HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS & FACTS:

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Charles Bartholomew Sackville-Bass, b.1772

* 5th Duke of Dorset since 1794

* 2nd Viscount Sackville since 1793

* Running for Privy Councilor and Master of the Horse in the Parliament

* Family seat Knole House, Sevenoaks, West Kent

- 1788-1791 Oxford University

- 1791 Goes traveling

- 1792 Joins his friend Nathaniel, they travel to the colonies: Accompanied Sir John Shore (Governor–General) to the Fort of William (Bengal)

- 1793 Inherits Viscountcy from his uncle John (Jack), who is executed in France

- 1793 Returns home, reconciles with his father

- 1794 Bartholomew dies

- 1794-97 Rarely visits the family estate; takes over his father's dealings at the Parliament, running for Master of the Horse

- 1796 spring Short affair with Lady Russell

- 1797 July Meets Lady Blair Waldorf

- 1797 late July Returns to Knole House


Blair Cornelia (Lyttelton) Waldorf, b. 1778

* Inherits her Scottish name Blair due her mother's origins, Cornelia is a family name from her father's side, and Waldorf is her German ancestors' surname

* Grandparents: Vizegraf of Windsheim and Lady Cornelia Lyttelton

* Parents: 8th Viscount Cobham Harold William Lyttelton-Waldorf, Vizegraf of Windsheim and Eleanor Donetta Lady Polwarth

* Family estate Cobham Hall, Cobham village, Kent

- 1778-1792 grows up in Cobham village together with the Levinson brothers

- 1792 Harold's affair is exposed to his wife

- 1792-94 Blair is sent off to attend school with her friend Serena

- 1794 Returns to Cobham, reunites with Anthony and Dan

- 1795 January Harold Waldorf dies of syphilis

- 1795 March Blair is sent off to Rome with Dorota

- 1795-96 Rome

- 1797 March–July London Season

- 1797 July Meets Charles Sackville–Bass, Duke of Dorset, Viscount Sackville

- 1797 late July Returns to Cobham Hall


Anthony and Daniel Levinson

* Sons of Sir Joseph and Patricia Levinson

* b.1770 Sir Anthony Levinson

* b.1773 Daniel Levinson (jurisprudence)

* Cuxton village, Whorne's place, Kent

- 1786-89 Anthony at Cambridge University

- 1789 Sir Joseph dies, Anthony takes over the title

- 1789-92 Daniel at Cambridge

- 1792-93 Daniel's Law practice in London

- 1794 Daniel returns to Whorne's place

- 1794 Dan falls in love with Serena

- 1795 January Anthony morally supports the Waldorfs after Harold's death

- 1795 June Their mother passes away

- 1795 July –1797 June Anthony leaves for America

- 1795 Daniel takes over the household of Whorne's place

- 1797 June Anthony returns home to England

- 1797 August Daniel and Serena's wedding


Serena Celia van der Woodsen, b. 1777

* Honorable Miss, Dutch descent

*Family immigrated to England one generation ago

*Luddesdown village, manor near the church

- Grows up with Blair, Dan, Eric and Anthony

- 1792-94 Attends school with Blair

- 1794 Serena and Dan fall in love

- 1797 August marries Dan

Eric William van der Woodsen b. 1779

- 1795-98 Attends London University, studies history

- 1797 late July Returns home for his sister's wedding

- 1797 Befriends Charles Sackville–Bass, Duke of Dorset

- 1797 August leaves for London


Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Braybrook, b. 1772

* 2nd son of 4th Baron Howard de Walden

* Family residence Audley End House, Essex

- 1788–1791 Oxford University

- 1791 Serves in the Royal navy

- 1792 Promoted to Captain, goes to India with Charles

- 1797 August Nathaniel returns after Sir John retires from his post


Locations:

Kent:

Town of Sevenoaks, Knole House permanent residence of the Sackville family

+ 9 miles ≈ 18km north

Cobham Village, Cobham Hall permanent residence of Viscount Cobham

+ 2 miles ≈ 4km south-east

Cuxton Village, Whorne's place by River Medway

+ 2 miles ≈ 4km north-west

Luddesdown parish, local manor

Dover, Dover Castle

Maidstone + 35miles South


Fact:

Morganatic mariage does not exist in English law, and the British royal family and British aristocracy, while traditionally concerned with rank, often adopted a far more flexible attitude than their counterparts in many Continental European countries. [Source: W i k i p e d i a]