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Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince
A new portrait that casts the queen as she saw not as an exceptional woman, but as an exceptional ruler
Queen Elizabeth I was all too happy to play on courtly conventions of gender when it suited her “weak and feeble woman’s body” to do so for political gain. But in Elizabeth , historian Lisa Hilton offers ample evidence why those famous words should not be taken at face value. With new research out of France, Italy, Russia, and Turkey, Hilton’s fresh interpretation is of a queen who saw herself primarily as a Renaissance prince and used Machiavellian statecraft to secure that position. A decade since the last major biography, this Elizabeth breaks new ground and depicts a queen who was much less constrained by her femininity than most treatments claim. For readers of David Starkey and Alison Weir, it will provide a new, complex perspective on Elizabeth’s emotional and sexual life. It’s a fascinating journey that shows how a marginalized newly crowned queen, whose European contemporaries considered her to be the illegitimate ruler of a pariah nation, ultimately adapted to become England’s first recognizably modern head of state.
Queen Elizabeth I was all too happy to play on courtly conventions of gender when it suited her “weak and feeble woman’s body” to do so for political gain. But in Elizabeth , historian Lisa Hilton offers ample evidence why those famous words should not be taken at face value. With new research out of France, Italy, Russia, and Turkey, Hilton’s fresh interpretation is of a queen who saw herself primarily as a Renaissance prince and used Machiavellian statecraft to secure that position. A decade since the last major biography, this Elizabeth breaks new ground and depicts a queen who was much less constrained by her femininity than most treatments claim. For readers of David Starkey and Alison Weir, it will provide a new, complex perspective on Elizabeth’s emotional and sexual life. It’s a fascinating journey that shows how a marginalized newly crowned queen, whose European contemporaries considered her to be the illegitimate ruler of a pariah nation, ultimately adapted to become England’s first recognizably modern head of state.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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1210 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Hilton
32 books119 followersLisa Hilton is an author and biographer. She grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris. After eight years in New York, Paris and Milan she has recently returned to England and now lives in London with her husband and their daughter. Her work has appeared in Vogue, Elle, the Evening Standard and the Telegraph, among others.
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October 29, 2015
If you wanted to create a character for your novel or play, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with someone as interesting and story-worthy as England’s Elizabeth I. After her mother, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded Elizabeth was declared a bastard, but she continued with her rigorous education and the hardships she experienced as a result of her demotion helped make her politically savvy, a trait that saved her neck more than once and ultimately put her on the throne. I’ve enjoyed several biographies about Elizabeth I, but this one has extras that make it stand out.
Lisa Hilton’s premise is that Elizabeth saw herself as a Renaissance prince, and while Elizabeth was happy to invoke the conventions of courtly females when it suited her, she lived in an age when royal gender was more fluid than we might think now. Hilton spends some time describing the Renaissance era and what being a Renaissance prince would mean, which leads her to a discussion of contemporary literature, period attitudes, and Machiavelli. Elizabeth’s relatively long life is covered thoroughly, but more space is given to art analysis, cultural philosophies, and intellectual history than I’ve read elsewhere, which I found fascinating. I’ve read other books by Hilton, my favorite being Horror of Love about Nancy Mitford, and I appreciate the broad scope and thoughtful scrutiny she brings to her subjects, this book about Elizabeth being no exception.
I read an ebook review copy of this book supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss. Review opinions are mine.
Lisa Hilton’s premise is that Elizabeth saw herself as a Renaissance prince, and while Elizabeth was happy to invoke the conventions of courtly females when it suited her, she lived in an age when royal gender was more fluid than we might think now. Hilton spends some time describing the Renaissance era and what being a Renaissance prince would mean, which leads her to a discussion of contemporary literature, period attitudes, and Machiavelli. Elizabeth’s relatively long life is covered thoroughly, but more space is given to art analysis, cultural philosophies, and intellectual history than I’ve read elsewhere, which I found fascinating. I’ve read other books by Hilton, my favorite being Horror of Love about Nancy Mitford, and I appreciate the broad scope and thoughtful scrutiny she brings to her subjects, this book about Elizabeth being no exception.
I read an ebook review copy of this book supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss. Review opinions are mine.
August 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this biography of Queen Elizabeth I, though I'm not surprised it has gotten some 1- and 2-star reviews. This is probably not the best first biography of Elizabeth (others are shorter and more lively in style). Nor does it break new ground in terms of facts about her life (are there really many more "facts" to be uncovered?)
But where Hilton really excels is in her insightful analysis and her use of broad context. I like her initial thesis that Elizabeth presents a powerful model of a "Renaissance Prince" and found her argument on this pretty compelling. But even more than that, I like how she constantly explores the broader context. Looking at Elizabeth's portraits in the context of the larger setting of painting in this era is illuminating, as is the broader context of where England fit in terms of art of this era. In my experience, few biographers draw from the broader context in making their arguments.
This felt like a scholarly biography, written as much for academics and advanced students as for the general public. But for me, that's what made it rewarding. I enjoy reading biographies written by smart people who have done extensive research and encourage to think in new ways about a person. Hilton brilliantly succeeded at this.
But where Hilton really excels is in her insightful analysis and her use of broad context. I like her initial thesis that Elizabeth presents a powerful model of a "Renaissance Prince" and found her argument on this pretty compelling. But even more than that, I like how she constantly explores the broader context. Looking at Elizabeth's portraits in the context of the larger setting of painting in this era is illuminating, as is the broader context of where England fit in terms of art of this era. In my experience, few biographers draw from the broader context in making their arguments.
