Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage

by Stephen Budiansky

Queen Elizabeth I and England's First Spymaster

Sir Francis Walsingham's official title was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, but in fact this pious, tight-lipped Puritan was England's first spymaster. A ruthless, fiercely loyal civil servant, Walsingham worked brilliantly behind the scenes to foil Elizabeth's rival Mary Queen of Scots and outwit Catholic Spain and France, which had arrayed their forces behind her. Though he cut an incongruous figure in Elizabeth's worldly court, Walsingham managed to win the trust of key players like William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester before launching his own secret campaign against the queen's enemies. Covert operations were Walsingham's genius; he pioneered techniques for exploiting double agents, spreading disinformation, and deciphering codes with the latest code-breaking science that remain staples of international espionage.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Espionage, Tudor Period, British Literature, Politics

267 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2005

About the author

Historian and journalist Stephen Budiansky is the author of twelve books about military history, science, and nature.

His latest book is The Bloody Shirt: Terror After Appomattox, which chronicles the struggles of five courageous men in the post-Civil War South as they battled a rising tide of terrorist violence aimed at usurping the newly won rights of the freedmen.

Reviews

[Brian DiMattia · Rating 2 out of 5]

At best this book could be described as "Light." At worst, "Cutesy" would be a more appropriate word. Budiansky seems so taken with the language used in letters during the time that he over quotes, and under analyzes.

The book focuses on Walsingham's personal and professional feuds with Burghley, Leicester, Elizabeth and Stafford, and fails to do more than a cursory gloss-over of what actually made him a legendary figure. The barely more than 200 pages seem well researched, but not well explained, and few conclusions are drawn or defended. I do enjoy a nice populist history that doesn't bog down in academic language, but this book would have benefitted from some solid scholarship (and maybe a hardnosed thesis advisor).

There are impressive moments. Budiansky manages to explain, both effectively and entertainingly, the life of Mary Queen of Scots in only one page. He also writes some great material about the explosion of the popular press in Elizabethan England. His description of the way pamphlet writers overwhelmed previously civilized debate with anonymous, rumor heavy, unedited nonsense makes a fascinating comparison to the modern world of blogs and tweets (and reviews on social media sites. Ahem). But Budiansky never bothers to actually make the comparison. He just tosses out a few quick stories and then drops the line of thought.

The book simply needed an editor who was capable of keeping the author focused! Budiansky groups things based on their effect on Walsingham at the expense of anything even pretending to be a chronology. He discusses the death of Sir Philip Sidney on page 174, then discusses Walsingham's efforts to get Sidney a royal position on 183. Then, on page 186, goes back to actually describe Sidney's death. The entire work ping-pongs back and forth from one event, to what came before it, then back to the event and it's outcome. Some writers are capable of doing this and having everything remain clear. That talent is not in evidence here.

In the end, the most valuable parts of this book are the Chronology Budiansky provides at the end, and his chapter on what books he consulted. Since this biography barely answered any of my questions regarding Walsingham and what made him the man he was, it was nice of the author to point out where I should try next.

[Sotiria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Η θεματολογία του βιβλίου είναι εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρουσα ενώ η ιδια η προσωπικότητα του Walsingham είναι αρκετά ελκυστική και συναρπαστική ώστε να σε κάνει να το τελειώσεις παρά τη δυσκολία που παρουσιάζει και λόγω της σωρείας πληροφοριών που αραδιάζονται και λόγω έλλειψης ιδιαίτερου συγγραφικού ταλέντου από τον συγγραφέα.
Ίσως κάποιος με περισσότερες γνώσεις για την συγκεκριμένη χρονική περίοδο να μπορούσε να απολαύσει περισσότερο την ιστορία αυτή. Αν παρόλα αυτά σας ιντριγκάρει το θέμα της κατασκοπείας, η Ελισαβετιανή περίοδος και οι ίντριγκες γύρω από τον αγγλικό θρόνο, τότε σίγουρα πρέπει να του δώσετε μια ευκαιρία.

[Ubiquitousbastard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a pretty good job of keeping focused on the subject matter instead of veering into pretty much unnecessary profiles on extremely minor actors. However, I don't think much of the espionage side of Walsingham was presented as compared to the politician side of him. I've read several biographies of Walsingham at this point, and this one had the least information on his spy network and his informers. This book is also quite a bit shorter than many other biographies of Walsingham, and it shows in the amount of information that the author was able to present.

