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American Heiresses of the Gilded Age
Welcome to the era of true marriages of convenience. Discover the reality of trading someone’s hand in marriage, such as an American heiress, in exchange for money, power, or political clout through compelling history lectures. Showcased in novels such as Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and in present day pop culture through works like Downtown Abbey, the Gilded Age was an era of contradictions. From the end of the Civil War to the start of World War I, life on both sides of the Atlantic was grimy and glamorous, prosperous and impoverished, traditional and revolutionary.
The US economy rose at the highest rate in its history in the 1870s and 1880s, enriching hundreds of families that were able to take advantage of the boom in industrialization and urbanization. Despite their wealth, many of these new-money clans still lacked the social standing they craved. For quite a few families, gaining entry into high society meant sending their daughters across the ocean to capture the hearts—and the lands and titles—of eligible European aristocrats.
Who were the young women (and men) who espoused these sensational alliances between the Old World and the newly wealthy? What motivated them? Did they find happiness along with their entrance into the highest echelons of society? In American Heiresses of the Gilded Age, Professor Melissa Ziobro of Monmouth University introduces listeners to some of the young women whose love lives shaped social norms, transatlantic relations, and even the US economy on a shockingly large scale. What do these "marriages of convenience" say about America at the turn of the century, and what kind of legacy did they leave behind?
Throughout these 10 lectures, listeners will get a fascinating review of the ways Americans both embraced and rebelled against the social hierarchies that rigidly defined life in the Gilded Age. These stories center on social maneuvering and alliances among the fabulously wealthy and are also highly personal experiences of broken hearts, strange bedfellows, and - occasionally - a happily-ever-after.
The US economy rose at the highest rate in its history in the 1870s and 1880s, enriching hundreds of families that were able to take advantage of the boom in industrialization and urbanization. Despite their wealth, many of these new-money clans still lacked the social standing they craved. For quite a few families, gaining entry into high society meant sending their daughters across the ocean to capture the hearts—and the lands and titles—of eligible European aristocrats.
Who were the young women (and men) who espoused these sensational alliances between the Old World and the newly wealthy? What motivated them? Did they find happiness along with their entrance into the highest echelons of society? In American Heiresses of the Gilded Age, Professor Melissa Ziobro of Monmouth University introduces listeners to some of the young women whose love lives shaped social norms, transatlantic relations, and even the US economy on a shockingly large scale. What do these "marriages of convenience" say about America at the turn of the century, and what kind of legacy did they leave behind?
Throughout these 10 lectures, listeners will get a fascinating review of the ways Americans both embraced and rebelled against the social hierarchies that rigidly defined life in the Gilded Age. These stories center on social maneuvering and alliances among the fabulously wealthy and are also highly personal experiences of broken hearts, strange bedfellows, and - occasionally - a happily-ever-after.
Audible Audio
Published December 19, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 27, 2021
This is interesting, fun and reasonably well researched.
This field is a bit over saturated even though 500 marriages occurred.
There's other books that cover this same topic in considerably more depth.
I'd recommend Husband Hunters by Anne de Courcy which is incredibly detailed.
I liked that this book didn't just focus on women who married British Artistocrats but covered other European Royalty as well.
That said I dislike this authors pretense that 'Robber Baron' is pejorative because its actually descriptive.
The Robber Barons were horrible. The Commodore Vanderbilt was particularly awful, he stole from his own daughter the daughter's & wives of wealthy friends who came to him for financial advice.
He forced his wife and kids to work for their upkeep when he was already quite wealthy.
The reason we have so many laws and regulations is because these Robber Barons were shameless thieves.
That said it isn't the Industrial Revolution alone that accounts for the wealth of the father's of these American Brides.
Nope.
Most of these Robber Barobs made their initial money/investment with funds 'earned' via contracts during The Civil War to supply soldiers with necessities like wool socks.
These future Robber Barons sold shoddy products and in many cases sent no supplies at all while pocketing the money from the Union or Confederate Army.
That's the foundation of their first obscene million and the business practices get more horrifying and ruthless as time goes on.
