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A review by xxstefaniereadsxx
The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Elizabeth I was born in England in 1533. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife. Her father had her mother executed via beheading when she was two years old. Before the execution, their marriage was annulled, making Elizabeth an illegitimate child. She was educated by tutors, learning several languages. When Henry VIII died, she lived in the household of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour. He engaged in severely inappropriate and abusive activities toward Elizabeth, which I am sure traumatized her in some way. He was eventually executed for plotting to marry Elizabeth, as well as marrying her cousin to her half brother. Eventually, after the death of her brother Edward VI, her cousin Lady Jane Grey, and her sister Mary I, she became queen. The year was 1558, and she was 25 years old. Elizabeth would go on to be the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor.
During her reign, she was known for a lot of different things. The fact that she absolutely refused to marry was one of them. She did not want to give a man the right to control her and her decisions, and I certainly cannot blame her for that. Plus, they were all scheming anyway to become King. She did have a long love affair with Robert Dudley though, and was probably not a virgin as people were want to call her. She was also an imperialist, seeking to grow her kingdom. She engaged in several military conflicts, but also worked to foster good relationships with allied kingdoms.
Alison Weir is one of my favorite female historians. I typically enjoy all of her work, and this one was no exception. Her research is always very well done, and I have picked up further reading from her bibliography several times. I enjoy the way she tells the stories of people in a way that is interesting, entertaining, and educational. Elizabeth I is a monarch that I have read a lot about, but still managed to learn a few new things from this book. Any book by this author is a good choice to add to your TBR pile.
During her reign, she was known for a lot of different things. The fact that she absolutely refused to marry was one of them. She did not want to give a man the right to control her and her decisions, and I certainly cannot blame her for that. Plus, they were all scheming anyway to become King. She did have a long love affair with Robert Dudley though, and was probably not a virgin as people were want to call her. She was also an imperialist, seeking to grow her kingdom. She engaged in several military conflicts, but also worked to foster good relationships with allied kingdoms.
Alison Weir is one of my favorite female historians. I typically enjoy all of her work, and this one was no exception. Her research is always very well done, and I have picked up further reading from her bibliography several times. I enjoy the way she tells the stories of people in a way that is interesting, entertaining, and educational. Elizabeth I is a monarch that I have read a lot about, but still managed to learn a few new things from this book. Any book by this author is a good choice to add to your TBR pile.