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Few lives from history can have contained as many strange and exciting strands as that of Lord Byron's, whose story reflects the great dramas of the Napoleonic era. A vampiric hero of devilish charisma; a martyr for liberty, a licentious lothario; Byron\u2019s cultural and literary impact cannot be underestimated. The remarkable course of his life, and his mercurial nature can in part be explained by the dark events of his childhood, and the outlandish history of his own family. Born with a club foot - his \u201csatanic mark\u201d - to \u201cMad Jack\u201d Byron, a former gigolo dogged by incest and financial ruin, and an unpredictable mother, a strange curse seemed to lie over the family. Impoverished before the inheritance of his title and a romantic ruin in Nottinghamshire, the plump and provincial boy would finally find solace at school and university, where he transformed into the glamorous rake he would become. There too would he discover the dubious sexual passions that would haunt his life\u2026\n\nJoin Tom and Dominic as they discuss the diabolic history of the Byron family, and the young Byron\u2019s birth, troubled upbringing, and controversial adolescence.\n\n\n\n*The Rest Is History LIVE in 2024*\nTom and Dominic are back onstage this summer, at Hampton Court Palace in London!\n\nBuy your tickets here: therestishistory.com\n\nTwitter:\n@TheRestHistory\n@holland_tom\n@dcsandbrook\n\nProducer: Theo Young-Smith\nAssistant Producer: Tabby Syrett\nExecutive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices