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Death And The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I And The Dark Scandal That Rocked The Throne (2011)

by Chris Skidmore(Favorite Author)

3.43 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0312379005 (ISBN13: 9780312379001)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

St. Martin's Press

review 1: I've seen several bad reviews of this book but I didn't find it as bad as all that. Amy's death is never really going to be resolved but I think the author did his best with the information available to him. The real faults of this book are perhaps overzealous marketing and a touch of repetitiveness in the writing. I found the book an overall helpful source to get me interested in looking into this period more.
review 2: This book attempts to shed light on the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, the first wife of Lord Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite courtier. Skidmore has certainly done his due diligence in researching the matter and draws upon a multitude of historical documents to present his case. But to understand the circumstances of Amy’s dea... moreth, the reader must fully understand the breadth of the relationship between Robert and Elizabeth. A majority of the book focuses on the dynamic of the pair and how their “friendship” affected all manner of courtly life.Upon her ascension, there was immediate contention about Robert’s privileged appointments and preferential treatment, especially since his father and grandfather were executed for treason. Elizabeth’s blatant flirting with Robert certainly sent tongues wagging, much to the chagrin of Secretary Cecil: “The queen seemed to have abandoned her office to leisure. Cecil was quick to lay the blame: ‘the destruction of the queen would manifestly result from the influence of Lord Robert.’” Then there was the issue of Elizabeth marrying and producing an heir. While some preferred she marry a foreign royal, others preferred an English nobleman, and though Robert fit the bill, many were against him. Elizabeth’s subterfuge was effective in keeping Robert close despite his marriage to Amy, while avoiding committing to a foreign betrothal. There is a bit of tedium in the hand-wringing speculation about the succession, but it illustrates the uncertainty of England’s future.When it comes to Amy’s death from a broken neck after a fall down the stairs, there is much conjecture about the cause. Had breast cancer left her weak and out of sorts, causing her to stumble? Had Robert’s retainers previously tried to poison her, causing the erratic and paranoid behavior of her final days? Did the queen actively seek Amy’s death so that she could keep the possibility of marrying Robert in play? Despite the jury and coroner’s conclusion that Amy’s death was accidental, there are some suspicious records possibly implicating wrongdoing. Though it is impossible to draw conclusions with certainty, I tend to think that a woman in Elizabethan dress, with the abundance of skirt fabric, descending a steep, curved, stone staircase could easily have tripped over her dress and tumbled down the stairs in a fatal accident. I’m actually surprised more women back then weren’t injured from tripping over their vast and cumbersome clothes. Regardless of what can and cannot be proved, it is an intriguing story that has been meticulously researched and presented in an accessible format. I have a better understanding of the tumultuous, decades-long relationship between Robert and Elizabeth how Amy’s death cast a shadow over their friendship for the rest of their lives. less

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