Elizabeth 1 Renaissance Prince by Lisa Hilton

This book is a comprehensive study of the great Queen which analyses why she regarded herself as a 'prince,' her relationships with men, including Phillip 11 and Robert Dudley, her dealings with her rival Mary, Queen of Scots, and even her contribution to culture.  also scrutinises her attitude to religion and the way most of Europe regarded her reign – they apparently thought of it as repressive and harsh. Although Elizabeth didn’t want to ‘make windows into people’s souls,’ she eventually felt forced to persecute the Catholics because of their threat to her kingdom by the fanatical members of that denomination. (This resonates today because of fanatical Islam).  It is a bit heavy at times, but always interesting and well-written.

As I am a bit frivolous, I especially liked Lisa Hilton's vibrant descriptions of the festivals and pageants and the Queen’s makeup and scent.

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.