This felt like a scholarly biography, written as much for academics and advanced students as for the general public. But for me, that's what made it rewarding. I enjoy reading biographies written by smart people who have done extensive research and encourage to think in new ways about a person. Hilton brilliantly succeeded at this.
February 19, 2016
Elizabeth I was a BOSS BITCH. I mean boss prince. Duh.
June 30, 2018
I had high hopes for Lisa Hilton’s book about one of the most famous monarchs of all time who has appeared in films, stage plays, TV and opera. It was marketed as being somehow ’defining’. We’ve all heard the stories of the scandals, murder, intrigue and glamour of her court. Did I get any closer to Elizabeth? Not really. The book is very academic, with dates and years and everything that went on in Europe during those tumultuous times. We get spesific details from how people were smuggled in or out of England, Walsingham’s plots, the murder of Mary Stuart to how many dresses the Queen had. Yet I feel I don’t know Good Bess at all. Hilton accomplishes to remain unbiased, even calling Mary’s execution a murder (which it was) and calling out some of Elizabeth’s more nefarious traits yet exclaiming her unique talent to fuse femininity with being a ”female king.” The book being very concise and short, 325 pages without notes, I felt there was more to tell. Her story is after all one of the most reproduced of all the monarchs. But like I said, it’s highly academic and scholar-like so sentiment or narrative should be scarce here. Perhaps I should have read Philippa Gregory instead? Or maybe I prefer Antonia Fraser’s more personal way of telling a person’s history? It’s a matter of taste after all.
February 19, 2019
A fantastic and compelling biography of one of my favourite historical leaders. Elizabeth Tudor is someone who had to adopt both masculine and feminine traits in order to rule effectively, as Hopkins puts it, she mastered the art of blending the "body politic" and the "body natural". What I find most interesting about Elizabeth is how she responded to the events around her which massively affected her choices as queen: the ghost of her mother Anne Boleyn's execution, and the failures of her sister Mary I. She clearly made some very firm choices when becoming queen at the age of 25. I really admire her intelligence, pragmatism, and statecraft. She was the epitome of the Renaissance Prince.
December 26, 2015
I've read a lot about Elizabeth. A lot. This was a very refreshing take.
October 7, 2019
Of all the periods of English history the Tudor dynasty, and the Elizabethan period in particular have become my heaviest bookshelf. From J.B. Black's Oxford History, 'The Reign of Elizabeth I 1558-1603' to Alison Weir's 'Elizabeth the Queen', David Loades' 'Elizabeth I', Neville Williams' 'The Life & Times of Elizabeth I' through to Peter Ackroyd's 'Tudors'. I clearly have a fascination for this monarch that keeps bringing me back to these times.
Lisa Hilton's biography of 'Good Queen Bess' is proclaimed as a new approach, a reassessment of her reign.
'Elizabeth Renaissance Prince' is quite unlike the previous works that I have read. From the first chapter Hilton propounds her interpretation of Elizabeth as a Renaissance Prince. I found the narrative of the momentous change in 15th century Europe very interesting indeed. The invention of the printing press, the mass production of books that caused great change in the intellectual climate of the day. A period which saw feudalism give way to capitalism which caused a fundamental shift in the methods and practice of authority from which emerged the nation-state. The morphology of this state was first articulated by Machiavelli, whose printed works 'The Prince' and 'The Discourses' were published in 1532. For Machiavelli, the ruler's primary duty was the preservation of the state at any cost and by any means. Machiavellian thought propounded that immoral actions by the state could, according to circumstance, be ethical. He proposed that political success demands morally obnoxious acts from anyone seriously engaged in politics.
It is from this perspective that the author constructs her view of Elizabeth's reign, to preserve England as an independent protestant European state.
Lisa Hilton's biography of 'Good Queen Bess' is proclaimed as a new approach, a reassessment of her reign.
'Elizabeth Renaissance Prince' is quite unlike the previous works that I have read. From the first chapter Hilton propounds her interpretation of Elizabeth as a Renaissance Prince. I found the narrative of the momentous change in 15th century Europe very interesting indeed. The invention of the printing press, the mass production of books that caused great change in the intellectual climate of the day. A period which saw feudalism give way to capitalism which caused a fundamental shift in the methods and practice of authority from which emerged the nation-state. The morphology of this state was first articulated by Machiavelli, whose printed works 'The Prince' and 'The Discourses' were published in 1532. For Machiavelli, the ruler's primary duty was the preservation of the state at any cost and by any means. Machiavellian thought propounded that immoral actions by the state could, according to circumstance, be ethical. He proposed that political success demands morally obnoxious acts from anyone seriously engaged in politics.
It is from this perspective that the author constructs her view of Elizabeth's reign, to preserve England as an independent protestant European state.
March 8, 2016
Worth reading but not astounding. I've read quite a few books on Elizabeth I and found very little that was "new" in this one. I know it's touted as being somehow very different from the others...but it didn't seem surprising to me to consider that Elizabeth saw herself as a Prince, or as a proponent of Machiavellian statecraft. Perhaps no other author has spent an entire book putting those thoughts forward, but surely they've been covered. The author's style is less engaging than, say, Allison Weir. Again, wprth reading but didn't live up to the hype.
