Elizabeth & Leicester: Power, Passion, Politics

by Sarah Gristwood

A gripping account of one of history’s most fascinating of alliances–the love affair between Queen Elizabeth I and her political advisor and confidant, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.

No one knows quite when and where their relationship began — though Leicester once said he’d known Elizabeth since she was eight years old. They shared an important commonality of experience — both with a parent dead on the headsman’s block, both imprisoned in the Tower just yards away.

Within days of the death of her sister, Mary, he was at her side and within months, openly spoken of as her lover, even her future husband. Her relationship with her “bonnie sweet Robin” was one of the most important in the life of Elizabeth. For thirty years he loved her, advised her, understood her, sat by her bed in sickness, and represented her on state occasions. Yet, much of the fascination in their relationship comes from what is not on display: the sudden death — some said murder — of Leicester’s wife, which damaged his reputation irretrievably; and Elizabeth’s persistent refusal for ever afterwards to marry anybody at all.

Not a conventional biography, Elizabeth & Leicester is, rather, an intimate portrait of an affair between two people at a crucial moment in history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Tudor Period, Historical, British Literature, 16th Century

407 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2007

About the author

Sarah Gristwood attended Oxford and then worked as a journalist specializing in the arts and women's issues. She has contributed to The Times, Guardian, Independent, and Evening Standard.

Reviews

[Claire M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my youth (god, I can SAY that, how horrible), I was an English history major. At U.C. Berkeley. I actually toyed with the idea of getting a Ph.D, applied, was accepted, and was informed in my acceptance letter that there were no jobs and if I wanted to pursue academia, go forth, but be prepared to flip burgers for a living. Which prompted me to go to cooking school instead! Yes, true story.

History remains a passion and you really can't get any more passionate than those damn Tudors. I have purchased every major popular history on the Tudors and a goodly number of academic tomes on them, and they continue to fascinate.

This is another book on Elizabeth and Leicester. It's well researched, and I like how this author cites other author's theories (this is a well travelled road and one hell of a crowded field), because a tremendous amount of this is just that: theory. She paints a much broader and interesting portrait of Leicester than I've seen in previous books (sort of the point here), with less emphasis on Liz (which is good, because, yeah, I've read a lot on her). There is much sensible interpretation here with some interesting asides. The writing is quite engaging, and I was left with a sadness about these two. They were of a kind. The sort that took fate by its ears and wrestled it to the ground, however, at a great personal cost. I didn't need the appendices on popular cinema treatments, and, I suspect, given the quasi-academic tone of this book, her publisher probably insisted gently on it. Ignore them. This is welcome addition to my burgeoning bookshelf on the Tudors.

[Juliew. · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to say that I found everything in this book very fascinating.Even though most of the info was political in nature and not so much personal.I still was captivated from page one.I found Ms.Gristwood's theories intriguing and the writing and research seemed very well done.But I was hoping for a more intimate portrayal of their relationship and I just didn't feel this was the book I was looking for.Very enjoyable read otherwise and if you happen to like reading about Queen Elizabeth's reign,the politics of the times or those closest to her this one is for you.

[Bonnie Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't have much interest in any of the Royals' love affairs to begin with, but I thought I could get some background on the politics of the time while waiting for the newest Shardlake to come out. To her credit, the author does spend considerable time and effort in explaining how Elizabeth played her marriageability in the game of power politics, which is fairly interesting. But about 2/3 through I just got tired of it. Besides, the author follows the - convention? - of sometimes referring to Nobles by their given name, sometimes by their family name, sometimes by their honorific. I get tired of keeping who's who's straight. Besides, I think a more apt subtitle would be "Speculations about the Virgin Queen ..." since she speculates a good deal, in a chatty conversationalist style I do not much enjoy. Not a bad book, just not interesting enough to me.

[Sallee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave a deeper look into the lives of the Queen and her favorite, the Earl of Leicester. The politics of the time were just as complicated as they are today perhaps much more so because of the lack of modern day technology. It was an educational look into Robert Dudley's influences on his Queen.

[Lil's Vintage World · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading this book for a long time. It was a pretty fast read until it hit the middle and then I lost my place in the book, and then this week I started reading from I place I vaguely remember. Not to say this was bad or anything, just that the subject was not one of my favorites. Elizabeth's reign is not one I'm specially interested so I don't really read much about this time period or her. but this book gave me a good general view of what was happening in England's politics. I mostly picked it up because I was curious about Elizabeth and Robert Dudley's relationship, how it was knowing she was a queen and wouldn't marry just anyone but allowing this man to be that close, maybe for love or companionship.

