416 pages, Penguin
Books, ISBN-13: 978-0143114499
So,
Sarah Gristwood’s Elizabeth and
Leicester: The Truth about the Virgin Queen and the Man She Loved sat on my
shelf for years before I finally got around to reading it (a fair description
of most of my books, come to think of it), and I’m rather sorry I waited so
long, for I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have found, lately, that I need to expand
my historical interests, as my first loves – the Napoleonic Wars, the American
Civil War, to name but two – just don’t do it for me like they used to (well,
familiarity does breed contempt, no?). And I thought that Elizabeth and Leicester would fall into the same category, seeing
as I must have half a dozen biographies of the Virgin Queen. But no:
Gristwood’s work kept me enthralled and interested from first page to last, I
am happy to say. And why shouldn’t it: a great deal of speculation has swirled
about the relationship between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Earl of
Leicester, for 400+ years – Were they lovers? Did they have a love child
together? Was Elizabeth complicit in Amy Dudley’s untimely death? – and
Gristwood sorts through the facts and the fiction to present a fascinating
examination of the personal and political impact that this lifelong
relationship had on the queen and her principle favorite.
This
is the first scholarly book to come out in several years about the relationship
of Gloriana and her Robin, and it deftly illuminates just how influential
Robert Dudley was in Elizabeth’s life: not only was he a close friend and
confidante, but he also acted as her ambassador on many occasions; according to
Gristwood, Leicester was tasked to negotiate a marriage for Elizabeth and was
even considered as a potential groom for Mary Queen of Scots, all in order to
serve his Queen’s interests. Elizabeth had the power to set Dudley high or
destroy him, and Leicester seemed to thoroughly captivate her and was,
consequently, able to wield tremendous influence over her because of this and was
powerful enough to be seen as a threat to Elizabeth’s closest political
advisors, William Cecil in particular. Additionally, he championed the
Protestant agenda in England, was chancellor of Oxford University and led
Elizabeth’s armies against the Spanish invasion of the Netherlands. Previous
scholarship, by contrast, tends to depict him as somewhat of a dandy with more
style than substance.
To
be fair, Elizabeth and Leicester has
its share of tabloid elements: there was the rivalry and bitter jealousy
between Elizabeth and Leicester’s wives, one of whom, Amy Dudley, died under
suspicious circumstances that left all of Europe speculating whether or not
Elizabeth had her murdered. Leicester, too, had to deal with his fair share of
rivalry when he witnessed Elizabeth’s flirtations with some of her other
favorites and, worse, Frenchmen. All of Europe waited in breathless
anticipation for Elizabeth to choose a groom, for there seemed to be an endless
parade of men presented to her as potential husbands, and her reluctance to
marry only fueled more speculation about her relationship with Leicester (there
was also the appearance of Arthur Dudley, who claimed to be the bastard son of
Leicester and Elizabeth). These rumors scandalized Europe and still captivate
centuries later but Gristwood presents them in a way that allows her to
deconstruct and dismiss most of them.
There
is much going on in this book, since Gristwood covers Elizabeth’s life from her
childhood to her death, more or less the extent of her relationship to
Leicester. It is meticulously researched yet still completely accessible,
adding fresh insight to the wealth of Elizabethan scholarship and illuminating
all the reasons why Elizabeth is one of the most fascinating monarchs in
English history. Elizabeth and Leicester is a must for fans of Tudor, and
especially Elizabethan, history.
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