To have a queen known for her alleged virginity, Elizabeth I’s sex life is definitely the main topic of great conjecture. Here, Dr Anna Whitelock, a reader at the beginning of modern history on Regal Holloway, College off London area, examines what extremely went on trailing this new finalized doorways of one’s so-titled Virgin Queen
Historically, plenty of guides, books, performs and you may films possess portrayed E I’s relationship that have numbers including as the Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; Robert Devereux, Earl regarding Essex, plus the Duke out-of Anjou. About lack of conclusive evidence somehow, the question ‘performed they or failed to it?’ are always linger. Yet what is actually clear is the fact, each other home and you can overseas, rumours in the Elizabeth’s sex life – actual or envisioned – released during their leadership. From as being the Virgin Queen, for most intense observers Elizabeth try the brand new ‘whore’ regarding Europe.
On age one to then followed, the romantic matchmaking went on, but one constant chances of another relationship are restarted
Contemporary thinking in regards to the ‘insatiable’ sexual appetites of women, in addition to Elizabeth’s incapacity so you’re able to get married, fuelled suspicions the queen is involved with wonders intimate liaisons. Her Catholic competitors challenged the lady virtue, and you may accused their out-of a “filthy lust” which had “defiled the girl human body plus the country”. New queen out of France joked this one of your own great questions of the day is “whether Queen Elizabeth are a housemaid if any”. The courts regarding European countries had been abuzz having hearsay to what queen out of England’s conduct.
Regarding extremely basic weeks of their reign, rumours give away from Elizabeth’s experience of Robert Dudley, the lady “nice Robin” whom she had recognized as youth. In this times of this lady accession, E got appointed Dudley due to the fact grasp of your own pony – a situation one to secured almost daily contact. The Language ambassador said into queen out of The country of spain you to definitely “Lord Robert has arrived really into the go for that he really does any type of the guy wants and is even mentioned that Her Majesty visits him within his chamber night and day”.
The fresh pair’s interest together are commonly said up on, in addition to their flirtatious habits astonished observers. While in 1560 Robert Dudley’s partner, Amy Robsart, try found with her neck broken at the end away from an excellent stairways, conjecture is actually rife about what involvement of one’s queen and you can her favourite.
Elizabeth’s councillors had been determined to safer a favorable marriage on her, both as a means away from combining England’s position into the Europe and to provide an heir to progress this lady. When you’re there is certainly zero not enough suitors, and Philip II regarding The country of spain; Erik XIV off Sweden in addition to Archdukes Ferdinand and you can Charles out of Austria, no body were able to earn the fresh new queen’s rather have or even the unanimous help of the girl council. If you are foreign dealings proceeded, Age preferred the eye out of more youthful male courtiers such as for instance Thomas Heneage, Christopher Hatton and you may Walter Raleigh, and soon after Robert Devereux, earl of Essex, each of who flirted its way for the queen’s rather have.
But Robert Dudley remained new queen’s basic, and probably merely love. Possibly because response to Dudley’s matrimony to help you Lettice Devereux, dowager countess from Essex throughout the autumn out of 1578, next year Age asked Francois, the newest duke away from Anjou, brother of your own king away from France, into the English court presenting their suit getting matrimony.
It wasn’t a great matches. Anjou are a 20-some thing tiny and you may pockmarked Catholic who had been generally rumoured are an effective transvestite. Nonetheless, E had constantly longed to-be wooed directly of the you to definitely regarding the lady illustrious suitors, as well as a time she appeared to be genuine inside her affections and demand for Anjou, just who she affectionately called her ‘frog’.
After a few weeks Anjou returned to France and dealings checked in order to break down when confronted with personal resistance towards meets, however in October 1581 Anjou returned to The united kingdomt. While the their previous go to, he’d continued to enter like characters towards the king in he indicated his desire to be “making out and you will rekissing all that Your gorgeous Majesty normally consider”, and also to feel “during intercourse between the sheets on your beautiful hands”.
Upon their coming when you look at the London area Elizabeth again appeared mesmerized and you will enraptured by Anjou’s visibility, as well as on 22 November, if the courtroom is assembled during the Whitehall so you can enjoy the latest Accession Go out parties, Elizabeth stated in public places you to definitely she meant to wed your. She went on to help you kiss him on mouth and provide him the woman ring. Yet , at once, E appear to got second thoughts and you will announced the very next day she won’t get married Anjou.
It is skeptical if or not E had extremely meant to just do it towards the relationships given the prominent violence in order to they, but when Anjou in the long run departed she made much of becoming grief-afflicted within death of her spouse “with exactly who she thus reluctantly parted”.
For the incapacity of your French fits, expectations you to definitely Elizabeth carry out elizabeth to help you an-end, but due to the fact she increased old and you may even more remote she proceeded so you can find the interest away from their male courtiers. Robert Devereux, the students earl of Essex and you will stepson from Robert Dudley, was Elizabeth’s history great flirtation. The guy in the future turned into master of your own pony and you can moved with the their stepfather’s leases within judge. Certainly one of Essex’s servants boasted you to “actually at night my lord is at cards or one online game or any other along with her, which he cometh to not ever their own rooms until the wild birds sing-in this new morning.”
In spite of the ages gap among them, the nature of your own relationship is actually once again speculated upon
However, it was a special brand of matchmaking as compared to that Age got got with Dudley, and try a little more about the need regarding an aging girl in order to be produced to feel younger and you can glamorous from the a good-looking more youthful courtier. Yet , Elizabeth is actually never ever thus swept away from the her thinking you to definitely she shed a passionate feeling of political knowledge. In 1601, immediately following that which was found to be a tried coup up against the lady, she bought large friends reddit Essex’s delivery.
For the 1603 Elizabeth, following nearly 70, died unmarried and you can distinguished because England’s high ‘Virgin Queen’. Yet , their demise served merely to remain conjecture regarding the this lady individual lives. From the age you to observed, the fresh wondering out of Elizabeth’s virginity is actually no longer restricted so you’re able to intense Catholic discourse, and there is actually an ever-increasing feel that Elizabeth’s individual feelings had compromised this new stability of her rule.
In life, E plus the female of one’s bedchamber had tenaciously defended new chastity away from the woman body to guard the lady character and you can defend the girl crown. When you look at the demise, it is certainly the chance that she was not chaste that continues to intrigue, and make certain Elizabeth’s enduring dominance and you will attract.
Dr Anna Whitelock is a reader during the early modern history at Royal Holloway, School from London area, therefore the composer of Elizabeth’s Bedfellows: An intimate History of brand new Queen’s Legal (Bloomsbury, 2013).