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Thursday, July 27, 2017


Just Finished Reading: Her Majesty’s Spymaster – Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage by Stephen Budiansky (FP: 2005)

It was a dangerous age. With the Catholic ‘Bloody’ Mary dead and her Protestant sister Elizabeth now on the throne the realms enemies, both foreign and domestic, only seemed to be growing. Catholic Spain’s enmity was implacable and very public. Everyone knew that England had an enemy here like no other. A regional super-power with a global reach, immense wealth and, inevitably, the ear of the Pope. The relationship with France was more nuanced and more open to politics and negotiation. Or it was until, one fateful morning on St Bartholomew’s Day the Catholics in Paris and, later across France, struck out at the Huguenots and killed them in their hundreds. In the middle of the carnage was the British ambassador – Francis Walsingham – and here he learnt lessons that he would never forget: the dangers of fanatical religion, the duplicity of princes and what was truly at stake with England’s political and religious survival. It was nothing less than a life or death matter for an entire nation. On his long awaited return home to serve his Queen more closely that he became entrusted with more and more aspects of the nation’s security – against assassination attempts, plots, state sponsor terrorism, threats of invasion and war and, most disturbing (and dangerous) of all the unresolved situation with Mary, Queen of Scots. To counter so many enemies across countries and continents Walsingham needed to create something that had never existed before. A secret intelligence organisation comprising of professional spies, paid informants, skilled interrogators, codes and cyphers (and their breakers) and minds that could plan moves to counter moves behind moves shrouded in the fog of clandestine conflict. This was, at least to begin with, a Cold War wrapped in a Religious War wrapped in a War for Survival itself. At the centre of it all, pulling strings, was Walsingham, a man who, on his death, Catholic hierarchies throughout Europe would celebrate.

Of all of the Tudors Elizabeth is definitely my favourite. The Elizabethan Age is so full of intrigue it makes Game of Thrones look positively mild by comparison. There are also a surprising number of parallels with the world we find ourselves in today. There is political unrest based on religion. There are assassinations and attempted plots. There are bombs going off, secret communications, radical propaganda, state sponsored terrorism, arming and financing of insurgents in enemy homelands, the turning of blind eyes to suspiciously well-armed and well financed ‘private citizens’ joining rebel groups, acts of rendition (extraordinary or otherwise) and much else besides. If we read an equivalent Elizabethan newspaper today a great deal would be recognisable to us. The author brilliantly brings this alive with an impressive understanding of the period and the politics and religious tensions that drove it. He handles the double (and sometimes triple) dealing with seeming ease and not only keeps multiple ‘balls in the air’ but explains both where and why each fell. At a mere 215 pages this is a great way to become familiar (or more familiar) with a highly dangerous and equally fascinating period in English history. I shall be turning my attention to Elizabeth and her fellow Tudors again and soon not least because of this gem of a book. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the reality of political intrigue played for very high stakes indeed.    

8 comments:

Stephen said...

Interesting...does he mention any possibility that Elizabeth's spies created false plots against Elizabeth to lure in potentially rebellious subjects? A book I read on the Gunpowder plot a couple of years ago touched on a little bit.

CyberKitten said...

There were certainly 'sting' operations and false Catholics were placed in prisons to gain 'cred' to then go on and infiltrate Catholic organisations abroad to feed back information or, sometimes, encourage in-fighting between different Catholic sects or nationalities. It was all very messy with more than once spies actually spying on other spies without either of them knowing that, ultimately, they were working for the same people!

Stephen said...

Ah, the joys of the police state in its infancy..

Brian Joseph said...

Great review.

This sounds so interesting and worthwhile. I love history and the history of spying is fascinating.

The Tudors are also intriguing. With that, I have not read nearly enough about them. I need to read some proper history books on the subject.

Stephen said...

It's hard to miss the Tudors...they REALLY hog the market for English history and historical fiction.

Mudpuddle said...

Marlowe's death and that of Philip Sydney as well are woven in there somehow, as both worked for Walsingham; there's so much we don't know about this period: it enhances the interest, i think... i've read bits and pieces about the era, but this book sounds like just my cuppa... many tx....

CyberKitten said...

@ Stephen: Elizabeth's reign certainly had elements of a police state - though pre-dating police as we know them by a long way. Their focus was almost exclusively on those in positions of power and influence rather than the man/woman in the street. Church attendance was enforced and religious items restricted but generally people at the shallow end were left to get on with their lives. Actually Elizabeth held back her more overt police state advocates because she strongly believed that faith was a matter between the individual and God, rather than something a Government/State could dictate. So things could have been a LOT worse!

@ Brian: Yes, the Tudors are an intriguing bunch. The focus presently seems to be on them creating (or at least starting us on the path) of modernity and - briefly - world dominance. I think you'll like this book. It's well balanced and not academic at all. Indeed it's actually enjoyable - although you'll need a moderately strong stomach at times!

@ Stephen (again): Yes! The Tudors are hard to miss these days although the Plantagenet's are doing their best to catch up. Back in my day everything seemed to be about the Victorians but they seem to have fallen out of favour - probably because of the Empire (not exactly PC you know....)

@ Mudpuddle: The book mentioned Kit Marlowe and (I think) Sydney. I think you'd like the book. I think you'd like the authors attention to detail and his rather wicked sense of humour.

Mudpuddle said...

CK: i ordered it yesterday... tx...