*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "We are, by the sufferance of God, King of England; and the Kings of England in times past never had any superior but God." - King Henry VIII During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, spy networks were a significant factor in England's security for the first time in the nation's history. Documents from that era reveal hints of the work of England's agents at home and abroad, as well as the activities of foreign agents within the country. This was, of course, not the first time spies had been used. For as long as there have been nations, people have looked for ways to covertly gather information about each other. But in the 16th century, the information gathering and use of covert actions gained a level of organization and importance that had not previously been seen in Western Europe. The organization of spy networks and the monarchy's perceived need for them can be traced back to the manner in which the Tudors came to power, and Henry VIII's reign. Over 450 years after his reign, Henry VIII is still the most famous and recognizable King of England, but it's for all the wrong reasons. Though well regarded by contemporaries as a learned king and "one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne," he is best remembered today for his gluttony and multiple marriages, particularly the gruesome way in which he was widowed on more than one occasion. Naturally, that was the focus of the popular Showtime drama series centered around his life, The Tudors. When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1652, many commentators heralded the beginning of her reign as the second Elizabethan age. The first one, of course, concerned the reign of Henry VIII's second surviving daughter and middle surviving child, Queen Elizabeth I, one of England's most famous and influential rulers. It was an age when the arts, commerce and trade flourished. It was the epoch of gallantry and great, enduring literature. It was also an age of wars and military conflicts in which men were the primary drivers and women often were pawns. Elizabeth I changed the rules of the game and indeed she herself was changed by the game. She was a female monarch of England, a kingdom that had unceremoniously broken with the Catholic Church, and the Vatican and the rest of Christendom was baying for her blood. She had had commercial and militaristic enemies galore. In the end, she helped change the entire structure of female leadership. Elizabeth often has been featured in biographies that were more like hagiographies, glossing over her fits of temper, impatience and other frailties. It is fair to say, however, that she had also inherited her grandfather's political acumen and her father's magnificence, thus creating not just one of the most colorful courts in Europe but also one of the most effective governments in English history. Elizabeth had also fought for her life time and time again in an era that was already unsafe for female leaders and she probably had remembered the searing feeling of realizing that her mother had been executed by her father arguably on a trumped-up charge. Danger was pervasive, and strategy was needed to survive and thrive. Spies in Tudor England: The History and Legacy of English Spy Networks during the Tudor Period looks at the complicated process by which the English monarchy developed spy networks. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the spies of the Tudor period like never before.

Publisher description

A history of the 16th-century monarch's secret service and its ruthless war against England's enemies evaluates the contributions of Sir Francis Walsingham while profiling the dark intelligence practices of the period to offer a chillingly vivid depiction of Elizabethan espionage activities. 20,000 first printing.

The era of the Tudors was one of danger, intrigue, conspiracy, and, above all, spies. Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king's brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth's protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past. A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, C. W. Gortner's The Tudor Secret is the first book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.

Sir Francis Walsingham’s official title was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, but in fact this pious, tight-lipped Puritan was England’s first spymaster. A ruthless, fiercely loyal civil servant, Walsingham worked brilliantly behind the scenes to foil Elizabeth’s rival Mary Queen of Scots and outwit Catholic Spain and France, which had arrayed their forces behind her. Though he cut an incongruous figure in Elizabeth’s worldly court, Walsingham managed to win the trust of key players like William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester before launching his own secret campaign against the queen’s enemies. Covert operations were Walsingham’s genius; he pioneered techniques for exploiting double agents, spreading disinformation, and deciphering codes with the latest code-breaking science that remain staples of international espionage.

Based on actual historical events, an epic tale of a young Tudor nobleman's courage as he tries to keep the future Queen Elizabeth I safe in one of England's most turbulent eras. If you enjoy Tudor Fiction by Phillipa Gregory and Alison Weir then A Queens Spy is perfect for you. A fascinating insight into Tudor England and the life of Elizabeth I before she sets foot on the steps to the throne.Richard Fitzwarren, a Tudor nobleman with a dubious past takes risks for a living.As a younger man he had been attached to Thomas Seymour's household, working with Seymour's spy and intelligence network. Seymoure, married to Henry VIII's widow, Catherine Parr, was as close to the power at Court as he could get. Through his wife he became guardian of the young princess Elizabeth, and so Richard Fitzwarren became a close childhood friend of Elizabeth Tudor. So close that Seymoure was readily believed when he blamed Richard for the liberties he himself had taken with the young princess. Banished from his father's house for the crimes he didn't commit he's learnt his trade well in France returning to England a self styled soldier of fortune selling his services, and those of his mercenary band to the highest bidder.Now he's back in England, his bastard sibling at his side and a band of mercenaries at his back. Despite selling his services to support Northumberland place Lady Jane Grey on the throne he remains loyal to the lady Elizabeth; soon he is embroiled in Tudor intrigue and mystery as he tries to keep the Lady safe.At his side is Jack, his bastard sibling; their relationship a troubled one. Jacks seeks to be his brothers equal but Richard has difficulty accepting him; impatient, impulsive and impetuous, he is everything Richard is not. There is a dark family secret Richard had always suspected; as this medieval mystery unfolds the final discovery of it changes the relationship between them forever.Caught up in struggle to place Jane Grey on the throne is Catherine De Bernay. Daughter of Peter De Bernay, a close supporter of Mary Tudor, the young woman finds herself losing her home and family and is forced to turn for help to the men who orchestrated her fall, the Fitzwarren brothers. Intent on revenge she finds herself on the side of others who would like to see Richard Fitzwarren's downfall. Hidden within the text are some clues, find them, crack the code and claim the prize which is a 16th Century Tudor Ring.Praise for a Queens SpySam Burnell's historical novel, "A Queen's Spy: The Fitzwarren Trials", is a highly charged cloak and dagger mystery set in the troubling times that followed the reign of King Henry VIII. - Readers FavoriteDialogue and descriptive narrative carry this story along and give the reader a sense of time and place. A thrilling and educational read. Readers Favorite It is very well written, the prose really conjure up a picture and a feel for the period. The story is complex and there is lots going on and plenty to keep you turning the pages, indeed I found it difficult to put down and I was sad to reach the final pages. Josephine Jones GoodreadsThere are so many things going on in this book, but the author does a terrific job at making it all come together perfectly as well as grabbing and holding the reader's attention from the first page right to the last. Denise Lucas Goodreads"A Queens Spy: The Fitzwarren Trials" grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Maranda Russell GoodreadsIf you like SK Penman or Elizabeth Chadwick I think you should give this a read.I'm truly looking forward to the forthcoming book two! Amazon Review

Originally published in Great Britain by Penguin Books Ltd., 2011.