"Originally published in hardcover in the United Kingdom by HarperCollinsPublishers, London, in 2005"--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-321) and index.
Contents:
"The world waxed old" : the twilight of the Tudor dynasty -- "A babe crowned in his cradle" : the shaping of the King of Scots -- "Westward ... descended a hideous tempest" : the death of Elizabeth, February-March 1603 -- "Lots were cast upon our land" : the coming of Arthur, March-April 1603 -- "Hope and fear" : winners and losers, April-May 1603 -- "The beggars have come to town" : plague and plot in London, May-June 1603 -- "An anointed king" : James and Anna are crowned, July-August 1603 -- "The God of truth and time" : trial, judgment and the dawn of the Stuart Age.
Summary:
Many volumes have been written about the reign of Elizabeth I; this book focuses on the critical year her reign ended, when England lost its childless queen and a Machiavellian struggle ensued to find her successor. December 1602: The formidable ruler has become a dithering old woman. The kingdom has been weakened by the cost of war with Spain and the simmering discontent of both the rich and the poor. Elizabeth's senior relative, James VI of Scotland, is a foreigner and a Stuart, excluded from the throne under English law. Around the old queen and the new king swirl a cast of unforgettable characters. We witness the scheming of courtiers for the candidates of their choice, and the widespread fear that civil war, invasion, or revolution will follow the monarch's death; and we are given intimate insights into political power plays and psychological portraits relevant to our own era.--From publisher description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.