Sarah Gristeood is a good writer, very sympathetic.

[Orsolya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indisputably, one of England’s greatest romances is that of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, her “Sweet Robin”. What makes this passionate affair all the more interesting is Elizabeth’s virtuous claim of chastity and thus earning her the title, “The Virgin Queen” (of course, this is a matter of debate to this day). Whether consummated or not; Elizabeth’s relationship with Robert was/is notable and in some sense or another outlived all the other men in her life. This monumental pair is the victim of unanswered questions and is shrouded in the depths of the unknown but Sarah Gristwood attempts to break down the duo in, “Elizabeth and Leicester: Power, Passion, Politics”.

Readers familiar with Sarah Gristwood won’t find any surprises in the contents of “Elizabeth and Leicester” as it follows Gristwood’s standard model of an ambitious thesis that is hardly met and a text that fails in execution. “Elizabeth and Leicester” strives to compartmentalize Elizabeth and Robert’s relationship on a psychological level in regards to both the personal and political lives of these two figures while answering intimate, frequently asked questions. This aim is tantalizing but unfortunately Gristwood’s work is a convoluted, disjointed and inconsistent mess with no clear streams of thought.

“Elizabeth and Leicester” begins in a portrait manner with a dual-biography comparison breaking down the duo’s individual upbringings and thusly the rooted effects on their future, adult partnership. The blatant issue is with Gristwood’s lack of focus: the text constantly meanders off on tangents and little focus is given to Elizabeth and/or Robert. The early chapters feel more like a Tudor history- recap. Where are Elizabeth and Dudley?! All is good and well to build a foundation but even here Gristwood’s points are unclear and therefore confusing to the reader.

Expanding on this, Gristwood simply tries to fill too little space with too much information which further dilutes the purpose of the book. Plus, none of this is new information and better serves as an introduction for readers unfamiliar with the topic. There is nothing fresh thriving within “Elizabeth and Leicester”.

Gristwood eventually begins to rein in the text (somewhat) and begins to topically (and chronologically) focus on the various aspects of Elizabeth and Dudley’s private and professional relationship. These rare moments when Gristwood does buckle down are actually captivating (such as the death of Amy Robsart- Robert’s wife, Elizabeth’s supposed virginity, the constant pressure on Elizabeth to marry); and are coupled with some detective sleuth work with Gristwood attempting to debunk myths. If only Gristwood could maintain a steady writing style in this vein but sadly, she does not.

Gristwood peppers “Elizabeth and Leicester” with multiple biases, modern interpretations and an essay assessment that reads like a college term paper. In typical Gristwood fashion, “Elizabeth and Leicester” is often compared to Shakespeare- as though he was a historian- and uses way too many parentheses. “Elizabeth and Leicester” lacks a solid decision whether it is academic or a pop history with Gristwood constantly jumping back-and-forth. None of this something an editor couldn’t have corrected but if you read Gristwood’s other works; it is obvious this is just her way.

Gristwood can’t, however, be accused of dry visuals as there is a descriptive narrative side pumped with illustrative settings that allows readers to ‘feel’ the events and environments.

The final chapters of “Elizabeth and Leicester” recounting Dudley’s death and its impact/connection to Elizabeth; are devoid of emotion and finality that results in a rushed closing curtain. None of this successfully sums up the material. This, bluntly, can best be described as terribly disappointing.

Gristwood offers redemption by contributing riveting appendices highlighting (1) Robert Dudley – Dudley’s illegitimate son and (2) Arthur Dudley – the alleged offspring of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. These sections are thorough and insightful; adding meat to the book skeleton. Followed with an afterword analyzing the various fictional depictions of the historical pair in the modern age; Gristwood ends on a strong note for readers who prefer appendices (much recommended).

“Elizabeth and Leicester” is supplemented with two sections of color photo plates plus annotated notes/sources filled with crediting the use of private, primary and secondary sources. Despite the imperfections of “Elizabeth and Leicester”; one can’t deny Gristwood’s dedication to research.