November 2, 2024
Excellent stuff!
I'm not sure why I put off reading this book for so long - but I'm glad I did. It has been the perfect book at the perfect time for researching my next novel.
I'm not sure why I put off reading this book for so long - but I'm glad I did. It has been the perfect book at the perfect time for researching my next novel.
January 1, 2016
Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince by Lisa Hilton (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 400 pages, $27.00/12.99) is a dense and rewarding exploration of this remarkable English ruler who happened to be a woman. Elizabeth (1533-1603), Henry VIII's daughter by Anne Boleyn spent much of her life battling to establish and maintain herself as the ruler of a country divided by major issues of succession, religious conflict, and political threat from larger, richer countries Spain and France. Machiavelli's seminal work The Prince had been published in Italy in 1513, influencing the emerging European Renaissance to reconsider the role of its leaders and the conflict between declining feudalism and emerging rulers who learned to understand the developing idea of the nation/stage largely under his influence. Hilton emphasizes the conflict between the chivalric courtly politics of the middle ages and the era of national statecraft that comes to flower during Elizabeth's long and glorious reign. During this period, feudalism begins giving way to nascent capitalism. The book explores elements of Elizabeth's development, education, and precariousness that make her accomplishments seem even greater for their lack of inevitability.
While the world swirled around the religious and political ferment attendant to Henry VIII's sexual appetites combined with his desire to leave a male heir, Elizabeth spent her youth squirreled away, mostly out of the political whirlwind at Court, getting a first rate Renaissance education from a range of tutors, mostly associated with St. John's College – Cambridge. She spoke and read in French, Italian, Latin, and German while studying math, astronomy, natural science, music and geography. Her studies in rhetoric, grammar and logic helped polish her use of reason and argument. In other words, she was educated and smart, trained to become ruler of her nation in the increasingly likely absence of a male successor to the throne. Meanwhile, always in danger, she waited out the accession and quick passing of her sickly brother Edward as well as Mary, the Catholic daughter of Katherine of Aragon and Lady Jane Grey.
Hilton spends significant time explaining Elizabeth in terms of the iconography (artistic symbolism) and conventions of courtly love during the period she was ruler of England. While the political winds were rapidly changing all across Europe, Elizabeth established herself as the symbolic as well as actual ruler of her country at least partly through the manipulation of the symbols legitimizing her divine right to govern. Hilton uses details in contemporary paintings and descriptions of elaborate tableaux and pageants as support. The references to then common allusions to Greek and Roman mythology support her contentions.
The other major support for Hilton's portrait of Elizabeth lies in her description of the uses of the conventions of courtly love in Court relationships. This conventional behavior relied upon symbolic language and elaborate flirtation to develop and maintain relationships which actually had no recourse to ever being acted upon in private liaisons. While Hilton refuses to be categorical in this contention, she suggests that Elizabeth did, indeed, die a virgin queen. She successfully established herself as being beyond gender, except whe it suited her to appear weak and feminine.
The courtiers engage in an almost tidal ebb and flow of influence and power within the Court of Elizabeth as advisers and sycophants vie for becoming favorites or fall from favor, placing their lives in jeopardy. There were so many individuals and powerful families from across Europe discussed in the text that I was forced into fairly frequent referal to Wikipedia to help me keep all the personae straight. This is probably more a testament to lapses in my own education than to Hilton's writing. Within this miasma of interlocking power and betrayal, the use of spies, torture, incarceration and execution leads to plenty of intrigue as well as much blood a gore. The struggle for power and favor within the Elizabethan court was not a game for the faint of heart!
Lisa Hilton grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris. After eight years in New York, Paris and Milan she has recently returned to England and now lives in London with her daughter Ottavia. In addition to writing biography, she also works as a journalist, lecturer and broadcaster. She publishes widely in popular periodicals as well as in professional journals.
Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince by Lisa Hilton (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 400 pages, $27.00/12.99) provides readers with a mature and nuanced view of Elizabeth I's life, with particular reference to her growing competence as a ruler and her often brutal responses to opposition or danger to her person or her country. Eventually, Elizabeth sacrifices any hope of personal joy or fulfillment for the sake of the realm and its continued development. The book is a solid piece of careful scholarship developing themes of Elizabeth's rule emphasizing her statesmanship and political savvy rather than her loves and adventures. It seems her major failure seems to have been an inability to achieve both continuity of succession and maintenance of her reign. I recommend this book to serious readers of history who are willing to work at their reading. I received the book as an e-galley supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss: Above the Tree Line. I read it on my Kindle App. If you consider purchasing this title, please use the Amazon portal on my blog at www.tedlehmann.blogspot.com
While the world swirled around the religious and political ferment attendant to Henry VIII's sexual appetites combined with his desire to leave a male heir, Elizabeth spent her youth squirreled away, mostly out of the political whirlwind at Court, getting a first rate Renaissance education from a range of tutors, mostly associated with St. John's College – Cambridge. She spoke and read in French, Italian, Latin, and German while studying math, astronomy, natural science, music and geography. Her studies in rhetoric, grammar and logic helped polish her use of reason and argument. In other words, she was educated and smart, trained to become ruler of her nation in the increasingly likely absence of a male successor to the throne. Meanwhile, always in danger, she waited out the accession and quick passing of her sickly brother Edward as well as Mary, the Catholic daughter of Katherine of Aragon and Lady Jane Grey.
