Tudor Mirror World: Queen Lettice-abeth

A long, long time ago, when I first started taking an interest in Tudor history, I read a biography of Elizabeth I. I can't remember what it was called, or who it was by, but I distinctly remember my thoughts when reading about the relationship between Elizabeth and the much younger Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

Essex was a 'favourite' of Elizabeth, and their relationship was tempestuous. In one famous scene Essex turned his back on the queen in a display of disrespect, for which she 'boxed his ears.'

In the end Essex got above his station. He'd been increasing his circle of influence by knighting people whilst on campaign in Ireland. Then he staged an attempted coup in London. Which failed. He was tried for treason and lost his head for it.

The relationship is often portrayed as one of romance, with Essex a 'favourite' in the sense of being a handsome young toyboy the queen had affection for. However, when I first read about it all those years back my thinking was, "This really sounds like a relationship between a mother and a spoilt child."

For a start, there's a clear thirty year age gap between the two. Secondly, a "box round the ears" - a clip round the head - is something you'd normally get from your mother after a petulant display. Likewise, only a spoilt child would have the temerity to talk back to a mother like Elizabeth. On top of this, his excessive knighting of people sounds like the actions of a prince - a prince who feels he has that power vested in him. Rebels were said to have joked that, "he never drew sword but to make knights."

Now sure, strictly it's not just a king or queen that can knight people, but that is kind of the general vibe; so it certainly added to my sense that Essex seemed like a headstrong young prince. His confidence that people would rally to his cause likewise true to the notion. So the whole episode pricked my spidey senses way back when.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I later came across this woman.

No, not Elizabeth the First, but Lettice Knollys, mother of the petulant Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

Interestingly, Lettice also married Elizabeth's other favourite (her favourite favourite), Robert Dudley. For which she was said to have earned the fiery wrath of Elizabeth.

Though a lookalike she wasn't quite the same age as Elizabeth, being ten years younger and living a good deal longer.

Elizabeth lived from 1533 to 1603.

Lettice from 1543 to 1634.

Fittingly though Lettice did have a sister called Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Knollys

Though younger than Lettice she did die nearer to the date of Elizabeth I's death, living from 1549 to c. 1605.

The two Knollys sisters were part of a large brood of siblings, their mother and father being Lady Knollys (Catherine Carey) and Sir Francis Knollys. Catherine Carey's mother was Mary Boleyn - sister to Anne Boleyn. Her father was the courtier William Carey. Though Mary Boleyn was said to be the mistress of Henry VIII, and there were rumours that Henry fathered one if not both of her children. So, by this logic the Knollys girls would be direct descendants of Henry VIII by blood.

Like Elizabeth, downstream of a Boleyn girl and Henry VIII.