They take these funds and invest them in factories via the Industrial Revolution and become wealthier.
Finally they institute immoral business practices largely involving lies, deception and outright theft.
These are horrible men and I'm not sorry nor surprised their daughters suffered 🤷🏾♀️
This field is a bit over saturated even though 500 marriages occurred.
There's other books that cover this same topic in considerably more depth.
I'd recommend Husband Hunters by Anne de Courcy which is incredibly detailed.
I liked that this book didn't just focus on women who married British Artistocrats but covered other European Royalty as well.
That said I dislike this authors pretense that 'Robber Baron' is pejorative because its actually descriptive.
The Robber Barons were horrible. The Commodore Vanderbilt was particularly awful, he stole from his own daughter the daughter's & wives of wealthy friends who came to him for financial advice.
He forced his wife and kids to work for their upkeep when he was already quite wealthy.
The reason we have so many laws and regulations is because these Robber Barons were shameless thieves.
That said it isn't the Industrial Revolution alone that accounts for the wealth of the father's of these American Brides.
Nope.
Most of these Robber Barobs made their initial money/investment with funds 'earned' via contracts during The Civil War to supply soldiers with necessities like wool socks.
These future Robber Barons sold shoddy products and in many cases sent no supplies at all while pocketing the money from the Union or Confederate Army.
That's the foundation of their first obscene million and the business practices get more horrifying and ruthless as time goes on.
They take these funds and invest them in factories via the Industrial Revolution and become wealthier.
Finally they institute immoral business practices largely involving lies, deception and outright theft.
These are horrible men and I'm not sorry nor surprised their daughters suffered 🤷🏾♀️
June 21, 2025
This is a quick look at a number of American women who married to gain titles of nobility and the reasons (both economic and socially) why that became so popular during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
These lectures give some color to history. I enjoyed listening and understanding why a British nobleman might think that marrying a rich American heiress made a lot of sense at the time given the tax advantages and the way that noblemen were often land rich but cash poor. Asking a rich father and mother to marry their heiress daughter often turned into a business negotiation for including a dowry and generous allowance just to get the title of duchess. Some of those castles didn't even have indoor plumbing, so those rich fathers were willing to improve them for their little girls.
Such marriages are no longer in vogue but I found it interesting how the marriages of those days allowed American women to shape their British and European progeny including many who became prominent in history.
FYI, it took some getting used to the professor. She tends to drop her "t"s. It is like pronouncing the word "important" as "imporant". It was a little annoying, but I have noticed this trend in pronunciation in the media.
I'd listen to this audiobook course again.
These lectures give some color to history. I enjoyed listening and understanding why a British nobleman might think that marrying a rich American heiress made a lot of sense at the time given the tax advantages and the way that noblemen were often land rich but cash poor. Asking a rich father and mother to marry their heiress daughter often turned into a business negotiation for including a dowry and generous allowance just to get the title of duchess. Some of those castles didn't even have indoor plumbing, so those rich fathers were willing to improve them for their little girls.
Such marriages are no longer in vogue but I found it interesting how the marriages of those days allowed American women to shape their British and European progeny including many who became prominent in history.
FYI, it took some getting used to the professor. She tends to drop her "t"s. It is like pronouncing the word "important" as "imporant". It was a little annoying, but I have noticed this trend in pronunciation in the media.
I'd listen to this audiobook course again.
September 15, 2022
Eh! This is really a set of lectures, rather than a historical fiction book. I couldn't stand the lecturer's pronunciation of Bri'ain over and over again. Is this part of a standard New Jersey accent?
