Synopses & Reviews
Acclaimed for their dramatic rendering of the personalities and forces that shaped Elizabethan politics, Wallace T. MacCaffrey's three volumes thoroughly chronicle the Queen's decision making throughout her reign in a way that combines pleasurable reading with subtle analysis. Together in paperback for the first time, these books will find a wide readership among those interested in debunking Elizabeth's many mythic images and in following the steps of Elizabethan policy-makers as they grapple with the most crucial political problems of their day.
Upon acceding to the throne in 1558, Elizabeth was faced with a host of problems: military defeat on the Continent, a bankrupt treasury, lack of direction in foreign and domestic policies, the threat of religious civil war, and challenges to the legitimacy of her succession. Covering the first fifteen years of Elizabethan rule, this volume illuminates the new pattern of power relationships on which the regime securely established itself.
Review
"MacCaffrey has written an extraordinarily interesting book.... The result is a canvas that is apt to remain the standard picture of early Elizabethan political history for some time to come."
--Maurice Lee, Jr., American Historical Review
Review
"Professor MacCaffrey has performed a major service.... We are even a little closer to an understanding of the Queen herself, as we are guided through the labyrinth of her dealings with her own servants and foreign ambassadors."
--D. M. Loades, Renaissance Quarterly
Review
"It is the analysis of how war policy was made which illustrates most effectively the skill of MacCaffrey's narrative and the depth of his understanding of Elizabeth.... A superb book, full of wisdom, learning, and insight."
--Kenneth R. Bartlett, Canadian Journal of History
Synopsis
The fifteen years between the accession of Elizabeth I to the throne and the death of the Duke of Norfolk were a true time of testing for the new regime.
Originally published in 1971.
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Table of Contents
I | Prologue to a Reign | 3 |
II | The Making of a Government | 22 |
III | The Opening Months | 45 |
IV | The Shaping of the Regime | 67 |
V | The Emergence of Dudley | 93 |
VI | The Newhaven Adventure | 117 |
VII | Succession and Marriage: The First Phase | 145 |
VIII | Succession and Marriage: The Second Phase | 178 |
IX | The Downfall of Mary Stuart | 216 |
X | Mary in England | 247 |
XI | French Protestants and Spanish Gold | 268 |
XII | The Norfolk Marriage | 293 |
XIII | The Revolt of the Earls | 330 |
XIV | The Aftermath of the Storm | 372 |
XV | The Ridolfi Plot | 399 |
XVI | Conclusion | 454 |
| Index | 489 |