Despite being a little too short for me and lacking some of the specifics that I would prefer, I think that this wasn't one of the more overly biased accounts of the time. It's rare for a historian to show no detectable bias, and that wasn't the case here, but it wasn't so egregious that I would lower my rating. I expect some bias, and if the author still manages to present information without demonizing or worshipping one side to the detriment of the truth than I'm usually alright with it.

I also appreciated the timeline of events that was included at the end to help more in-depth scholars to be able to get a really good idea of the overview of politics during Walsingham's lifetime.

Overall, this was a decent biography and well-written. However, there are other Walsingham biographers who offer a larger and more comprehensive picture of the man, so I could not recommend this as my first choice.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Budiansky's is an audacious premise. That Sir Francis Walsingham pioneered modern espionage is up for debate but what is certainly true is that Walsingham was one of the most fascinating members of Elizabeth's court. This puritan keeper and manipulator of information was indispensable in the somewhat regular attempts on the queen's life and the countless skirmishes with the Spanish. Truly one of English history's more compelling characters, Walsingham's story is told with an eye for detail and a knack for narrative. A good read.

[Stratos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Η ιστορία μιας σπουδαίας ιστορικής περιόδου της Αγγλίας στην οποία όμως είναι δοσμένη έτσι που χάνεσαι σε ονόματα και τοποθεσίες. Μόνο για εξειδικευμένους αναγνώστες, ερευνητές της περιόδου αυτής.

[Igor Ljubuncic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes another masterpiece from Mr. SB. He sure does know how to write thrillers, and when it comes to espionage, he truly shines. I so immensely enjoyed the two books on WWII, about the Enigma and U-boats and the art of code breaking. And there's another book coming in June, about the NSA and the Soviets, woo-hoo! That should be a blast.

In general, it so much easier writing about well-document history, and surprisingly so, the 16th Century England isn't that alien and distant as you might imagine. The most amazing thing about the whole era is the human intrigue, the little personal wars of honor and power, and how nothing has changed but the technological medium. It really deeply fascinates me.

Her Majesty's Spymaster revolves around the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, from the early days of her isolation to her beheading, and the war between the Catholic and Protestant Churches. The political games of the then-superpowers, England, Spain and Frances, the proxy wars. But the core of the book is the birth of modern espionage, as we perceive it. And it boils down to double agents and the inside man, and bribery, and petty little reasons for treason, the greed and the fear, all the elements that we face in our daily lives, and no different from what Elizabeth I and Francis Walsingham had to deal with back in their day.

This book is more than just a retelling of a known era, and it's more than just what happened in France, and how this or that monarch responded. It's about how key people in behind-the-scenes positions led and manipulated nations, and how their influence shaped the world we know. And when you think about it, the notion of using criminals and disgruntled servants as your agents sounds like an obvious idea, but maybe not on a wide, global scale, almost like a cobweb the likes you see in X-Men or Minority Report, where every little dot is mapped and vivid, except it is done with goat's urine, velvet and lute rather than plasma screens. Mind-opening.

This book also has more detail than some of his other historical works. It is more vivid and accurate than the story of the Anglo-American War of 1812-1815, or the Bloody Shirt, both of which happen a good 250-300 years later. I guess the distance and the separation of continents in an age of wind-powered mercy does add its difficulty. Which makes the tale of the Old War espionage even more intriguing.

If you like history, and you like espionage, this book is a must.

See you around!
Igor

[William Guerrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting and well-written book, focusing on Walsingham's diplomatic/spying work in the aftermath of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (the chapter on that event is particularly good), the Catholic insurgency in Britain and especially the intrigue surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots, and finally the conflicts that culminated in the failed Spanish invasion attempt. The subtitle seems silly to me and the author gives Walsingham more credit than he deserves for the defeat of the Armada, but overall a very good read. Very well-researched but not a dry academic history.