“Elizabeth and Leicester” is unfortunately a discombobulated presentation of an intoxicating subject but this is no surprise with Sarah Gristwood. If able to wade through these muddy waters; then readers will glean some bright, clear moments but overall, “Elizabeth and Leicester” is too messy and best suggested for novice readers regarding the topic (although they may be overwhelmed by Gristwood’s writing) or for those desiring a refresher course.

[Danielle Reily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love books about the Tudor monarchy. I really enjoyed this book. A lot of books on this subject tend to get repetitive, it's exciting to find a book from a different perspective. This book examines in detail the relationship between the Virgin Queen and her long term confidante Robert Dudley.
The subject of Elizabeth and Robert is one that creates a lot of discussion, and very divided opinions. Most historians have different ideas about who controlled the relationship. Was the Queen in complete control and Dudley her pawn? Or was Robert the power behind the throne who had the most powerful woman in the country under his power? Then there are the most famous questions. Who killed Robert Dudley's first wife Amy? Was it an accident, suicide, or murder? If it was murder, who did it and what was the reason? Was it for love or for political reasons? The big question has always been did they, or didn't they? Was Elizabeth a true Virgin Queen or was Robert her secret lover?
Anyone who has read about Elizabeth's monarchy knows the questions, and probably has their own opinions, I know I do. Unfortunately it is really difficult to get the facts without an author's opinion clouding the isssue. Some writers only give the facts as they want to see them, or even exclude ideas, documentation, and contemperary accounts that don't agree with their preconcieved ideas.
All of that to say Sarah Gristwood doesn't force her opinion on the readers, instead she gives every side to each controversial issue. She provides detailed sources and provides some documentation that I had never seen before. I liked how she would show some ideas as unlikely, but she never says anything is completely impossible. She simply examines all sides of an issue.
I would reccomend this book to anyone who loves Tudor or European history. It would probably be hard for someone who doesn't know a little about the period to understand parts of this book, because it assumes a basic knowledge of Tudor history. It could also possibly be difficult for anyone who isn't interested in the period.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Happy Reading!

[pi.kavka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Z uwagi na fakt, że książka „Kobiety Wojny Dwóch Róż” Sary Gristwood naprawdę mocno przypadła mi do gustu i bardzo zaciekawiła, postanowiłam pójść za ciosem i zabrać się od razu za kolejną jej książkę. Pobrałam na Legimi „Elżbieta I i Robert Dudley. Prawdziwa historia Królowej Dziewicy i mężczyzny, którego kochała” licząc na przynajmniej takie same doznania jak w przypadku poprzedniej pozycji. I niestety trochę się zawiodłam.

Od wieków trwa dyskusja, jak bardzo Elżbieta Tudor i Robert Dudely byli sobie bliscy. Historycy poświęcają dziewictwu królowej niemal tyle samo uwagi, co sytuacji politycznej kraju, którym przyszło jej rządzić. Ba! Być może momentami dyskusje o jej życiu prywatnym wychodzą wręcz na pierwszy plan.
Sarah Gristwood nie odpowiada na pytanie, „czy Robert i Elżbieta TO zrobili”, skoncentrowana jest natomiast na tym, jak relacja z Robertem wpłynęły na politykę władczyni, podejmowane przez nią decyzje, ale również na jej pozycję na rynku matrymonialnym. Wyraźnie niechętna małżeństwu Elżbieta była odrzucana przez zagranicznych polityków jako ewentualna żona ich króla z uwagi na fakt, że podejrzewano, że może cudzołożyć z żonatym mężczyzną. Emocje były tak gorące, że kiedy małżonka Dudleya, Amy, zginęła w podejrzanych okolicznościach podejrzewano, że za zleceniem zabójstwa mogła stać sama Elżbieta.

Ukazanie relacji jednej z najpotężniejszych kobiet w historii z jej faworytem jest naprawdę fascynujące, choć nie daje raczej jasnych odpowiedzi i w książce sporo jest domysłów autorki oraz innych historyków i publicystów z różnych epok. Elżbieta i Robert to fascynujący przykład ze światowej historii, bo jeden z nielicznych, kiedy to kobieta stoi u steru, a mężczyzna stara się przypodobać i utrzymać w jej łaskach. Dodatkowego ”smaczku” tej historii dodaje też oczywiście fakt, że królowa zbudowała swoją pozycję i kult na propagowaniu swojej czystości i dziewictwa.

