adam louis stephanides <astephan at students.uiuc.edu> writes:
1 quoted line
2) The entry for Valeria states that "she becomes regent during the decades of [Severian's] absence." I don't think this is correct. In Urth, ch. IV, p. 27 (hardcover), Severian says: "'I was the Autarch--the ruler--of the Commonwealth; now I'm the surrogate of Urth, and its ambassador.'" Later, there's this dialogue: "'Then you still claim you're really the Autarch?' 'I was,' I told him." (ch. XVI, p. 115) These passages indicate clearly that when Severian left Urth, he ceased to be the Autarch. That being the case, Valeria could not have been Severian's regent. Furthermore, Eata refers to Valeria as being Autarch before she marries Dux Caesidius. (ch. XLVI, p. 328)
I also disagree, though for a different reason. Near the top of chapter 34 of "Urth" Severian indicates that Father Inire is minding the store.
I could be mistaken, but I think the last regency in England was George the Fourth's, after George III was declared insane ...
raster at highfiber.com