Elizabeth I's Last Favourite
Sarah-Beth Watkins
Robert
Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, was to become Queen Elizabeth I's, last
favorite courtier. His step-father Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester,
had also been a favorite of the queen. Devereux had big ambitions,
and as Ms. Watkins explains, he rose to hold numerous positions, not
least of which was a seat on the Privy Council. He was to become
Lieutenant and Governor-General of Ireland in 1599 before falling out
of favor. Up until this point, he had been able to flatter the queen,
but it seems the aging monarch had had enough of his antics. His
failures in Ireland and unwillingness to follow the Queen's commands
were to be the last straw.
By all accounts, Devereux seems to
have been a man in search of fame and glory, much of it on the
battlefield, where things didn't always go his way. Whenever the
queen was displeased, he seemed to have a way of flattering her or
feigning sickness to win her sympathy. He also flaunted her requests
and often took matters into his own hands, like when he knighted men
on the battlefield against protocol. Although the queen often seemed
infuriated by his actions, more often than not, she ended up turning
a blind eye to his transgressions and shenanigans.
I have to
say that I wasn't drawn to Devereux as a person. He seemed very
egoistical and manipulative, but perhaps that was necessary to
survive the intrigue and jealousies that plagued the Tudor court of
the time. I did enjoy reading this account of his life and learning
about the love-hate relationship he kept up for years with the aging
queen. At times they reminded me of a pair of squabbling teenagers.
Ms. Watkins does an excellent job of making Tudor history come alive.
That is perhaps what makes this such an enjoyable and fascinating
read.
Thanks to Chronos Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
