Did It Matter That Elizabeth I Was a Woman?
Whether as ‘Gloriana’ or ‘Good Queen Bess’ Elizabeth I is one of England’s most iconic monarchs, but did her gender shape her reign?
Elizabeth I
The Hunt for Martin Marprelate
Who was Martin Marprelate, seditious pamphleteer and enemy of the Elizabethan Church and state? And, more importantly, how could he be stopped?
Jane Austen: A Partial and Prejudiced Historian
On the 250th anniversary of her birth, Jane Austen still has lessons for readers of history.
James VI and I: Spinning the English Succession
Eager to be first in line, the astute James VI of Scotland responded to the question of the English succession with a war of words.
The Tudor War on Libel
As rude rhymes and rumours threatened reputations, the Elizabethan government attempted to regulate barbed language.
The Fight for Mary, Queen of Scots’ Jewels
Who should claim Scotland’s royal jewels? After the forced abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, the answer was not clear cut.
‘All His Spies’ and ‘Spycraft’ review
All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil and Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration bring Tudor and Stuart espionage in from the cold.
‘The Specter of the Archive’ by Nicholas Popper review
The Specter of the Archive: Political Practice and the Information State in Early Modern Britain by Nicholas Popper explores the Elizabethan revolution in record keeping.
Nottinghamshire’s Bitter 1593 Election
A Nottinghamshire election in 1593 descended into farce, violence and, ultimately, futility.
What Can Historical Clothing Reveal That Other Sources Cannot?
From Elizabeth I’s intimate attire to fabrics that threatened social hierarchies, clothes tell us about more than just their wearers.