Hilton spends significant time explaining Elizabeth in terms of the iconography (artistic symbolism) and conventions of courtly love during the period she was ruler of England. While the political winds were rapidly changing all across Europe, Elizabeth established herself as the symbolic as well as actual ruler of her country at least partly through the manipulation of the symbols legitimizing her divine right to govern. Hilton uses details in contemporary paintings and descriptions of elaborate tableaux and pageants as support. The references to then common allusions to Greek and Roman mythology support her contentions.
The other major support for Hilton's portrait of Elizabeth lies in her description of the uses of the conventions of courtly love in Court relationships. This conventional behavior relied upon symbolic language and elaborate flirtation to develop and maintain relationships which actually had no recourse to ever being acted upon in private liaisons. While Hilton refuses to be categorical in this contention, she suggests that Elizabeth did, indeed, die a virgin queen. She successfully established herself as being beyond gender, except whe it suited her to appear weak and feminine.
The courtiers engage in an almost tidal ebb and flow of influence and power within the Court of Elizabeth as advisers and sycophants vie for becoming favorites or fall from favor, placing their lives in jeopardy. There were so many individuals and powerful families from across Europe discussed in the text that I was forced into fairly frequent referal to Wikipedia to help me keep all the personae straight. This is probably more a testament to lapses in my own education than to Hilton's writing. Within this miasma of interlocking power and betrayal, the use of spies, torture, incarceration and execution leads to plenty of intrigue as well as much blood a gore. The struggle for power and favor within the Elizabethan court was not a game for the faint of heart!
Lisa Hilton grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris. After eight years in New York, Paris and Milan she has recently returned to England and now lives in London with her daughter Ottavia. In addition to writing biography, she also works as a journalist, lecturer and broadcaster. She publishes widely in popular periodicals as well as in professional journals.
Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince by Lisa Hilton (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 400 pages, $27.00/12.99) provides readers with a mature and nuanced view of Elizabeth I's life, with particular reference to her growing competence as a ruler and her often brutal responses to opposition or danger to her person or her country. Eventually, Elizabeth sacrifices any hope of personal joy or fulfillment for the sake of the realm and its continued development. The book is a solid piece of careful scholarship developing themes of Elizabeth's rule emphasizing her statesmanship and political savvy rather than her loves and adventures. It seems her major failure seems to have been an inability to achieve both continuity of succession and maintenance of her reign. I recommend this book to serious readers of history who are willing to work at their reading. I received the book as an e-galley supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss: Above the Tree Line. I read it on my Kindle App. If you consider purchasing this title, please use the Amazon portal on my blog at www.tedlehmann.blogspot.com
July 12, 2018
This was okay. I mean, it’s probably hard to write about Elizabethan politics and not be at least mildly interesting. Alas, the author has a distracting habit of hopping from topic to topic and year to year with all the grace of a frog in a sock, so it’s hard to follow her thesis. It doesn’t help that the author has chosen to number her chapters rather than give them descriptive headings - some guidance to the reader would have been helpful to follow the thread of her subjects. In the end, I feel I know only a little about Elizabeth’s reign, and I’m not even sure the author managed to prove her thesis that she was a Machiavellian monarch.
December 5, 2018
I wanted to read a biography of Elizabeth having read a Phillipa Gregory book based on her. I felt the Gregory book was far too loosely based on fact having read a biography sometime ago so I decided to read a different biography rather than the same one again. I found this book fascinating and despite feeling that I knew quite a lot about Elizabethan times learnt a great deal and was astonished at the scope of the contacts that Elizabeth and her advisors had, from Russia to the Ottoman empire. I found that I had very little knowledge of the French throne so I could have done with a little more explanation about the religious differences that seemed to revolve around Henri II.
February 16, 2024
I was so impressed with this book!!! I always find myself confused trying to understand how the governments functioned during these times. I feel like the writer helped me understand all the power dynamics excellently. I also loved how she focused more on Elizabeth’s successes. I find a lot of biographies about powerful political figures spend too much time on their personal lives and not their accomplishments. To read about a time when so many women rules europe is a favorite topic of mine and I found this book to be one of the most easy to understand. Queen Elizabeth is now one of my favorite queens and this book plays a major role in that!!!
May 31, 2023
Everything you wanted to know about Elizabeth I but we’re afraid to ask. The richness of detail is excellent for those like myself who appreciate historic detail. The only reason I did not give it full marks is due to the number of times I had to reread passages for clarity, especially to find out which antecedent was connected to a pronoun. More of a compositional or editorial problem. The content is detailed, balanced, and well done.
April 18, 2019
An interesting perspective which looked into Elizabeth as being portrayed as a prince, whilst also showing how she used both her feminine and masculine charms to rule. The only issue was how it seemed the narrative was switching between past and present rather than fluently from the start of her reign to the end. However, it has been extremely useful towards my dissertation.
February 14, 2017
Phenomenally well written non-fiction study of Queen Elizabeth I. If you're a fan of Tudor history - you must add this to your TBR list.
Hilton closely looks at Elizabeth's life from before her birth (via the battle between Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn) to her death and after.
Hilton closely looks at Elizabeth's life from before her birth (via the battle between Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn) to her death and after.
December 21, 2020
Lots of detail about the politics that sometimes read slowly, but interesting info.
July 29, 2025
My nonfiction for July. I learned that we are 4th cousins 18 times removed.
