Elizabeth & Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens

This book explores the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, through their own words, accompanied by a major British Library exhibition. It provides new insights into their personal history, religious conflict, rebellion, and dynastic pre-eminence, with 145 illustrated primary sources and 12 insightful chapters from leading Tudor scholars.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2021
Publisher: British Library Publishing

This captivating book delves into the captivating lives of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, offering a fresh and insightful perspective through their own words. Accompanying a major British Library exhibition, Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens sheds new light on the well-known tale of two influential women who dominated English and Scottish politics for thirty years. The book explores their personal histories, their fierce rivalry for dynastic preeminence, and the tumultuous backdrop of religious conflict, rebellion, fear of foreign invasion, espionage, and treason.

Twelve insightful chapters, penned by renowned Tudor scholars, provide a deep understanding of the evolving relationship between the queens. These chapters are accompanied by 145 meticulously illustrated primary sources, including letters and documents written in the queens' own hands, capturing their speeches and conversations. Among these treasures are Mary's poignant ten-page letter written during her captivity, her heartfelt sonnet penned the night before her execution, verses composed by Elizabeth in response to the Northern Rebellion in 1569, and a recently discovered letter sent by Elizabeth to Mary in 1584, in response to her cousin's request for reconciliation.

In addition to the letters and documents, the book showcases a collection of personal objects that were closely associated with the two queens. These include an exceptional portrait of Elizabeth I, recently rediscovered, one of her most cherished and personal rings, a hanging embroidered by Mary during her long imprisonment, and the Penicuik Jewels, which she gave away before her execution.

Through this rich tapestry of words and images, Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens invites readers to immerse themselves in the lives of these remarkable women, exploring their complex relationships, rivalries, and the enduring impact they had on English and Scottish history.

Weight: 1746g
Dimension: 232 x 286 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780712353489