Elizabeth I

First published in 1934, this political biography of Elizabeth I follows her from the dangers of her youth through the religious settlement, the problems of marriage and the succession, the rivalry with Mary Queen of Scots, and the long contest with Spain. Neale concentrates on the queen's management of court and Parliament, the men who served her, and the working of Tudor government rather than private psychology. Plots, royal progresses, and foreign policy are treated as the business of a ruler who kept her options open. The book is a narrative of a forty-five-year reign as an exercise in political skill and delay.

Maps and genealogical table. 22 pages colour plates. Sky blue buckram binding with large gilt coin from Elizabeth's era on the front cover. Maroon slipcase.