jemmys attempt to reclaim his birthright, in the process vividly evoking the volatile world of Georgian Ireland-complete with its violence, debauchery, ancient rituals, and tenacious loyalties. 26 black-and-white illustrations, 3 maps