[Cateline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've debated over a 4 star, or 5 star rating on this one. Finally figured it was, in fact, a 5 star read. I have to find my other Walsingham book, as this one tantalizes me with mostly superficial doings of the time. However, the research Budiansky put in is certainly extensive. His rendition of the Protestant/Catholic wars is fantastic. While I knew there was much hatred and conflict, the extent that many went to in order to reach their goals is mind boggling.

In many of the histories I've read, Drake comes off as the hero of the day.......and he was, however, without Walsingham's espionage network Drake could not possibly have been in position to accomplish anything. Walsingham laid down the pattern for spy work that is still much in evidence today. A forward thinking, fascinating man to say the least.

Recommended for history buffs.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read. Some familiarity with the period and the personalities is probably required to fully appreciate the work, but I am fascinated by Elizabeth I and her reign, so I enjoyed this book very much. Gave me some pause to reflect on the religious fanaticism of our own time.

[John Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting summary of Sir Walsingham’s behind-the-scenes service to Queen Elizabeth I and England, focusing on his ferreting out the plot by Mary Queen of Scots to overthrow Liz and the buildup to the Spanish Armada for the same ends. It’s a bit “cutesy” and verbose at times, saying a lot without saying a lot if that makes sense. Still, I am eternally intrigued by espionage and spies throughout history, and Walsingham in particular, so I enjoyed this book even though it didn’t quite live up to expectations or land its overall thesis; that Walsingham somehow gave birth of modern espionage.

[J'aime · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Knowledge is never too dear.” This quote is the theme upon which this uneven biography of Sir Francis Walsingham is built. Unlike most biographies, this focuses on Walsingham only from when Queen Elizabeth took the throne. Though his upbringing is mentioned in passing, readers don’t have to plod through a pieced together boyhood with fictionalized scenes. His status as a puritan, in thinking and religion, is woven throughout his actions and writings.

Budiansky spends a lot of time giving context to Walsingham through details of the events taking place around him, especially the political intrigues of the various European powers. He did not simply step into the role of spymaster. It was a role he had to learn for his own survival in serving a notoriously capricious queen. Walsingham began as the Ambassador to France, where he received few instructions that weren’t contradictory, if he received any at all, and where his very life was in danger from the St. Batholomew’s Day Massacre. The book is laid out as a chronology of names and events that built Walsingham into the spymaster of history. The author spends time listing various spies used by Walsingham, and their probable effectiveness. Though sometimes dry, the writing is smooth and easy.

Where the book shines is the struggle between Mary Queen of Scots and her “mortal enemy” – Walsingham. The author goes through the various plots and actors associated with her. These events underlie the author’s assertion for “the birth of modern espionage.” And he is frank in dealing with Walsingham’s failures in this regard as well. He grappled with “a dilemma that would vex intelligence chiefs for five centuries – whether known enemy agents are better left at large, and watched…rather than exposed and arrested, only to be replaced by others who must then be found afresh.” The Scottish Queen became something of an obsession for Walsingham, and his schemes ultimately led to her execution. His ultimate triumph, and downfall. The book also provides new context of the relationship between Walsingham and Burghley. Most biographies of Elizabeth show these two united to serve their queen. But surely it was not all roses? Burghley likely did become jealous of Walsingham’s increasing influence with the Queen, and they were known to vehemently disagree over foreign policy. The author references letters between the two to expand on these issues, and how they resolved them.

Where I think the book failed was in the descriptions of Walsingham’s relationship with the Queen, and in the conclusion. Most historians agree that Elizabeth used her temper to cover for vacillating over important decisions. Certainly this vexed her advisors no end. However, most also agree that she was shrewd and politically savvy, using such measures to fulfill her agenda. Budiansky portrays her almost as a villain in not following Walsingham’s advice, particularly in dealing with the Scottish Queen (though Elizabeth’s fear of war with Spain did come to pass as a result of her execution). Certainly, many biographers show sympathy toward their subjects, and Walsingham’s life would have been easier if Elizabeth had been more forthright, however, this does not give credit to the queen. Many speculate she did not even like Walsingham, still she kept him in a position of authority because he was exceptionally qualified.

