Elizabeth I faced pressure to marry when she became queen in 1558, as many believed a woman couldn’t rule alone. In this podcast episode, historians Alice Loxton and Anouska Lewis discuss how marriage was politically risky, from the influence a foreign husband might gain to the rivalries that could emerge if she chose an English nobleman. They also evaluate some of Elizabeth’s suitors including Robert Dudley, King Philip II and the Duke of Alençon, and why each match posed problems.
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