The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I, Genius of the Golden Age

Hibbert provides a factual and rivetting narrative on the life of Queen Elizabeth I, one of England's greatest rulers, and the last of England's Tudor rulers, with emphasis on her personal life, character and personality, and particular quirks. The prologue summarizes the reign of Elizabeth,especially relating to Elizabeth's mother Anne Boleyn right up to Boleyn's execution. She was brought up in various households, at different times, including that of her younger half-brother Prince, Edward the son of Jane Seymour and after King Henry's death, the household of Henry's last wife Catherine Parr. She was heard, in later life, only to refer to her mother twice. While she proudly referred to herself as the daughter of Henry VIII, she was never ashamed to be a Boleyn and kept a ring that contained a miniature of Anne Boleyn. she also, on occasion used her mother's symbol, the falcon, a bird of pray in which the female bird is larger than the male of the species. At the time of her mother's execution Princess Elizabeth was two years and eight months old. She was a pretty child far more closely resembling her father than her mother, with her red hair as opposed to her mother's darker colouring. She was soon stripped of her title of princess and declared illegitimate. Elizabeth who was an incredibly bright child, did not notice that her mother was gone but she did notice the change of her name. She apparently said to her governess. "how haps it governor, yesterday my Lady Princess, today but my Lady Elizabeth?" Elizabeth must have grown up under great trauma , her mother executed when she was three years old, on her father's orders, all but rejected by her father and declared 'illegitimate.' Elizabeth was well educated by her governess Kat Ashley, she was an accomplished poet and writer, she was taught several languages, spent several hours a day reading history and could play several musical instruments. She was said by her tutor to have read more Greek every day than many church prebendaries did in a whole week. At the age of 14, living in the household of the Queen Dowager Catherin Parr, Elizabeth was seduced by the Lord Admiral Sir Thomas Seymour, and the author describes something of the sexual games and romps between Elizabeth and Sir Thomas, sometimes involving Elizabeth's governess Kat Ashley. Elizabeth was only a child and certainly could not be held responsible for her involvement in this fling. She chose a moderate path being a sincere and devout believer but rejecting both the fanatic Roman Catholicism of her sister Mary and the severe Puritanism of some fierce church reformers. AS monarch she was to preside over an England with greater religious tolerance than it had ever enjoyed before, with both Protestants and Catholics as her chief office bearers. After the accession to her tyrannical older sister Mary, , who had hundreds of Protestants burned to death, hence earning her name 'Bloody Mary' Elizabeth, who was the

This book is a good general introduction to Queen Elizabeth. Hibbert always paints a portrait of his subject, rather than discussing every detail of the person's life. Since most biographers write too much, we should all be grateful to Hibbert. He does a great job of describing Queen Elizabeth's decisionmaking process, her interactions with her advisors, and her reluctance to marry. He also explains the religious issues that surrounded the time briefly yet thoughtfully.

Christopher Hibbert is one of my favorite historical writers. At all times, lucidity, clarity, and narrative curiosity drive his writings. I first read this one years ago, and it's still the most accessible biography of Elizabeth I available. My favorite passages, and the ones I've read to history and English students time and again, are those on what Elizabethan women went through to look beautiful in their eyes. Anybody up for lipstick made of mercuric sulphide? The whole book is full on interesting little corners like that. All in all, a lively book.

The Virgin Queen is a very readable, comprehensive "herstory" of Elizabeth I. Hibbert's biography reads like a compelling novel, making it nearly impossible to put down. Elizabeth's personality comes forth in this book and we are able to see her great strength and her vulnerability. Please remember to stop reading it every now and then and get some sleep.

This was a hard book to put down! It is filled with interesting facts about the English monarchy. Christopher Hibbert does an excellent job giving the reader a feel for what life was like during the reign of Elizabeth I. After reading this book, I learned much about this very unusual woman and gained a better understanding of how her strength, intelligence, and cunning enabled her to command the respect and love of her people. Christopher Hibbert also reveals a very fascinating human side to a legendary, historical figure. I highly recommend this book to lovers of English history.