Glitteringly detailed and engagingly written, the magisterial Elizabeth I brings to vivid life the golden age of sixteenth-century England and the uniquely fascinating monarch who presided over it. A woman of intellect and presence, Elizabeth was the object of extravagant adoration by her contemporaries. She firmly believed in the divine providence of her sovereignty and exercised supreme authority over the intrigue-laden Tudor court and Elizabethan England at large. Brilliant, mercurial, seductive, and maddening, an inspiration to artists and adventurers and the subject of vicious speculation over her choice not to marry, Elizabeth became the most powerful ruler of her time. Anne Somerset has immortalized her in this splendidly illuminating account.
“The most comprehensive, the most reliable and the most readable biography of Elizabeth.” –The New York Times Book Review
“This is my favourite among the biographies of Queen Elizabeth I. Anne Somerset presents a convincing as well as complex character at the center of her lucid narrative. She breathes new life into old sources so that we live the story again and see it afresh.” –Antonia Fraser
“An ample, stylish, and eloquent life of the queen.” –The Washington Post Book World
“Finely crafted, abundantly detailed. . . . Few biographies have explored the depth found here.” –San Francisco Chronicle
“An excellent book. . . . Somerset is in some respects the most balanced and impartial of all Elizabeth’s biographers.” –Sunday Times (London)
“I am completely captivated by [Somerset’s] Elizabeth I. . . . The writing . . . is a delight.” –Peter Gwyn, Weekend Telegraph
“A gorgeous tapestry. . . . Even readers unfamiliar with the dynamic personalities of the Tudor era would do well to start their quest for knowledge here.” –Booklist
“[Somerset] is an experienced biographer, a thorough researcher, an admirable writer and a reliable judge of character.” –Financial Times
“[Somerset] gives us a portrait . . . with so much fidelity that the effect is just and exhilarating.” –The Spectator
“Totally captivating. . . . A wry, convincing portrait of a complex character.” –Publishers Weekly