Książka napisana jest poprawnie, ale nie zaangażowała mnie tak, jak poprzednia tej autorki, którą czytałam. Choć ustawiona rozdziałami, które chronologicznie prowadziły nas przez lata panowania Elżbiety z Robertem u boku, to jednak była to historia dość chaotyczna, mocno bazująca na plotkach i domysłach. Tak królowa, jak i jej faworyt wydawali mi się mocno groteskowymi postaciami, w które ciężko było uwierzyć – a mówimy przecież o ludziach, którzy naprawdę żyli! Może fajnym uzupełnieniem tej historii byłby współautor w postaci psychologa zajmującego się badaniem osobowości osób znanych z historii, który trochę objaśniłby nam to, co mogło się dziać z Elżbietą i Robertem oraz w relacji pomiędzy nimi. Autorka podejmuje takie próby, ale wyraźnie nie ma do tego umiejętności.

Ogólnie okej, ale nie było to nic wyjątkowego i obstawiam, że książka ta nie pozostanie zbyt długo w moich myślach. Cóż, musimy chyba pogodzić się z tym, że natura związku Elżbiety i Roberta na zawsze pozostanie dla nas tajemnicą.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dense, but what wonderful detail and insight. Great research that shines a bit of a different light on E and L.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the day I finished this book. I was sitting in a quiet cafeteria on my lunch break. For weeks, I'd taken this book along with me and read a few pages to pass the hour. I made slow and steady progress. And then I arrived at the final few pages. It was almost over, and I hadn't even realized it, because I'd thought there were still a couple more chapters given the length of the appendixes and notes at the end. I remember reading the last lines and feeling so sad to have finished this excellent book at last.

Gristwood's "Elizabeth & Leicester" was the first nonfiction book I'd read, cover to cover, by my own volition. That's testament to just how readable this book is. Gristwood's writing felt conversational--it pulled me in.

What I appreciated most about this book is how sensible Gristwood's arguments are. Despite the book's sensationalist subtitle ("The Truth About the Virgin Queen and the Man She Loved"), Gristwood doesn't dramatize her subjects or their lives. When it comes to Elizabeth and Leicester, that's a pretty common trap to fall into. Instead, I remember Gristwood's arguments as reasonable and realistic. This is because she recognizes their relationship as a decades-long entanglement that changed over time and circumstance. Makes sense to me. As she says right on page 3: "This is no easy Romeo and Juliet love story." Plenty will always remain unknown about Elizabeth and Leicester. Gristwood writes with that in mind, and does very well presenting sensical and thus convincing arguments based on what we do know, or feel more sure of.

One of my favorite points Gristwood made in this book was how Elizabeth may have had mixed feelings about marrying Robert. In fiction, I feel like I'm often told Elizabeth longed to marry him, but had to let her head rule her heart. Instead, Gristwood takes Elizabeth's insistence on remaining single seriously. Gristwood reminds us that marrying Robert could have been disastrous for Elizabeth personally and politically (if there's a difference to be made there at all) as Elizabeth would have well known. And maybe, Gristwood suggests, when Robert became suspected of murdering his first wife, part of Elizabeth may have actually been relieved. After that, she could never marry him, or else risk ruin. The choice was made for her. I would never have thought of that myself, and it makes a lot of sense to me.

This is a book I'd definitely recommend to anyone interested in learning more about Elizabeth and/or Robert Dudley. This is an excellent, unromanticized account of two fascinating lives.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth and Leicester, the Virgin Queen and her 'sweet Robin', are one of the great romances of history, immortalised in history books and Hollywood movies alike. Most people have some awareness of their relationship: the great queen and the man she loved but could never marry; the age-old question of whether the Virgin Queen truly was a virgin and whether she and Leicester were lovers...

Unfortunately much of what is known about their relationship is little more than myth, fabricated over the years to fit the romantic narrative. There's the youthful passion, the drama of the death of Leicester's wife, the on-off-on-off nature of their entanglement, Elizabeth's dangling of foreign marriages, Leicester's covert relationships with other women... No wonder Hollywood loves Elizabeth, enough to make several movies about her and Leicester.

In this book Sarah Gristwood sets out to get to the truth, charting their decades-long relationship whilst cleaving as close as possible to documentary fact. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read, well-written, comprehensive, and with an ever so slightly sentimental style that suits the topic.

