Young Elizabeth
Princess. Prisoner. Queen.
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Michael O'Mara Books Ltd
Published:27th Feb '25
Should be back in stock very soon
The first fully comprehensive biography of the young Elizabeth I in over twenty years, drawing on a rich variety of primary sources from both Elizabeth herself and those closest to her during her tumultuous youth.
Drawing on primary sources from both Elizabeth herself and those closest to her during her tumultuous youth, this is the first fully comprehensive biography of the early life of Elizabeth I in over twenty years.
Elizabeth I is one of England’s most famous monarchs, whose story as the ‘Virgin Queen’ is well known. But queenship was by no means a certain path for Henry VIII’s younger daughter, who spent the majority of her early years as a girl with an uncertain future.
This colourful and immensely detailed biography charts Elizabeth’s turbulent and unstable upbringing, from the Wyatt Rebellion – a plot to topple her half-sister, Mary, from her throne – to the predatory attentions of Sir Thomas Seymour and the heartbreaking rift with her beloved stepmother Katherine Parr. When Elizabeth became queen, she had already endured more tumult than many monarchs experienced in a lifetime, and this truly comprehensive account explores the dangers and tragedies that plagued her early life.
Bestselling author Nicola Tallis draws on primary sources written by Elizabeth herself and her contemporaries, providing an extensive and thorough study of an exceptionally resilient young girl whose early life would shape the queen she later became. This is a nuanced, authentic and utterly gripping biography that throws new light onto the early life of this iconic monarch. The heart-racing story of Elizabeth’s youth as she steered her way through perilous waters towards England’s throne is one of the most sensational of its time.
Through Tallis’s brilliant writing we see how Elizabeth was shaped. -- Alice Loxton * BBC History Magazine *
Compelling new insights … meticulous research … superbly narrated, the Virgin Queen’s turbulent path to the throne is surprising, revealing and utterly irresistible. -- Tracy Borman * BBC History Magazine *
A pacy narrative, written with a clear love for and detailed knowledge of her subject. * The Spectator *
A nuanced and realistic portrait of a formidable and multi-faceted woman. * Tudor Times *
Tallis builds a thorough, credible recreation of the queen’s formative decades, providing insight into the proud, determined, insecure, and singular ruler she became. Tudor enthusiasts won’t want to miss this. * Publisher’s Weekly *
Colourful, fast-paced...Tallis has written a gripping account of Elizabeth's eventful journey to the crown. -- Nick Rennison * The Mail on Sunday *
Tallis’s Elizabeth is a formidable character, fiercely intelligent and remarkably self-possessed. With the benefit of hindsight it seems obvious that she would grow up to become Gloriana. But this engaging and thoroughly researched account of her turbulent youth reminds us that she could easily have shared her mother’s gruesome fate — or lived out her days as just another resentful, red-headed spare. -- Katherine Harvey * The Times *
Nicola Tallis's biography of Margaret is a welcome and forthright riposte...[and] forms part of an important and growing area of scholarship on the significant involvement of women in fifteenth-century politics...A well-evidenced analysis of a fascinating woman...compelling. * The Times Literary Supplement *
This is a stunning debut from a young historian who deserves to be recognized as a major talent in her field. It’s history as it should be written, vivid, colorful, pacy and evocative, but above all authentic and based on sound and innovative research. It’s an outstanding contribution to our knowledge of Lady Jane Grey. Most warmly recommended! -- Alison Weir, Number One New York Times bestselling author
ISBN: 9781789297492
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 32mm
Weight: 415g
432 pages