The Death of Amy Robsart
An Elizabethan Mystery
Sarah-Beth Watkins
Amy
Robsart, the wife of Robert Dudley, was found dead on 8 September
1560. She had apparently fallen down the stairs at Cumnor Place,
where she was living. Robert Dudley was Queen Elizabeth I's Master of
the Horse, and it was rumored that they were very close. Some even
speculated that she wanted to marry him. However, due to his family's
history, he wasn't particularly well-liked by others close to the
Queen. Perhaps because of this, rumors about Amy's death began to
surface. Even though, her death was ruled an accident at the time
many continued to suspect foul play.
Ms. Watkins examines the
history of the rumors and looks at what or who might have had a role
to play in Amy's death if it wasn't an accident. One thing is for
sure; it wasn't Dudley himself because his whereabouts were accounted
for on the day of his wife's death. But he didn't attend the
elaborate funeral fanning the flames of rumors. As Watkins explains,
many resented Dudley's closeness to the Queen and his increasing
influence at court. They included the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of
Sussex, and the Queen's chief adviser, William Cecil. Maybe they
hoped to discredit him. While we may never know what really happened,
it seems clear that the Elizabethan court was rife with intrigue, and
this book goes some way to showing how treacherous life could be
during the Queen's reign.
Thanks to Chronos Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
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