However, apart from the enjoyability of the read, as history it concerns me. The author's training as a journalist and not an historian is obvious. The lack of foot or end-notes in this book particularly - I have no problem with history aimed at the lay reader but when an author is writing on a topic as smothered in historical supposition and amorous gauze as Elizabeth and Leicester, the very lack of that academic supporting evidence only weakens the impact. A section on sources and further reading does not quite suffice to make me feel I could rely on this book with any certainty. In large part this book is based on other secondary sources, with little primary material and nothing new in the way of historical research.

[Mark Gaulding · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're unfamiliar with the life of Queen Elizabeth I and the people who surrounded her you might find this book a little overwhelming. But if you've read a fair share of biographies about the queen you'll find this one to be illuminating, certainly an accomplishment given all that has been published. This author may do to Leicester, what Antonia Fraser did for the revision of Marie Antoinette in history. By the books end, and after a very thorough analysis of the relationship and a respectful debate about the various perceptions of Leicester, you really have to revise your opinion of the man, and of the virgin queen. I had recently seen the brilliant new film with the goddess Cate Blanchett, and found the book an excellent companion piece to the film, or vice versa.

[Autumn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I need to stop reading Sarah Gristwood books. She writes about fascinating topics, but she is a terrible writer. An example:

"It is hard to get much of a reading on Douglass's character; not one of any great firmness, one might hazard, surely?"

If one is writing a work of non-fiction on a topic in which there is limited archival evidence, then one, surely, should not hazard to make judgements about people out of thin air. The book is full of equivocation and guess work. It rambles to and fro throughout the 16th century, and it continuously repeats itself.

Gristwood would benefit from an editor of great firmness, and I clearly need to stick to more academic books about the Tudors.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up skimming the rest of this once I hit the half-way point. While the book was well researched it wasn't very gripping. I wanted to read about Elizabeth and Robin...instead I got the entire socio-political climate of Europe with copious footnotes. Perhaps all these asides served the greater purpose of adding context to their relationship, but I found it dull and a bit of a slog. The author even managed to squelch any intrigue that remained regarding the death of Amy Robsart. Oh well. This was a very well written book, I just wasn't in the mood to devote so much of my time to it.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm fascinated by Elizabeth's relationship with Robert Dudley and this is the best book I have found that talks about it. Solid scholarship and using a knowledge of the human condition to inform her suppositions, this is the book to read if the relationship fascinates you as well.

[Allen]

I enjoyed learning about Elizabeth and her unique relationship with Leicester.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was undoubtedly the most important personal relationship in the life of Elizabeth I. Just how intimate were they? It's a question that has been asked a thousand times by historians, filmmakers and authors, with varying answers. This book looks at their relationship from its nebulous beginnings to its tragic end upon Leicester's death. It explores the contemporary and modern rumours of illegitimate children, and even the possibility of murder of inconvenient spouses.

Elizabeth I remains one of the most fascinating and charismatic figures of British history to me. A woman who became Queen of England, and held the throne against the pressure of war, of religion, and her own Council who wanted her to marry and provide an heir. She did not do so completely alone: Cecil (both the younger and older), Walsingham, and Leicester himself worked tirelessly on their Majesty's behalf. Do I believe that Elizabeth and Leicester ever had a physical relationship? No, I do not - for two reasons.

One - her early life had shown almost nothing but negative outcomes for love, marriage, and childbirth. Her father was a tyrant by the end of his reign, and her sister, Mary was made miserable by her marriage to Philip of Spain. She lost not only her mother but several step-mothers to either the executioner or the dangers of childbirth. All of which is conducive to her decision to remain unmarried and a virgin.

Two - the fact that even a queen would have become subordinate to her husband, and Elizabeth would not have that. It is encapsulated nicely in the question circulating on Facebook a few years ago: "What is a queen without her King? Well, historically speaking more powerful." Elizabeth was a survivor through necessity.

Both of these points and others are detailed within the book and the surviving evidence examined. I thought it was a really informative read, even if it threatened to become academically dry in places.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't a love story with a happy ending. After years of having Robert on a string, Elizabeth is left grief stricken by his death whilst England celebrates victory over the Spanish. Alone she grieves and, Gristwood suggests, perhaps regrets not marrying Leicester when she had the chance. Theirs is a classic example of courtly love with the added bonus of the two genuinely seeming to care for one another; Elizabeth's love for Robert and Leicester's undoubted loyalty to his queen something much more than just courtly games to pass the time.

