The Queen's bed : an intimate history of Elizabeth's court by Whitelock, Anna, author instant download

The Queen's bed : an intimate history of Elizabeth's court by Whitelock, Anna, author instant download

462 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : 21 cm, Queen Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558, restoring the Protestant faith to England. For over forty years, her bedchamber was the heart of the court. Elizabeth's private life was of public concern. Her body represented the State itself, and her bedfellows were charged with safeguarding both the Queen and her propriety. These women bore witness to the figure beneath the makeup and the raiment, and also to the Queen's rumoured dalliances. They were her friends, confidantes, and spies--nobody knew her better. And until now, historians have overlooked them. In 'The Queen's bed', the historian Anna Whitelock offers a revealing look at the Elizabethan court and the politics of intimacy, dramatically reconstructing the Queen's quarters and the women who patrolled them. With expert research and lively prose, Whitelock weaves a fascinating tale of sex, gossip, conspiracy, and intrigue, brought to life amid the colours, textures, and routines of the court: the untold story of Elizabeth I laid bare, \"A Sarah Crichton book, Farar, Straus and Giroux.\", Includes bibliographical references and index, Machine generated contents note: 1. The Queens Two Bodies -- 2. The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen -- 3. Familia Reginae -- 4. Not a Morning Person -- 5. Womanish Infirmity -- 6. Disreputable Rumours -- 7. Ruin of the Realm -- 8. Carnal Copulation -- 9. Arcana Imperii -- 10. Smallpox -- 11. Devouring Lions -- 12. Menage a Trois -- 13. Visitor to the Bedchamber -- 14. Sour and Noisome -- 15. Untouched and Unimpaired -- 16. Greatly Grieved -- 17. Suspicious Mind -- 18. The Elixir of Life -- 19. Barren Stock -- 20. Wicked Intentions -- 21. Secret Enemies -- 22. Want of Posterity -- 23.Compass Her Death -- 24. Beside Her Bed -- 25. Lewd Fantasy -- 26. Blows and Evil Words -- 27. Kenilworth -- 28. Badness of Belief -- 29. Toothache -- 30. Amorous Potions -- 31. Froggie Went A-Courtin' -- 32. Semper Eadem -- 33. The Die Is Cast…