Finally, the conclusion of the book was weak. The last chapter dealing with the war with Spain was filled with quotes (far more than in the rest of the book) from historical references, and little substance dealing with Walsingham. Almost as if the author didn’t know where to go after Mary’s death. Overall, this was an interesting book, but could have been better executed. Recommended for Tudor fans, but not necessarily for casual readers of history.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book for its content, but what was described as "taunt prose" annoyed me to no end. I found the lack of a traditional chronology irritating, possibly because when I want a spy novel, I read a spy novel, and when I read history I like to have a more ordered presentation. Perhaps because he has been a war correspondent he opened with the Batholomew's Day Massacre, which is logicially and chronologically the pivotal event. The Massacre enough removed from my period that I only knew of it as the day all the Protestants were killed in France, after being drawn out of hiding by a diplomatic event. I understand more details at this point, but the book ducks the issue as to how Elizabeth I's inconsistency in considering a marriage to the Catholic royalty of France (there were several candidates)led to the death of so many protestants. I was also unclear as to what role Sir Francis Walsingham might have played in the events leading up to it, aside from confusing the King to keep France from declaring War on England.
As far as Sir Francis Walsingham goes, he inherited a good deal of the intelligencer structure from his his predecessor, so he was certainly not the first person to employ ciphers, spies, and double agents. he apparently engaged in widespread monitoring of prisons and docks. The book is heavy on Mary Queen of Scots who was the subject of many of his investigations, as she posed a threat to Elizabeth. I could have done with a straightforward refresher on Tudor England before reading this book, a fact the author may have been aware of when he included a chronology in the back.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I love Tudor history, this book was a bit hard to follow. There appeared to be no real order, chronologically speaking, in which the author introduced events. I had difficulty in keeping the spies separated from the conspirators - something the conspirators evidently struggled with as well. I also would have liked to learn a little more about Walsingham's personal life. That seemed to be completely pushed to the side, but I think that I would have had an easier time if I knew his character better. I think that the author might as well have ended the book after Mary's execution because the book swiftly deteriorated after that. The part about the war in the Netherlands and the Spanish Armada was incredibly boring, when I actually find those events fascinating.

I am curious as to how Walsingham managed to get the funding for his spy ring. He wasn't that wealthy, and I doubt Elizabeth paid for it.

I normally enjoy quotes from letters, but I feel that the author often used them to avoid explaining what was going on. This is not a piece of light reading, and it is not for people without an intimate knowledge of the politics in Elizabeth's reign.

Nevertheless, it was a fascinating read and definitely opened my eyes to the importance of studying how Elizabeth got her information.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Knowledge is never too dear: not a thought most sixteenth-century men of action would have subscribed to, but an idea that would never again quite disappear from the halls of power, especially the halls of power of outnumbered nations with democratic leanings facing the power of tyrants." In this engaging, well-researched historical piece, Budiansky recounts the life of Francis Walsingham and his creation of the first spy network to resemble a "secret service" in Britain. This network proved instrumental in the thwarting of two of the greatest threats to Elizabeth and Protestant England: the Spanish Armada and plots centered around Mary, Queen of Scots. While Budiansky is careful to avoid anachronisms, his references to modern spy-craft (double-agents, encrytion, intelligence, etc.) assist readers in following selected primary source material. One comes away with an enhanced understanding of the intricate diplomatic and international relations of sixteenth-century Europe (made all the more complex by the role of religion). Imagine something that resembles "The Tudors" meets "The Americans" or "Turn" and you have the idea of this book. Recommended for those who enjoyed reading "George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved The American Revolution" by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger.

[MH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting with the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and ending with the Spanish Armada, this book looks at the major engagements of Walsingham's career, mostly intrigues and counter-intrigues against the Catholics, the Spanish, and Mary, Queen of Scots. Budiansky is often a lively writer with a sly turn-of-phrase, but the lack of sourcing (there is a bibliography, but no citations) hurts, and the lack of an index is a real problem, especially when he's dealing with a massive number of spies, counterspies, courtiers, and politicians (the list of names at the front of the book isn't much of a substitute). That sort of confusion, and the lack of any real narrative through-line, would make this book frustrating to a casual reader, and the lack of sourcing would make it frustrating to a more academic one, but Budiansky's entertaining voice and the inherent drama of what he writes about makes up for a lot of problems.

[Johnathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid biography of Francis Walsingham, the first secretary of Queen Elizabeth I whose intelligence operations helped maintain her reign despite England being a minor power in comparison to Spain & France at the time. Budiansky tells a fairly concise story detailing Walsingham's personal life and rise to power, such as the fact he was a Puritan who engaged in the funding of arts, and had no problem working with Catholics if the needs arose. His spy craft is nicely detailed, especially when Walsingham started to intercept coded messages from Mary, Queen of Scots (a rival to Elizabeth for the throne), showing one of the first incidents of a classic spy dilemma: shutting off a clandestine operation when discovered or allow it to continue to gather more information). The one downside is that the book is rather short, with a significant part focused to general history over Walsingham himself. Overall, a solid read, especially for those interested in early spy craft.

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brevity is something author valued in this work. And yet when you arrive at the end you don't feel that the story suffered from lack of info.

Sir Walsingham was not the first spy master. But he was very significant in forging the case that led to the trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots. He was adept at finding people to place in key positions that could give him information. Knowledge has always been power, a fact not lost on Sir Walsingham.

He was one person the Queen could depend on for an honest assessment as he was not a "yes" man. It was not unusual that he earned her displeasure for backing a course of action or view the Queen found unpleasant.

Overall fairly entertaining but did not keep me on the edge of the chair by any means. Good for someone that wants a look into the Elizabethan court from a different angle.

[Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw the author at a recent Marlowe seminar offered by The Shakespeare Theater in Washington, DC. He was part of a panel addressing whether Marlowe was a spy and, more importantly, whether that makes any difference to our considersation of Marlowe as an author. His discussion made me want to read his book which turns out to be just an okay read. The book is not as focused as the title suggests and its structure forces some repetition. Given a choice between seeing the author as part of an hour-long panel and reading the book, I'd opt for the panel discussion. But if you don't have the luxury of the panel, then by all means pick up a discounted or remaindered version of the book.

[Suzanne Auckerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and well researched, but was hard to read. There were so many people and he would introduce one in a paragraph and proceed using pronouns. I was never sure who "he" was. I think I read most paragraphs at least twice and 50% more than twice.

It is set in the late 1500s and ends with the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The author credits Walsingham with the birth of modern espionage. I don't agree with that. I think spying as been going on every since people could speak. The Egyptians? The Romans?

The list of books he has authored are impressive and subjects, I would like to read about. I may try one more, but no more if it is like this one.

[Alisa Kester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me forever to read because this is one of my 'tv books' - the ones I read mostly while I'm suffering through tv advertisements! Not quite the book I was expecting...it seemed more like a general story of historical events, rather than an in-depth look at Walsingham and his spying techniques and innovations. Since I'm already well versed with the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada, there wasn't a whole lot here that was new.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tipoff at that start that this was not going to be the anything but an exhaustive first draft of history: a 4-page list of names at the beginning of a small book that barely topped 200 pages. And Budiansky proceeds to use them all in journalistic style, with no summary, narrative, or placing of Walsingham in the context of modern espionage as the subtitle claims.

I ended up skimming the last 100 pages.

[Shelby Goerlitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very pleasant read, felt abbreviated. Not enough material for a biography and not really a clear case for the birth of espionage either. Was hoping to for a bit more digging on "why" -- like, why were the English so surprised at the size of the Armada? How was Walsingham misinformed? And I wouldn't have thought it possible to write a book about Sir Francis with out mentioning John Dee but apparently it can be done! Overall a fun read, more like a snack than a meal though.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but something was lacking. Budiansky never sells you the importance of the events. He also never relates how those events are the "Birth of Modern Espionage." But its interesting material. If you have an understanding of the history of spies and the like you will be impressed at the things that Walsingham came up with scant decades after Machiavelli wrote The Prince.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I flew through the first one hundred pages and then slowed down to a crawl. The author jumps around so much he becomes difficult to follow as he moves up and down his time line with little regard to the cohesiveness of the biography. This book works as a brief introduction to Walsingham's life but doesn't go further.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent (and wonderfully concise) insight into the mind of a man who laid the foundations of modern intelligence & security. An fascinating read about a fascinating man. The term "shades of grey" could easily have been coined by Walsingham.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book could have been more in depth, it does offer a good overview of how Elizabeth's officers worked together to keep both her and the country safe. Budiansky also has an engaging style.

