White Rose of Avalon

Elizabethan Intrigue

  • Rumours About Elizabeth I

    Welcome to the final day of Elizabethan Intrigue week, here at White Rose of Avalon!   Elizabeth I was far from being without her share of scandalous rumors!    In this post I will take a look at three of the most interesting rumors spread about her! I will start with a rather obvious rumor. …

  • The Ridolfi Plot, the Babington Plot, and the Execution of Mary Stuart

    For day six of Elizabethan Intrigue week I have chosen to discuss the plots to remove Elizabeth from the throne, and replace her with Mary Stuart!   The Ridolfi Plot was hatched by Roberto Ridolfi in 1571 with the intent of assassinating the Protestant Elizabeth to put her Catholic cousin on the throne.   The…

  • Christopher Marlowe: Playwright Spy

    For day five of Elizabethan Intrigue week I have chosen to focus on the figure of the great playwright, Christopher Marlowe.   Christopher Marlowe, who was known to his friends as Kit, died a mysterious death.   His death has long been attributed to his other job, spy for Elizabeth I! Kit Marlowe is best…

  • Sir Francis Drake: Elizabethan Pirate

    For day four of Elizabethan Intrigue week I have chosen to discuss the figure of Sir Francis Drake.   The most famous privateer at the court of Elizabeth I, was none other than Francis Drake!    He worked on some of the earliest English slaving missions to Africa.    He was second in command during…

  • Sir Walter Raleigh

    For day three of Elizabethan Intrigue week I have decided to focus on the figure of Sir Walter Raleigh.   If you are a fan of the All Souls trilogy of books, and the A Discovery of Witches television series (which is based on it) then you may remember Walter Raleigh as a character during…

  • Sir Francis Walsingham: Elizabethan Spymaster

    For day two of Elizabethan Intrigue week I have chosen to focus on the figure of Elizabeth I’s spymaster. Francis Walsingham was an important figure in Elizabeth’s court.    Walsingham was a devout Protestant, who went into exile in Switzerland and Italy during the reign of Mary I.   When he came back to the…

  • The Death of Amy Robsart Dudley

    To start Elizabethan Intrigue week, I felt it only right to chose an event from the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign.    The death of Amy Robsart Dudley is a Tudor age mystery that remains technically unsolved to this day.   Amy Dudley was the wife of Robert Dudley, the Queen’s master of the horse, and…

  • Announcing Elizabethan Intrigue Week!

    Starting today it is Elizabethan Intrigue Week here at White Rose of Avalon!   Each day will feature a post discussing a person that lived at, or event that occurred at the court of Elizabeth I.    That means seven posts filled with court gossip of the era, and high drama!   The court of…