March 8, 2017
An objective, well written biography that explores the lesser known aspects of Elizabeth’s life, from her education, her relationship with her father, siblings and her eventual rivalry with Mary I and Mary, Queen of Scots, to the last years of her reign, and people’s perception of her during and in the aftermath of her death.
Elizabeth I is glorified in English history as the greatest monarch that ever lived. Not only that, but she has accolade of fans who -in their attempt to defend her- end up doing her the same disservice her rivals did back in the day. By putting her in a pedestal, she stops being a human being -an opportunistic, politically savvy, strong woman who was also a flawed individual, but didn’t let her demons get in the way of making her country great- and instead becomes a caricature.
Lisa Hilton also dispels myths about her rivals and family members, primarily her mother (Anne Boleyn), her half-sister (Mary I), her rival (Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots), and lastly, her last stepmother, Kathryn Parr.
What emerges is a woman who was deeply scarred by her experience but, as previously stated, learned from them, and used her femininity as her shield against her enemies before she became Queen. When she was Queen, she was stern while also cautious to a fault, affirming nothing and denying nothing. She played both sides and like most female rulers, she regarded herself as half-divine, her power justified by her intellectual and political prowess. But Lisa Hilton notes that the Virgin Queen would not have been as successful had it not been for her councilors. She often clashed with the more radical Protestant faction. They wanted a republic, one modeled after the classical Greek and Roman Republics, and were emboldened by the Netherlands and their Northern neighbors, the Scots. Of the latter, the Netherlands were more successful, and it was largely in part to Elizabeth. But as with many politicians today, supporting one’s cause, doesn’t mean you agree with them.
As a pragmatist, Elizabeth was in need of allies and if the Catholic countries would continue to conspire against her, she would do the same and look elsewhere. The end result is a contradictory tale. Elizabeth applauded her father’s establishment and the supremacy of the Church of England because it placed the monarch above the law, on the other hand, she despised other Protestant doctrines that downplayed the monarch’s power and wished to return to the times of a classical republic. Elizabeth supported them because she needed them, but deep down she despised what they were doing and whenever some of her countrymen got similar ideas, she struck back.
This is a biography that history buffs, especially those who are sick and tired of generalizations of their favorite Tudor monarchs, will appreciate. If you are new to the Tudor era, worry not, this book is easy to follow, highly descriptive and engaging from start to finish.
Elizabeth I is glorified in English history as the greatest monarch that ever lived. Not only that, but she has accolade of fans who -in their attempt to defend her- end up doing her the same disservice her rivals did back in the day. By putting her in a pedestal, she stops being a human being -an opportunistic, politically savvy, strong woman who was also a flawed individual, but didn’t let her demons get in the way of making her country great- and instead becomes a caricature.
Lisa Hilton also dispels myths about her rivals and family members, primarily her mother (Anne Boleyn), her half-sister (Mary I), her rival (Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots), and lastly, her last stepmother, Kathryn Parr.
What emerges is a woman who was deeply scarred by her experience but, as previously stated, learned from them, and used her femininity as her shield against her enemies before she became Queen. When she was Queen, she was stern while also cautious to a fault, affirming nothing and denying nothing. She played both sides and like most female rulers, she regarded herself as half-divine, her power justified by her intellectual and political prowess. But Lisa Hilton notes that the Virgin Queen would not have been as successful had it not been for her councilors. She often clashed with the more radical Protestant faction. They wanted a republic, one modeled after the classical Greek and Roman Republics, and were emboldened by the Netherlands and their Northern neighbors, the Scots. Of the latter, the Netherlands were more successful, and it was largely in part to Elizabeth. But as with many politicians today, supporting one’s cause, doesn’t mean you agree with them.
As a pragmatist, Elizabeth was in need of allies and if the Catholic countries would continue to conspire against her, she would do the same and look elsewhere. The end result is a contradictory tale. Elizabeth applauded her father’s establishment and the supremacy of the Church of England because it placed the monarch above the law, on the other hand, she despised other Protestant doctrines that downplayed the monarch’s power and wished to return to the times of a classical republic. Elizabeth supported them because she needed them, but deep down she despised what they were doing and whenever some of her countrymen got similar ideas, she struck back.
This is a biography that history buffs, especially those who are sick and tired of generalizations of their favorite Tudor monarchs, will appreciate. If you are new to the Tudor era, worry not, this book is easy to follow, highly descriptive and engaging from start to finish.
March 23, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you like history of the monarchy, you will too.
If you like history of the monarchy, you will too.
August 31, 2024
Absolutely amazing
July 30, 2016
This book is better than the rating of three I have given it. It is well written, interesting, and comprehensive. The author supports her biography with direct references from original sources and does so gracefully; her use of her sources support and enhance the story of Elizabeth's life.
She has a theme (Elizabeth as Machiavellian Prince). I am fine with this. It adds an interesting flavor and it gives you something to think on as the biography plays out as it must and did. I should add that I (as probably most of the people reading this book) have read multiple biographies of the various Tudors so I am receptive to an approach that challenges me to think of Elizabeth via a particular political lens.