[Catherine McClelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

In places I found it a tad tedious and I think it could have been a bit more interesting due to the subject matter. A bit disappointed really.

[Colin Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stephen Budiansky’s pithy yet readable study of Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s “spymaster” during the late 16th century, affords a picture of man who deftly navigated the religious, political, and monarchical forces that define the Early Modern Period. The crux of the book dramatizes two significant events in English history: the usurpation plot attempted by Mary Queen of Scots and her coconspirators and the failed invasion by the Spanish Armada in May 1588. According to Budiansky, both events allowed Walsingham to exercise one of his laudable strengths, patience. Regarding Mary’s two failed assassination attempts, Budiansky writes, “The first time Mr. Secretary Walsingham had discovered Mary in clandestine contact with her allies, he had moved too quick…the second time…he had bided his time, having come to recognize in the interval that there was more to be gained by letting a plot mature, and little danger in letting it mature while he was privy to the very confidences exchanged by the plotters themselves. Only after the plot was exploded did he move to plug the breach. Now Mr. Secretary had simply taken such thinking to its logical conclusion. The advantages of allowing Mary to communicate far outweighed the advantages of maintaining her isolation” (154). Interestingly enough, this tactic mirrors policing and espionage practices in the late 20th and early 21st century. Law enforcement officials, for example, allow some degree of criminal behavior if said allowances create the conditions to understand and prevent a larger and more dangerous criminal plot. Therefore, in Budiansky’s hands, Walsingham is a decidedly modern figure, adept at teasing out the long and complex thread of a criminal conspiracy.

It should come as no surprise that Elizabeth occupies both the foreground and the background of a book that is, strictly speaking, not about her. She dons the book’s cover and despite her romanticized reputation in contemporary imaginations, she behaves not unlike a feckless, bumbling symbolic figurehead, manufacturing tedious obstacle after tedious obstacle for men like Walsingham. This is a fresh alternative to far too many obsequious rendering of Elizabeth. However, one cannot help but wonder if Budiansky overplays this point simply to offer a compulsory narrative impediment for Walsingham.

On the whole, Her Majesty’s Spymaster is, well, just okay. There are several interesting figures in this book, but Walsingham, ironically enough, is not one of them. As Budiansky suggests, the world he created, less so than the man he was, is what endures. Walsingham is a boring and fastidious figure in Budiansky’s hands, and while this may reflect something authentic about the man, it does not make for a terribly interesting read.

[Georgina N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Όσοι υπομονετικοί περάσατε τις δύσκολες πρώτες σελίδες .Συγχαρητήρια !Κερδίσατε μία συναρπαστική ιστορία αλλά και ένα εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον μάθημα ιστορίας.

Μέσα στο φόντο διαμάχης για την επικράτηση του Καθολικισμού και του Προτεσταντισμού βλέπουμε τις τακτικές του Ουόλσινγχαμ υπέρ της προστασίας του βασιλείου της Ελισάβετ από τους Καθολικούς ,από όσους φιλοδοξούν να αναλάβουν τα καθήκοντά της με δόλιους τρόπους αλλά και από την εισβολή των Γάλλων και των Ισπανών.

Δυστυχώς ,το βιβλίο ,κατά τη γνώμη μου, απευθύνεται σε μελετητές της περιόδου 1530-1590 καθιστώντας το πιο δύσκολο για εμάς τους μέσους αναγνώστες. Αυτό όμως δε σημαίνει ότι δεν μπορεί να το απολαύσει κανείς. Αντιθέτως !Υπάρχει και χρονολόγιο στο τέλος του έργου και ευτυχώς βοήθησε . Εμένα προσωπικά με ώθησε να ψάξω πράγματα και γεγονότα της ιστορίας καθώς επίσης και να «γνωρίσω» την «πρώτη» Ελισάβετ.

Μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ το πώς περιγράφονται οι ελιγμοί της Βασίλισσας όσον αφορά τις διφορούμενες απαντήσεις της για τους γάμους που την προόριζαν ,ανάλογα με το φόβο της για μία ενδεχόμενη επίθεση από κάποιο άλλο κράτος .Επιπλέον , μου αρέσει το πώς παρουσιάζεται η νύχτα του Αγίου Βαρθολομαίου και πώς «επικοινωνείται» τελικώς από τη Βασιλεία.

