Elizabethan Rebellions Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason by Helene Harrison

 

In this book, Helene Harrison conducts a forensic examination of the five rebellions which occurred during Queen Elizabeth 1's reign, including the Northern Rising, the Throckmorton Rebellion and the Babington Plot. The first one was mainly about disaffection with the nobility, but most of the plots revolved around Mary, Queen of Scots, who most Catholics saw as either the true Queen, or the successor to Elizabeth. Three were especially dangerous, because of the dangers of a Spanish invasion helped by the Catholic French. However, the Babington Plot, which brought about Mary's downfall, was probably designed to entrap her, so that Elizabeth would finally decide to execute her own cousin, and a former Queen. This decision, even if Mary was a traitor, is hugely controversial, even today.

The last rebellion, the Essex Rebellion, was probably caused by selfishness, and delusions of grandeur on the part of the former Queen's favourite, the handsome, young and over-ambitious Earl of Essex.

This was easy to read, and always interesting, especially for Tudor fans.

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