However, if I knew nothing of Elizabeth and were first being introduced to the complicated and fascinating life of this woman, I would prefer not to have the artificial structure of Machiavelli's Morality of Power acting as a straightjacket on Elizabeth. The girl and woman who wove through the dangerous maze that was life with her megalomaniacal father and her spiteful half-sister emerged at the age of twenty-six with an education that was unique to the her own life and experiences. It is clear that she often ruthlessly took into account political considerations but she also knew a personal, familial side to the equation. It may be your sister who would look for reasons to kill you. It was your father who might welcome you lovingly to his court or banish you as a bastard. Her politics was infused with the personal complexities of family and loves, whether it was the husband of her loving step-mother (Thomas Seymour) or the young boy-toy of her elderly days (Earl of Essex). As Elizabeth said in one passage, "Affection is false". It's complicated.
I protest too much though. I *have* read other biographies so I am more than happy to consider the theme - it adds spice to the coffee table discussion.
So why the three rating? I am embarrassed to to say but I will anyway. At one point the author cites the theories of art of Aristotle and Plato. She flips them, asserting Plato's theory to Aristotle and Aristotle to Plato. Plato for example asserted that art is mimetic; a mere imitation of reality which in turn is a mere imitation of the forms. Thrice removed from the Truth. I don't happen to agree with Plato, but that's beside the point. The book simply had it wrong.
This is a pedantic point. I'm sure it was just an isolated mistake, but it introduced doubt and I found the doubt was distracting. Was it just a printing mistake or did she not know Plato's theory of art (yet was referencing it)? The book has an authoritative, assertive voice - and now I had a little voice of doubt on its right to be authoritative. I stilled enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but as a book for people who have already read biographies of Elizabeth.
She has a theme (Elizabeth as Machiavellian Prince). I am fine with this. It adds an interesting flavor and it gives you something to think on as the biography plays out as it must and did. I should add that I (as probably most of the people reading this book) have read multiple biographies of the various Tudors so I am receptive to an approach that challenges me to think of Elizabeth via a particular political lens.
However, if I knew nothing of Elizabeth and were first being introduced to the complicated and fascinating life of this woman, I would prefer not to have the artificial structure of Machiavelli's Morality of Power acting as a straightjacket on Elizabeth. The girl and woman who wove through the dangerous maze that was life with her megalomaniacal father and her spiteful half-sister emerged at the age of twenty-six with an education that was unique to the her own life and experiences. It is clear that she often ruthlessly took into account political considerations but she also knew a personal, familial side to the equation. It may be your sister who would look for reasons to kill you. It was your father who might welcome you lovingly to his court or banish you as a bastard. Her politics was infused with the personal complexities of family and loves, whether it was the husband of her loving step-mother (Thomas Seymour) or the young boy-toy of her elderly days (Earl of Essex). As Elizabeth said in one passage, "Affection is false". It's complicated.
I protest too much though. I *have* read other biographies so I am more than happy to consider the theme - it adds spice to the coffee table discussion.
So why the three rating? I am embarrassed to to say but I will anyway. At one point the author cites the theories of art of Aristotle and Plato. She flips them, asserting Plato's theory to Aristotle and Aristotle to Plato. Plato for example asserted that art is mimetic; a mere imitation of reality which in turn is a mere imitation of the forms. Thrice removed from the Truth. I don't happen to agree with Plato, but that's beside the point. The book simply had it wrong.
This is a pedantic point. I'm sure it was just an isolated mistake, but it introduced doubt and I found the doubt was distracting. Was it just a printing mistake or did she not know Plato's theory of art (yet was referencing it)? The book has an authoritative, assertive voice - and now I had a little voice of doubt on its right to be authoritative. I stilled enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but as a book for people who have already read biographies of Elizabeth.
October 23, 2015
"What? The Queen is a Woman?" An old woman, watching Elizabeth pass by on progress, expressed astonishment that the queen was, in fact, a woman. Well, that's the story anyway. It illustrates the differences in attitude of the time and perhaps even the idea that the monarch was removed from even being a man pr a woman at all.
I'm a fan of Elizabeth I biographies. It's a familiar story that's fun to revisit and usually any new biography will have a few new facts to reveal or a slightly different way of interpreting them. Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince is rather less familiar and more challenging than most, but ultimately worth the effort.
The one big point that Lisa Hilton wants to make is that Elizabeth was not a "woman ruler", she was a ruler every bit as much as Henry VIII had been or her foreign counterparts were. In fact, Hilton notes, "Arguably, contemporary conceptions of sexual difference were considerably more supple and sophisticated, and far less constricting, than those of the twenty-first century." And of course we only have to reflect that Elizabeth was preceded by a regnant queen and that although there was some question as to who would succeed Mary (Elizabeth's half sister), the only candidates who were seriously considered were all women -- Jane Grey, Mary Queen of Scots, and a handful of others. It was a given that a woman would be queen, and there doesn't seem to have been a lot of hand-wringing about that aspect of it.
In addition to the analysis of the social positions of women in Tudor times, Hilton also concentrates more on international relations than in many studies of Elizabeth, which is quite interesting. The court in France was up to a lot in those days, as were the Dutch and Spanish governments, all of which required all kinds of Elizabethan diplomacy, both overt and covert. Then there was Russia. Odd to remember that Ivan IV (The Terrible) was keeping tabs on England (and even considered Elizabeth a possible candidate for his wife at one time), and that the English were trading in Russia.
Lots to chew on in this book, and not just another rehash of the familiar story.
I'm a fan of Elizabeth I biographies. It's a familiar story that's fun to revisit and usually any new biography will have a few new facts to reveal or a slightly different way of interpreting them. Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince is rather less familiar and more challenging than most, but ultimately worth the effort.
The one big point that Lisa Hilton wants to make is that Elizabeth was not a "woman ruler", she was a ruler every bit as much as Henry VIII had been or her foreign counterparts were. In fact, Hilton notes, "Arguably, contemporary conceptions of sexual difference were considerably more supple and sophisticated, and far less constricting, than those of the twenty-first century." And of course we only have to reflect that Elizabeth was preceded by a regnant queen and that although there was some question as to who would succeed Mary (Elizabeth's half sister), the only candidates who were seriously considered were all women -- Jane Grey, Mary Queen of Scots, and a handful of others. It was a given that a woman would be queen, and there doesn't seem to have been a lot of hand-wringing about that aspect of it.
In addition to the analysis of the social positions of women in Tudor times, Hilton also concentrates more on international relations than in many studies of Elizabeth, which is quite interesting. The court in France was up to a lot in those days, as were the Dutch and Spanish governments, all of which required all kinds of Elizabethan diplomacy, both overt and covert. Then there was Russia. Odd to remember that Ivan IV (The Terrible) was keeping tabs on England (and even considered Elizabeth a possible candidate for his wife at one time), and that the English were trading in Russia.
Lots to chew on in this book, and not just another rehash of the familiar story.
December 19, 2015
Elizabeth I was Queen of England for 44 years and has been labelled everything from a weak woman led by her council to a bitter, jealous heretic and tyrant whose vanity led her to demand constant attention from her courtiers despite refusing suitor after suitor for her hand. She could be paranoid and often seemed incapable of reaching decisions in a timely manner or at times even reversing them all together. What Lisa Hilton's book shows us though is that not all was as it seemed. Indeed though Elizabeth was prone to faults that often times skewed her reactions, her decisions were not only those of a monarch struggling to make a tiny kingdom one of the world powers but of a Renaissance Prince who was more than capable of the Machiavellian machinations that were needed for her country to flourish and survive in that world.
With new research out of France, Italy, Russia, and Turkey, Hilton has created a biography that transcends Elizabeth as a Queen and reveals her thoughts about the body politic of a Prince. Although she was not afraid to use being a woman to her advantage, Elizabeth was also aware of the necessary sacrifices a Prince must make in order to effectively govern. Combined with the lessons she learned from an early age regarding the precariousness of being on the front lines of a ruling family helped to create a monarch who was able to craft, along with her network of spies, allies and council, a court that has been grossly underestimated by historians.
England under Elizabeth forged new paths in religion, trade, and world politics and watched as new empires rose and old ones fell. This book is a worthy mirror to hold up to some of the most important years of the Renaissance. And to one of the most looked at but underestimated leaders of the time. A definite recommendation to anyone who is interested in the historical maelstrom of the Elizabethan court and it's amazingly sophisticated tapestry of intrigue.
With new research out of France, Italy, Russia, and Turkey, Hilton has created a biography that transcends Elizabeth as a Queen and reveals her thoughts about the body politic of a Prince. Although she was not afraid to use being a woman to her advantage, Elizabeth was also aware of the necessary sacrifices a Prince must make in order to effectively govern. Combined with the lessons she learned from an early age regarding the precariousness of being on the front lines of a ruling family helped to create a monarch who was able to craft, along with her network of spies, allies and council, a court that has been grossly underestimated by historians.
England under Elizabeth forged new paths in religion, trade, and world politics and watched as new empires rose and old ones fell. This book is a worthy mirror to hold up to some of the most important years of the Renaissance. And to one of the most looked at but underestimated leaders of the time. A definite recommendation to anyone who is interested in the historical maelstrom of the Elizabethan court and it's amazingly sophisticated tapestry of intrigue.
November 10, 2015
"Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince" is a new biography about Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch. Elizabeth I is remembered throughout history as a very powerful ruler and she's also known for potentially having been a virgin queen. The details of her virginity are debated amongst historians. She never married. This author doesn't do well on that instead she shows how Elizabeth was able to almost bend her gender in order to rule her country. Elizabeth I was focused on the way that she was seen by her subjects and those that surrounded her.
For her time, the fact that she was even able to rule her country was quite different. Ruling was typically left to the men, especially in European countries. The queens were the consorts and were supposed to focus on having the all important male heir. Elizabeth was not bound by those duties and instead was consumed with ensuring that all around her understood her power. I've always been fascinated by Elizabeth because she seems to stand out so much for her time. She was truly a force to be reckoned with.
The use of gender is so interesting and I really liked how the author was able to point out how Elizabeth was able to use this as a tool. The writing of the book is very entertaining and the author weaves in a lot of historical facts that I was not aware of. I definitely learned something new from this book, which is always a good thing in my opinion. Overall, this would be a great book for those looking at for a little bit of a different perspective on Elizabeth I.
For her time, the fact that she was even able to rule her country was quite different. Ruling was typically left to the men, especially in European countries. The queens were the consorts and were supposed to focus on having the all important male heir. Elizabeth was not bound by those duties and instead was consumed with ensuring that all around her understood her power. I've always been fascinated by Elizabeth because she seems to stand out so much for her time. She was truly a force to be reckoned with.
The use of gender is so interesting and I really liked how the author was able to point out how Elizabeth was able to use this as a tool. The writing of the book is very entertaining and the author weaves in a lot of historical facts that I was not aware of. I definitely learned something new from this book, which is always a good thing in my opinion. Overall, this would be a great book for those looking at for a little bit of a different perspective on Elizabeth I.
