Product Description

Elizabeth I was born into a world of women. As a child, she was served by a predominantly female household of servants and governesses, with occasional visits from her mother, Anne Bolyen, and the wives who later took her place. As Queen, Elizabeth was constantly attended by ladies of the bedchamber and maids of honor who clothed her, bathed her and watched her while she ate. Among her family, it was her female relations who had the greatest influence: from her sister Mary, who distrusted and later imprisoned her, to her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who posed a constant and dangerous threat to her crown for almost thirty years. Despite the importance of women in Elizabeth's life, most historians and biographers have focused on her relationships with men. She has been portrayed as a 'man's woman' who loved to flirt with the many ambitious young men who frequented her court. Yet it is the women in her life who provide the most fascinating insight into the character of this remarkable monarch. With them she was jealous, spiteful and cruel, as well as loyal, kind and protective. She showed her frailties and her insecurities, but also her considerable shrewdness and strength. In short, she was more human than the public persona she presented to the rest of the court. It is her relationships with women that hold the key to the private Elizabeth. In this original chronicling of the life of one of England's greatest monarchs, historian Tracy Borman explores Elizabeth's relationships with the key women in her life. Beginning with her mother and the governesses and stepmothers who cared for the young princess, including her beloved Kat Astley and the inspirational Katherine Parr, "Elizabeth's Women" sheds new light on her formative years. Elizabeth's turbulent relationships with her rivals are examined: from her sister, 'Bloody' Mary, to the sisters of Lady Jane Grey, and finally the most deadly of all her rivals, Mary, Queen of Scots who would give birth to the man Elizabeth would finally, inevitably have to recognize as heir to her throne. It is a chronicle of the servants, friends and 'flouting wenches' who brought out the best - and the worst - of Elizabeth's carefully cultivated image as Gloriana, the Virgin Queen, in the glittering world of her court.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1524 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

Review
`...an enthralling picture of female empowerment and woman's place in this most testosterone fuelled of epochs...a thrilling and carefully written book.' --Scotland on Sunday

"The idea behind her book is genuinely inspired"
--Sunday Times Culture

"irresistible stuff" --The Guardian

`a compelling and fascinating account' --Historical Novels Review

About the Author
Tracy Borman studied and taught history at the University of Hull and was awarded a PhD in 1997.She went on to a successful career in heritage and has worked for a range of historic properties and national heritage organisations, including the Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Archives. In 2002, she was appointed Learning Director at English Heritage and has recently been appointed Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. She also works part-time as Head of Interpretation for Historic Royal Palaces. Tracy has regularly appeared on television and radio, and has featured in a range of magazine and newspaper articles. She is a regular contributor to history magazines, including articles in BBC History Magazine on the history of beauty and 18th century 'It' Girls'. In addition, she also gives public talks and lectures on a wide range of subjects. Tracy's first book, King's Mistress, Queen's Servant: The Life and Times of Henrietta Howard, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2007.

Customer Reviews

exellent book
This is one of the most interesting books I have read about Queen Elizabeth the 1st, normally they detail the men in her life, so this is the 1st book I have read that deals with the women that surrounded her both good and bad.
It is not a dry and academic book that the ordinary reader might struggle with (eg myself!) neither is it patronising, a really enjoyable and very interesting read.
Look forward to more of her work, she will now be up there with my other favourite, Alison Weir.

'Elizabeth's Women' by Tracy Borman 450pp hardback
This was very detailed and written in an accessible style. It was interesting to learn about the interlinking of the families and the consequent threats to Elizabeth's position from so many (female) contenders in the royal line. This is why it would have been SO USEFUL to have had some family trees at the beginning of the book.The illustrations were good, containing some (to me) new material - for example the locket ring owned by Elizabeth I and the 'recently discovered portrait of Henry VI and his children'. There is some repetition both of information and interpretation. Some proof reading might have avoided the misquotation on page 333 'I know I have the body of a weak and female (sic) woman' ('feeble'). The final two chapters seem to be composed of a catalogue of the young women who flouted Elizabeth and the increasing tetchiness with which she dealt with them: I think it would have given more human interest if, perhaps, we could have had more detail about the minutiae of everyday life and some indication of other political stresses on her. There are, of course, many comments prefaced by 'if' and 'perhaps' but the text is backed by quotations from contemporary documents and contains a section of reference notes and an index.I recommend it as a new slant on a well known historical figure and the period.

Just brilliant!
This is a brilliant book about a brilliant queen by a brilliant historian! It`s a truly valuable addition to the canon of research on Elizabeth I, and one that sheds new light on an aspect of the Virgin Queen`s life that has hitherto been overlooked. Highly recommended.