Sir Francis Walsingham and the Anjou marriage plan, 1574-1581
The thesis is a political narrative in three parts. It has two themes. One is the rise to power of Sir Francis Walsingham. The second is the contention that the promulgation of the plan to marry Elizabeth I to the Duke of Anjou in the period 1579-1581 was more serious, and its consequences more damaging to the interests of the government, than is normally remembered. Against this damaging conduct of policy by his opponents, Walsingham's own ideals are contrasted. Part I explores Walsingham's conduct after appointment as Secretary in 1573. It analyses political conditions at Court, in particular the role of Burghley, and illustrates how by 1578 Walsingham had overturned expectations by allying with Leicester and Hatton. The effectiveness of this alliance is measured by an examination of the success of these three courtiers in cooperating during Walsingham's Embassy to the Netherlands in 1578. A discussion follows of recent writing on patronage and clientage, which concludes that patronage was more often directed by party political considerations than the historians discussed have accepted. This is substantiated by a chapter tracing Walsingham's creation, in Ireland, of a party of followers, of a sophisticated
Leimon, Mitchell Macdonald
Elizabethan political history
Sir Francis Walsingham and the Anjou marriage plan, 1574-1581. The thesis is a political narrative in three parts. It has two themes. One is the rise to power of Sir Francis Walsingham. The second is the contention that the promulgation of the plan to marry Elizabeth I to the Duke of Anjou in the period 1579-1581 was more serious, and its consequences more damaging to the interests of the government, than is normally remembered. Against this damaging conduct of policy by his opponents, Walsingham's own ideals are contrasted. Part I explores Walsingham's conduct after appointment as Secretary in 1573. It analyses political conditions at Court, in particular the role of Burghley, and illustrates how by 1578 Walsingham had overturned expectations by allying with Leicester and Hatton. The effectiveness of this alliance is measured by an examination of the success of these three courtiers in cooperating during Walsingham's Embassy to the Netherlands in 1578. A discussion follows of recent writing on patronage and clientage, which concludes that patronage was more often directed by party political considerations than the historians discussed have accepted. This is substantiated by a chapter tracing Walsingham's creation, in Ireland, of a party of followers, of a sophisticated
sir marriage plan political narrative three_part two_theme rise_power sir second contention plan marry elizabeth duke period serious consequence damage interest government normally remember damage conduct policy opponent ideal contrast part_explore conduct appointment secretary analyse political_condition court particular_role illustrate overturn expectation ally leicester effectiveness alliance measure examination success courtier cooperate embassy netherlands discussion follow recent write patronage conclude patronage often direct party political consideration historian discuss accept substantiate trace creation ireland party follower sophisticate