January 6, 2016
Elizabeth I was a fascinating woman and her life and reign have provided the fodder for many a novel, movie and tome almost since she died it seems – well not the movies. They are more recent. I have done a fair amount of reading with Elizabeth at the center, both fiction and non fiction so when presented with the opportunity to read a new book chronicling her life I was very excited.
This new book by Ms. Hilton presents Elizabeth not as a princess but rather as a prince positing that her upbringing was more that of a princes and referring back to The Prince by Machiavelli. A book that Elizabeth was purported to have read at a young age. It is noted that by remaining unmarried she also could maintain a certain mystique that helped her.
The book is very well researched. And that perhaps is its downfall. Every little bit of information seems to be included and at times the book hops from place to place and time to time leading to a bit of reader confusion. I think it helps to have a bit of knowledge of the period and of Elizabeth under your belt before you decide to read this book. It’s not the type of book you pick up for a casual weekend read or to only read with half an eye. That being written it is a fascinating and quite detailed look at one of the amazing women in history.
3.5
This new book by Ms. Hilton presents Elizabeth not as a princess but rather as a prince positing that her upbringing was more that of a princes and referring back to The Prince by Machiavelli. A book that Elizabeth was purported to have read at a young age. It is noted that by remaining unmarried she also could maintain a certain mystique that helped her.
The book is very well researched. And that perhaps is its downfall. Every little bit of information seems to be included and at times the book hops from place to place and time to time leading to a bit of reader confusion. I think it helps to have a bit of knowledge of the period and of Elizabeth under your belt before you decide to read this book. It’s not the type of book you pick up for a casual weekend read or to only read with half an eye. That being written it is a fascinating and quite detailed look at one of the amazing women in history.
3.5
February 5, 2016
A well written account of the life of Elizabeth I, the only issue with this book is that it doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know. This is not a book which really breaks any new ground on her life but rather analyses the extent to which she ruled as a Renaissance Prince rather than a female. In that respect the book is successful, we get a sense of the importance of portraying Elizabeth as a ruler even more effective than her father, nit hindered by the limits of her sex. But we also see the importance of the Virgin Queen cult, the ruler who was married to her people, who sacrificed all for them.
But as the monarch aged so her cult began to fail, her carefully presented veneer began to crack and even ruling as a Prince and not a woman could not save her in the end. In the words of Elizabeth herself one will always worship the rising sun rather than the setting sun. But even though her sun eventually set its light still burns eternal - her true legacy to be immortal. The epitome of the English ruler, forever remembered as the best of her kind. Surely she set the standard for all who followed her? Henry VIII obtained his longed for son after all albeit in a female shell.
But as the monarch aged so her cult began to fail, her carefully presented veneer began to crack and even ruling as a Prince and not a woman could not save her in the end. In the words of Elizabeth herself one will always worship the rising sun rather than the setting sun. But even though her sun eventually set its light still burns eternal - her true legacy to be immortal. The epitome of the English ruler, forever remembered as the best of her kind. Surely she set the standard for all who followed her? Henry VIII obtained his longed for son after all albeit in a female shell.
December 19, 2015
Given the staggering number of biographies of Elizabeth I and histories of the Tudor period more generally, one would have thought there was nothing particularly new or interesting to say on this subject. Quite the contrary. Lisa Hilton, instead of the usual cradle to grave chronology of her subject, examines various aspects of her life and the various influences upon it through the lens of the lessons of Machiavelli's The Prince. While she may not have read the book, the author contends that she applied those principles of realpolitik to the challenges she had to face in Renaissance and Reformation Europe. The author presents some fascinating revisionist arguments and historical precedents about the role of women in court life, how women could wield power and royal authority on equal terms with men and how the role of sovereign could transcend normal gender categories (thus the description of Elizabeth as a prince, not a princess). This was a fascinating and enjoyable book. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical biographies in general or the Tudor dynasty in particular.
February 22, 2016
This is the second book I have read recently that dares to question the bigoted history that has been served up as truth for several hundred years by those who wish to keep the status quo in tight control.
I really admire Elizabeth I for holding on to her throne with such sheer ruthlessness, but really hate that so much of it came at the expense of other women and other religions..including her sister's, whom she copied and no doubt plotted against (says this refreshing book). This is a history book for people who want to get past the marketing spiel and phony image making, to the real operator behind "Gloriana", a woman who is so much more interesting than the picture book version, at a time that is so much richer in layers for women than we have been led to believe.
The best thing about Elizabeth is that she was an avid student of her family history, including her mother's, and did not make any of their mistakes...other than living too long and boring her audience.
Patriarchies don't like old women no matter how brilliant.
I really admire Elizabeth I for holding on to her throne with such sheer ruthlessness, but really hate that so much of it came at the expense of other women and other religions..including her sister's, whom she copied and no doubt plotted against (says this refreshing book). This is a history book for people who want to get past the marketing spiel and phony image making, to the real operator behind "Gloriana", a woman who is so much more interesting than the picture book version, at a time that is so much richer in layers for women than we have been led to believe.
The best thing about Elizabeth is that she was an avid student of her family history, including her mother's, and did not make any of their mistakes...other than living too long and boring her audience.
Patriarchies don't like old women no matter how brilliant.
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