September 8, 2021
Listening to this short work, you'll hear these phrases many times over:
"Dollar Princesses"
"Cash for Class"
"Dollars for Distinction"
This is a bit of history I never knew existed. In America's gilded age, cash-strapped European nobility sought to marry the daughters of extremely wealthy Americans. Those women did this (or were pushed into doing this) in order to have the acclaim of a title like "Duchess" or "Baroness" matches to their name. The nobles did this because they were desperate for cash to maintain their sprawling, decaying mansions and estates. The matches, as you can imagine, were a mixed bag; some relationships were loving, some loveless. Some successful, some failed. It's interesting how large a part of the zeitgeist these were, with people, newspapers and politicians commonly discussing the trend of "Dollar Princesses"
"Dollar Princesses"
"Cash for Class"
"Dollars for Distinction"
This is a bit of history I never knew existed. In America's gilded age, cash-strapped European nobility sought to marry the daughters of extremely wealthy Americans. Those women did this (or were pushed into doing this) in order to have the acclaim of a title like "Duchess" or "Baroness" matches to their name. The nobles did this because they were desperate for cash to maintain their sprawling, decaying mansions and estates. The matches, as you can imagine, were a mixed bag; some relationships were loving, some loveless. Some successful, some failed. It's interesting how large a part of the zeitgeist these were, with people, newspapers and politicians commonly discussing the trend of "Dollar Princesses"
December 12, 2021
A good, adequately documented account of the Dollar Princess phenomenon. The vast majority of this material may be obtained by reading an Edith Wharton novel, however, the discussion of the economic impact of US$ leaving the country to pay off foreign debts distinguishes it and was thought provoking. The author introduced but did not fully develop the seemingly overnight change in thought of sending women off to achieve status by achieving a title with the rise of the suffragette movement and the rise of a quest for more independence and rights for women. Overall, a big payoff in information for a short time investment.
April 22, 2026
For the fact that some of the themes revolve around basically marrying women away to exploit their wealth, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Killers of the Flower Moon and think about how that exploitation story was even more egregious than what’s going on here. In any case I found the discussion about wealth and marriages of convenience to be pretty interesting for the high society of it all. Plus the clash between politics, economics and love is usually pretty engaging.
October 6, 2025
I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook! This is a fascinating subject, especially for those fans of the HBO series the Gilded Age. It gives you a taste of the background culture and helps you appreciate the show that much more. It makes the big picture click for fans of Downtown Abbey as well! A great listen! Excellent author.
April 10, 2022
Good guide about the American businesses who married into the English aristocracy also Downton Abbey. Detailing the good bits and the bad bits in equal measure its a good beginners guide to this particular topic.
November 15, 2022
A captivating narrative that utilises a host of primary sources and historiographical perspectives. This is, nevertheless, only an introduction to the subject but it certainly poses intriguing opportunities to develop the subject in future.
May 1, 2024
I love the history of the Gilded Age in Europe and North America. These lectures covered a very specific part of that era. When American women married European nobility. Results were mixed, but I enjoyed learning about them.
January 28, 2026
Very interesting to listen to, although the idea of being a Dollar Princess was interesting in the beginning, the things the women had to put on were really not worth it. Amusing to know that transcontinental marriages were a trend and repeats itself every once in a while in society.
May 23, 2021
Interesting and helped me understand the economic impact of the dollar princesses which I had not considered prior to listening to the lectures.
June 16, 2021
Maybe 4.5, but very interesting history about the women who revived Europe's noble houses with their millions. I had no idea of the monumental economic effect they had.
December 29, 2021
A tad repetitive on some facts, but a good listen overall.
February 1, 2022
Interesting little history of yet another way Europe was saved by the US.
March 16, 2023
This is a great lectures course. Not a nonfiction book for those who aren’t interested with the platform.
It was a fun, intriguing read. A bit repetitive, but interesting all the same.
It was a fun, intriguing read. A bit repetitive, but interesting all the same.
March 17, 2025
Interesting subject and added to what i'd already read before.
I am beginning to wonder why all the female narrators/experts in this series sound so similar.
I am beginning to wonder why all the female narrators/experts in this series sound so similar.
February 12, 2026
The book was interesting & covered new territory about the US PRINESSES who married for titles
April 14, 2026
Good overview
July 20, 2021
Wonderful Course / book!
Melissa intrigues you with the tales of love… no money and the plan for debt reduction via marriage and children, how else has the civilized world been populated.
Enjoyable afternoon read.
Melissa intrigues you with the tales of love… no money and the plan for debt reduction via marriage and children, how else has the civilized world been populated.
Enjoyable afternoon read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews