Podcast Twenty-Four: Frances Walsingham: The Spymaster’s Daughter

Entangled in a web of intrigue, from the glittering Palace of Whitehall to the cells of the Tower of London, Bess Raleigh endures tragedy and injustice, becoming a resilient, determined woman, who takes nothing for granted.

Frances Walsingham is the only surviving child of Queen Elizabeth’s ‘spymaster’ Sir Francis Walsingham. Better educated than most men, her father arranges her marriage to warrior poet Sir Philip Sidney. After Philip Sidney is killed in battle, Frances becomes Countess of Essex, and is banished from court after her husband Sir Robert Devereaux’s rebellion against the queen.

A Woman Ahead of Her Time Born Penelope Devereux, she was the daughter of the queen’s nemesis, Lettice Knollys, and elder sister of the ill-fated Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Her father died in Ireland and her mother was often absent, so Penelope had to grow up fast and look after her younger brothers and sister.  Her mother’s secret marriage to the queen’s favourite, Robert Dudley, did nothing to help Penelope. In this podcast, I’ll explore some lesser-known insights into the character of Lady Penelope.

This podcast continues my Elizabethan series looking at a new perspective on the history of Sir Walter Raleigh, the subject of my book Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer. I’d been planning an Elizabethan series for some time, as my aim was to tell the stories of the Tudors from Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Queen Catherine of Valois through to the death of Queen Elizabeth. I decided to show the fascinating world of the Elizabethan court through the eyes of the queen’s favourite courtiers, and chose Raleigh as he had a special relationship as Captain of the queen’s guard. In this podcast, we’re exploring the man behind the myths, the man Queen Elizabeth trusted… then betrayed? Explorer, soldier, poet—Sir Walter Raleigh lived a life of danger and ambition. Uncover his remarkable story in Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer  https://mybook.to/Raleigh   #Elizabethan #Tudors #HistoricalFiction #Audiobooks    

Sir Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth, so why does he lead a rebellion? This podcast set out some of the historical research behind the book, and includes a short excerpt from the audiobook, narrated by Nigel Peever.   🇺🇸 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09246T7ZT 🇬🇧 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09246T7ZT    

This podcast is the first of six covering the research behind my Elizabethan series, looking at a new perspective on the history of Sir Francis Drake, the subject of my book Drake – Tudor Corsair. I’ve enjoyed tracking down primary sources to uncover the truth of Drake’s story – and discovering the complex man behind the myths. Discover the true story of Sir Francis Drake In Book One of the Elizabethan Series:  https://mybook.to/DrakeTudorCorsair

This podcast is the third of a series of three looking at the life of Queen Elizabeth the first, and I’m exploring the myths and rumours surrounding the life of Queen Elizabeth, England’s ‘Gloriana’ – the virgin queen who reigned England and Ireland for 44 years. In this podcast we take a look behind the familiar façade, to see what Elizabeth was really like. My book, Drake - Tudor Corsair is available from Amazon in paperback and eBook 🇺🇸 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCTYQF4 🇬🇧 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FCTYQF4 More information about all my books can be found on my website at https://www.tonyriches.com/ The Introductory music is La Volta,  composed by David Hirschfelder  

This podcast is the second of a series of three looking at the life of Queen Elizabeth the first, and I’m exploring the myths and rumours surrounding the life of Queen Elizabeth, England’s ‘Gloriana’ – the virgin queen who reigned England and Ireland for 44 years. The third podcast in this series and the third will look behind the familiar façade, to see what Elizabeth was really like.   My book, Drake - Tudor Corsair is available from Amazon in paperback and eBook 🇺🇸 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCTYQF4 🇬🇧 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FCTYQF4   More information about all my books can be found on my website at https://www.tonyriches.com/   The Introductory music is La Volta,  composed by David Hirschfelder      

This podcast is the first of a series of three looking at the life of Queen Elizabeth the first, and is an introduction to the key events of Elizabeth’s life.  I’ll be looking at Elizabeth’s challenging childhood, her teenage years, how she ended up imprisoned in the Tower of London,  and why she spent most of her reign in fear of assassination.  The next podcast explores the myths and legends which surround the last Tudor queen, and the third will look behind the familiar façade, to see what Elizabeth was really like. For more information please see my website www.tonyriches.com

Attractive, wealthy and influential, and a favourite of King Henry VIII, Katherine Willoughby knew all his six wives, his daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and his son Edward, so how did this daughter of a proud Catholic become a champion of religious reform and risk her life for the Protestant cause when Queen Mary Tudor came to the throne? My book Katherine - Tudor Duchess is available in eBook, paperback and audiobook editions from Amazon UK and Amazon US