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This book examines the first thirty years of Elizabeth I's reign from the perspective of the Valois kings, Charles IX and Henri III of France. Estelle Paranque sifts through hundreds of French letters and ambassadorial reports to construct a fuller picture of early modern Anglo-French relations, highlighting key events such as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, the imprisonment and execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the victory of England over the Spanish Armada in 1588. By drawing on a wealth of French sources, she illuminates the French royal family's shifting perceptions of Elizabeth I and suggests new conclusions about her reign.
List of contents
1. Introduction: In Valois Eyes.- 2. "her so evil and dangerous will": Long Live the Queen and Diplomatic Games, 1558-1565.- 3. "a rock": Between Peace and Conflict-An Intriguing Queen, 1568-1570.- 4. "a germayne sister": The Impact of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre's on Representations of Queen Elizabeth-August 1572-June 1574.- 5. "he will have the honor to marry her this time": Last Chance to Marry the "Frog," 1579-1581.- 6. "declared herself as our enemy": Crisis, Confrontation, and Secret Correspondence, 1584-1588.
About the author
Estelle Paranque is Lecturer in Early Modern History at the New College of the Humanities and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Warwick’s Center for the Study of the Renaissance, UK. She has published several essays on Elizabeth I of England and Henri III of France and has co-edited two volumes of essays on medieval and early modern European queens.
Summary
This book examines the first thirty years of Elizabeth I’s reign from the perspective of the Valois kings, Charles IX and Henri III of France. Estelle Paranque sifts through hundreds of French letters and ambassadorial reports to construct a fuller picture of early modern Anglo-French relations, highlighting key events such as the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, the imprisonment and execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the victory of England over the Spanish Armada in 1588. By drawing on a wealth of French sources, she illuminates the French royal family’s shifting perceptions of Elizabeth I and suggests new conclusions about her reign.
Additional text
“This is a solid, even important study for anyone interested in late Tudor foreign relations or royal image-making. Following in the footsteps of Carole Levin, Susan Frye, Susan Doran, and Ilona Bell, among others, Paranque brings a whole new dimension to our understanding of how Elizabeth’s constructed image … .” (Ben Lowe, Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 51 (4), 2020)
“This book offers an interesting insight not just into England’s relationship with France and Elizabeth’s relationship with the Duke of Alençon, but also her relationship with his ambassadors and how she was able to control the proceedings. … It would be useful for anyone studying England’s relationship with France or anyone who wants to find out more about Elizabeth’s marriage negotiations with the country.” (Tudor Life, Issue 56, April, 2019)
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"This is a solid, even important study for anyone interested in late Tudor foreign relations or royal image-making. Following in the footsteps of Carole Levin, Susan Frye, Susan Doran, and Ilona Bell, among others, Paranque brings a whole new dimension to our understanding of how Elizabeth's constructed image ... ." (Ben Lowe, Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 51 (4), 2020)
"This book offers an interesting insight not just into England's relationship with France and Elizabeth's relationship with the Duke of Alençon, but also her relationship with his ambassadors and how she was able to control the proceedings. ... It would be useful for anyone studying England's relationship with France or anyone who wants to find out more about Elizabeth's marriage negotiations with the country." (Tudor Life, Issue 56, April, 2019)
