The Foreign Relations of Elizabeth I

Reviews / Votes

"Why did Elizabeth I never leave England, and what diplomatic issues did this fact of her monarchy create? The nimble essays collected in this volume ponder the condition of a thoroughly domesticated monarch in foreign contexts and are divided into three parts, each addressing one area of the diplomatic arena. . . . Scholars and graduate students interested in the emergent global presence of England at the close of Elizabeth's reign would benefit from this volume. The essays would also be useful for assignment to upper division undergraduates to stimulate engagement with notions of early modern gender and of emergent economies and commerce, as well as political economy." - Journal of British Studies

"Charles Beem has brought together an interesting and diverse collection of essays [. . .] this is a very valuable work." - Sixteenth Century Journal

"Covering a wide range of topics - from Elizabeth I's exchanges with the rulers of Morocco, Persia, and Russia to the representation of piracy on the English stage - this collection of essays offers fresh and lively perspectives on the queen's diplomacy and England's foreign relations. The authors do a fine job of integrating issues of gender with England's commercial and strategic interests." - Susan Doran, Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College, University of Cambridge and Director of Studies in History at Regent's Park College, University of Oxford

"This is one of the most interesting books on Elizabeth I's international relations to appear for some time. It introduces new material and takes our view of the Elizabethan regime's diplomacy and cultural relations well beyond Europe, where enquiries to date have largely been contained. The book opens a dialogue between the traditionally separate spheres of foreign and domestic policy-making, offering new and interesting perspectives on the importance of domestic public opinion, commercial imperatives and works of literature" - Glenn Richardson, Reader in Early-Modern History, St Mary's University College, UK