Σε επίπεδο στρατηγικής αντιμετώπισης των αντιπάλων απόλαυσα την πανούργα τακτική των Άγγλων να χρηματοδοτήσουν τους προτεστάντες αντάρτες στη Σκωτία και στις Κάτω Χώρες ώστε να αναγκαστούν οι Καθολικοί να αμυνθούν ,να αποδυναμωθούν και να μην οργανώσουν επίθεση κατά της Αγγλίας. Ο αποπροσανατολισμός αυτός μου φάνηκε εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρων και εξηγεί πάρα πολλά, πολλά από αυτά που έχουμε δει στη σειρά game of thrones και άλλες αντίστοιχες πολεμικές σειρές εποχής .Βλέπω την έμπνευση των σειρών αυτών ειδικά στο σημείο μάλιστα με τη Μαρία της Σκωτίας και τον ετεροθαλή ερωτευμένο μαζί της αδερφό της που πασχίζει να την ελευθερώσει .

Τέλος ,στη λίστα των πραγμάτων που μου άρεσαν προστίθενται και το case analysis και risk management που αναλαμβάνει ο Ουόλσινχαμ ειδικά στο σημείο με την απαρίθμηση των κινδύνων και των καταστάσεων που μπορεί να μη λάβουν την επιθυμητή τροπή με την υπόθεση Σέσιλ.

Όσο ενδιαφέρον και να είναι το έργο ,όσα θετικά και να έχει να προσφέρει δεν παύει να διαθέτει και αρνητικά στοιχεία που δυσκολεύουν πολύ τον αναγνώστη στην κατανόηση της εξέλιξης της υπόθεσης . Πέρα από το γεγονός ότι θα έπρεπε ορισμένα σημεία να αναλύονται περισσότερο και το ότι ο συγγραφέας μεταβαίνει από το ένα θέμα στο άλλο (που ίσως αυτό είναι και κάπως υποκειμενικό,θα ήθελα περισσότερα στοιχεία για να εγκλιματιστώ περισσότερο) ,η απουσία διαλόγων είναι αυτό που εν τέλει με ενόχλησε πιο πολύ ,δεν υπάρχει παραστατικότητα οπότε σε πολλές περιπτώσεις έφευγε το μυαλό μου από τις σελίδες .Πιστεύω ότι ο ευθύς λόγος θα με βοηθούσε να εξοικειωθώ περισσότερο με την υπόθεση .

[Harold Citron · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a word, disappointing. I wanted it to be better, and the first chapter provided an interesting initial dive, but the book didn't live up to its billing as a "spymaster" and the birth of "modern espionage".

Many of my critiques echo those of earlier Goodreads' reviews, and it would be worth it for anyone interested in the book to read the other two and three star reviews.

What jumps out at me as lacking, was a lack of context, both broader and narrower in scope. While we are provided with an understanding of the religious conflict of the day, the issues with the other national powers remain vague. While domestic conflict with France took center stage at the outset, the entire conflict slid into the background. A running conflict between Spain and the Netherlands was equally vague in terms of England's interests and concerns. While the issue over Mary, Queen of Scots, was paramount, there was little to draw one into whether or not this was such a critical issue of national survival to Great Briton. Mary remained imprisoned and the plots to free her and conquer the country seemed poorly contrived at best with weak players involved.

The lack of 'narrow' scope to me was an absence of Walsingham's place within a broader government structure. Budiansky's book reads as if there was no one else in the entire British government, from the Queen on down, to Parliament, to the Royal Navy, who had any pro-active impact on the events of the day. Queen Elizabeth is treated as a side-character at best, with zero relationship with her "spymaster", William Cecil Burghley, remains a potentially intriguing character, but again, a shadow in the role of government, existing only to reflect Walsingham's actions. As others noted, names of other players jump in and out with little context.

One minor nitpick was Budiansky's repeated use of "Mr. Secretary" to describe Walsingham. An interesting note of his then importance, became pompous and overused in the narration.

As for the tradecraft itself, it became secondary to the larger story, and even then, a side discussion to the political events.

While the political, diplomatic, and military challenges of that era remain interesting, I wouldn't point to this book as an entry point to learn about the events.