Gristwood states in the afterword that only now can historians question the relationship between Elizabeth and Leicester and not feel that if she were guilty of 'immorality', it would make her any less worthy of rule. What does it matter, really, if Elizabeth had slept with Leicester? What would it change, really? Her lack of commitment to anything suggests she wouldn't have married him anyway and though I remain convinced by the myth of the Virgin Queen, I think it's time that the focus of her relationship with Leicester is on something other than how physical their relationship ever got. Thankfully, this is exactly what Gristwood does, never dwelling too long on the did they or didn't they and instead showing us the relationship between the queen and her principle favourite as one of feeling, love, and loyalty amidst the backdrop of the Elizabethan court.

[Stephanie Gates · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book that I wanted to love, since it is about one of my favorite queens, Elizabeth I. And while it was quite good, I found it also to be a bit passionless about the subject manner in spots, while weirdly socially historic in others. The lack of footnotes denoting where the author gleaned her information from was also a little jarring to grow accustomed to, even though her list of sources used in one of the appendices is quite extensive. All in all, an enjoyable read, I was just left wanting more.

[Andrew Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This in-depth account of the relationship between Elizabeth and Leicester proved to be an excellent read. Sarah Gristwood proves to have an insightful view of the politics of the period and explains how Elizabeth's attitude to marriage seemed to change to fit the politics of the occasion. The controversial issues of the time, such as Amy Dudley's death and whether Elizabeth and Robert were actually lovers, are dealt with in as even-handed a way as possible, thus allowing the reader to come to their own conclusion without the author giving a definitive view.

[MaryEllen Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating deep-dive into the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester) over the course of their lives. I do enjoy reading books about the royalty of this era and this one does not disappoint! So many unanswered questions about their relationship - romantic, physical, political? Sarah Gristwood does a great job of exploring and debunking or at least demystifying various theories and speculations, including later historical fiction and cinematic treatments!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once thought the man she would most likely marry, Elizabeth's longtime friend and advisor Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, remained loyal to her throughout his life. Since their deaths, he has been portrayed alternately as a loyal lover and a conniving murderer. This is a fascinating look at one of the most important relationships in Elizabeth I's life, and how histories have shaped the attitudes about this relationship over time.

[Angela Gifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very strong historical fiction on Elizabeth and Dudley. I appreciated how objective the author tried to stay about their timeline and presented all points of view on key issues. There were a couple chapters that I felt were boring where we just reviewed receipts and purchases since there were no other paper sources from that time frame, but I get why they had to do that to not skip decades ahead. 4.5 stars

[Neil Boado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 10/10

Today is Queen Elizabeth I’s birthday and it is an honor to finish reading a book about her on her special day.

One of the best love stories that continues to fascinate history enthusiasts, Elizabeth and Leicester digs deeper upon the tumultuous relationship between them. Torn between marrying Leicester and her duty to England, Elizabeth chose to remain a Virgin Queen and thus cementing her reputation as one of the most iconic Queens to ever grace the throne of England.

[Tonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it extremely annoying that almost all of the French and Latin had no translation, especially of family mottos it spoilt an otherwise very good in depth book for me. This is the second book by the same author that has been like this

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Halfway between a novel and a biography, dry and slow

[C.S. Burrough · Rating 4 out of 5]

After thoroughly enjoying Sarah Gristwood's other historical biographies, it was with eager anticipation that I turned to this. The legendary courtship between my favourite Tudor monarch and her Master of the Horse, Robert Dudley (later knighted Earl of Leicester), has for centuries intrigued scholars and captivated the public imagination, my own notwithstanding. I have read every great biography on this iconic royal and, like others, feel a creeping dread whenever I finish another, of having exhausted all material to date. Many is the time I have scoured library after library in vain, only to end up rereading things. Such was the extent of my joy at finding this book one late Sunday afternoon, and by such a great writer.

