judyward 's review for:

The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir

4.0

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Alison Weir has written an excellent introductory biography of Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I was one of England's most influential monarchs and her long reign was full of conflict and drama--the threat of the Spanish Amanda, the intrigues of Mary Queen of Scots, and the continuing religious struggles between Catholics and Protestants and between High Church Protestants and Puritans within the kingdom. And then the issue of Elizabeth's ultimate refusal to marry after spending years manipulating the marriage markets of both England and Europe. Weir brings Elizabeth I to life in all of her complexity. Coming to the throne at age 25, Elizabeth lived a fascinating life and she was responsible for transforming England from a debt-ridden country of little international influence into a united kingdom fully engaged in European politics. This book is social historian Alison Weir at her best.