Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne

By David Starkey

Book Overview

An abused child, yet confident of her destiny to reign, a woman in a man's world, passionately sexual -- though, as she maintained, a virgin -- Elizabeth I was to be famed as England's most successful ruler. This brilliant new biography, by concentrating on the formative early years -- from her birth in 1533 to her accession in 1558 -- shows how her experiences of danger and adventure formed her remarkable character and shaped her opinions and beliefs. A uniquely absorbing tale of one young woman's turbulent, courageous and seemingly impossible journey towards the throne, it is the story of the making of a queen. In growing up, Elizabeth experienced every vicissitude of fortune and every extreme of condition. She was three years old at the time of her mother's execution; when she was a young woman, her step-father cut her dress off of her with a knife. She had been Princess and inheritrix of England -- then bastardized and disinherited. At sixteen she was the head of a great princely household. Yet she was also an accused traitor on the verge of execution. Amid all this, she had mastered the most advanced classical curriculum of the day. But it was her lessons in the school of life that mattered more -- and that taught her her humanity. David Starkey re-creates a host of extravagant characters, madcap schemes and tragic plots, while using original documents to point up the importance ofthe rituals of power and life at court. He writes with exceptional clarity about religion and constitutional history. Elizabeth, whose own Protestant faith was personal and sophisticated, was extremely judicious in her handling of Reform, as in her choice of advisors and councilors. Here, too, is a fresh view of the famous rivalry between the daughters of Henry VIII: the pious Catholic Mary and her clever sister. While Elizabeth remained utterly devoted to her father, she was also determined not to lose her opportunity for power -- and not to make the same mistakes as Mary. The skill with which she achieved her goal proved to be a sign that England had reached a watershed moment in its history. Starkey's close attention to detail and vivid storytelling ability combine to produce a narrative of these extraordinary years that reads like a novel. Meticulously researched and enormously compelling, Elizabeth is a masterpiece of biography.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060184973
• ISBN13: 9780060184971
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.2" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Elizabeth - a historic thriller

Excellently written biography. What makes it more attractive is the fact that the author leaves lots of dates behind, a practice rather unusual for historic books. Instead he focuses on the causes that paved the way for her throne. David Starkey boosts the art of bio writing to a literature level. His sentences are so beautifully crafted that you reread some passages anew, e.g. " ...the Spanish King unleashed his ambassador". His descriptions of the old royal castle decors make you feel you're there. His descriptions of royal food make your mouth watering. His descriptions of Elizabeth make you wish you were born at those times. Having read this book I fell in love with the title hero to such an extent that I hung a big replica of her portrait in my room. Miros / Poland

Thumping good read

A great book. After you read this book, you will have more sympathy and respect for Elizabeth I. A neglected early childhood, loved and protected by faithful servants to whom she was loyal until they died. Finally accepted by her Father at heiress at the age of 10, she came to love and admire her distant father. Her mental capabilities were prodigious and her wit and learning allowed her to die an old woman beloved in memory. She may not have been perfect, but she was remarkable.

A fascinating look at the early life of a great queen

As a fan of the monarchy and a lover of British history, Elizabeth I is my favorite monarch and the Elizabethan/Tudor period is one of my favorite periods of history. This book enhanced my understanding of the period and rounded out a historical figure who is, at the very least, sometimes romanticized and idolized. If you're looking for a book that will give you a complete picture of the virgin queen, this isn't it. This book very thoroughly explores her life prior to becoming queen. Her actual monarchy has perhaps 50 pages devoted to it. Starkey does, however, make this clear up front. This book will give you a greater understanding of the woman who later became queen. Starkey's narrative is chock full of interesting facts, but he is careful never to make it dry or dull. He intersperses humor and unique anecdotes throughout the book. He is a talented storyteller, even if he does use the phrase "willy-nilly" a few too many times. This book also contains two sections of illustrations, mostly consisting of paintings of Elizabeth, her family, and the prominent people in her life. It is a good supplement to the story and includes many of the best portraits of the period.Finally, I would urge anyone who has the chance to see Mr. Starkey speak to not pass it up. I saw him speak at a signing for his other book on the wives of Henry VIII and it was extremely memorable and fascinating. He is also more than willing to discuss any questions readers might have about the history or about why he did certain things in his books.Overall, Starkey presents a fascinating, unique, seldom-seen view of one of England's most beloved monarchs.

A different portrayal of young Elizabeth

During her reign, Queen Mary foiled several plots to depose her and place Elizabeth on the throne. Most histories describe Elizabeth as completely separate from these revolutionaries. The plotters didn't include her, even if their plots did.But, once she assumed the throne, Elizabeth proved herself to be a master politician. These skills did not come out of nowhere, as those who portray her as an innocent bystander might make one believe. Starkey's book shows her connections to the movers and shakers of the period, and how unlikely it was that she was unaware of everyone around her's plans.This book focuses solely on *Elizabeth's* experiences (for example, the burning of heretics in Mary's reign gets only brief mention), so if you're looking for a broader view of what was happening in the rest of the kingdom or world, you may need other books. I recommend Alison Weir's "Children of Henry VIII" which only covers the timeperiod after Henry's death (starting when Elizabeth was 13) and splits its focus between Elizabeth, Mary and Edward.Starkey also goes into rich details of Mary's funeral, Elizabeth's accession/coronation and the transfer of power that I haven't found in other books. Elizabeth's actual reign is given pretty short shrift -- a few chapters about religion, and another chapter summarizing international relations and dealings with Mary, Queen of Scots -- but then, Starkey acknowledges his narrow focus in his introduction. This book is primarily about Elizabeth *before* she became Queen.

a excellent book

I've always enjoyed reading about Elizabethan England and about the extraordinary woman it is named for. This book provides an in depth look at the struggles Elizabeth faced before coming queen. Not many people think about anything but how great her reign was. This book shows that it was a long struggle and she managed to come out on top in almost every event that was put to test. I highly recommend it.