So many of our favourite Tudor events are tied up in this passionate liaison between Elizabeth and Leicester. There was the early period our two protagonists spent imprisoned in the Tower of London, in their youth, which begs so many questions surrounding the formation of their bond. The later mysterious death of Dudley's wife Amy, early in Elizabeth's reign, made the queen and her favourite free to marry whilst, paradoxically, preventing them from so doing due to the episode's inevitable controversy. Elizabeth's infamous offer of Dudley as husband to her rival cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, scandalised royal courts across Europe. In maturity our star-crossed pair together oversaw the later entrapment of that scheming would-be usurper queen and the showdown of the mighty Spanish Armada in oratory scenes long immortalised. Robert became, in effect, the consort that never was, trailing companies of liveried servants and horsemen and entertaining his 'heretic queen' on a scale so lavish it was to become the talk of Christendom. Literature, drama, opera and ballet abound with these tales.

Their tiffs and tirades, too, often more oblique than overt, often more written than personally enacted, became the stuff of courtly legend. Robert involved himself in the plot to marry off the Queen of Scots to the Catholic Duke of Norfolk, placing Elizabeth's throne on potentially shakier ground than that on which it was already precariously perched. The widowed Leicester even twice remarried behind Elizabeth's back, arousing her jealously and ire as could no other favourite. As puffed up and proud as she, Robert was her egotistical match, even blatantly overriding her orders not to accept overlordship of the Netherlands whilst there as her representative in wartime.

Yet the pair remained ultimately inseparable. Robert's surrogate and stepson Essex, ungratefully snatching up liberties unthinkable to other courtiers in Elizabeth's dotage, never came close to enjoying the closeness of his predecessor, indeed lost his head on the executioner's block for overstepping his mark and attempting insurrection.

I also enjoyed and appreciated the sixteen-page Appendix chapter on Arthur Dudley (who claimed to be Robert and Elizabeth's child), which precedes a fascinating examination of fictional portrayals over the centuries.

For narrative style I preferred Gristwood's earlier books, Blood Sisters: The Women Behind The Wars Of The Roses and Arbella: England's Lost Queen. By comparison, I found this stylistically longwinded, its sentences too convoluted with dashes and parentheses. Hence my four rather than five-star rating. Even so, I loved it.

This book is thorough, accurate, impeccably referenced and error-free – hallmarks of quality – leaving no stone unturned. On an academic level it succeeds.

A must for all Elizabeth I readers.

[Catherine Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few relationships fire our imagination like that of Elizabeth I and her ‘bonnie sweet Robin’ – the Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley.’

This is taken from the back cover of Sarah Gristwood’s fascinating book about the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.

This non-fiction book looks solely at Elizabeth and Robert Dudley, from their childhood right up until Dudley’s death in 1588 during the victory celebrations of England’s defeat of the mighty Spanish Armada. Historic events take place around them like the marriage proposals from the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Alencon, it shows Dudley’s jealously and his plots and plans to scupper this French/English union. Was this because he truly loved Elizabeth and was jealous as a lover, or because he didn’t want any other man becoming king, except him? The episode regarding Elizabeth’s half hearted attempt to marry her favourite off to Mary, Queen of Scots. Why did she do this?

Robert Dudley has been portrayed throughout history as ambitious, grasping and power hungry who murdered his first wife Amy Robsart in order to marry the queen and become King of England. He is also accused of murdering the husbands of the women he wanted to seduce (Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, so he could marry his wife, Lettice Knollys).

He was slandered, libelled and universally hated because of his extremely close relationship with Elizabeth. Sarah Gristwood has meticulously researched her subjects in this wonderful and interesting book. Leicester and Elizabeth were both equally flawed but I think, truly did love each other. She relied on him for everything and in the end, his enemies realised that if they wanted her to do what they wished and what was best for the country, only Leicester could persuade her.

He was a complex man, he could be ruthless with those who crossed him but he could also be very kind to his tenants and servants.

I felt a sadness when reading about his death, he had gained so much power, much more than any noble and privy councillor, he had lands, money, influence with the queen but what he really wanted eluded him – a family and the continuance of the Dudley dynasty. He tried to put this right by marrying Lettice Knollys who bore him a son, Robert Dudley, Baron Denbigh. Unfortunately, this family life which he craved so much, was not to last and his young son died.

When Leicester was gone, Elizabeth was left quite alone, she needed him and he needed her.

Reading this book has proved that the life of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, wasn’t as straight forward as history has portrayed him. Was he good or was he bad? I think good, but why not read ‘Elizabeth and Leicester’ then you decide.