Bess of Hardwick: Portrait of an Elizabethan Dynast [Paperback]

David Durrant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

Presenting a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman, this is essential reading for those interested in the 16th century and Tudor history. Born the daughter of an impoverished Derbyshire squire, through a succession of advantageous marriages, Bess of Hardwick moved closer and closer to a position of power and influence in the heart of the royal court. As the Countess of Shrewsbury, she was the second most powerful woman in the land after Queen Elizabeth I. However, Bess of Hardwick was not just someone who married well but a formidable and talented business woman who ran her estates with great acumen and who became one of the richest women in England. Queen Elizabeth I held Bess in such esteem that she entrusted her with the important and arduous task of acting as jailer to Mary, Queen of Scots. During her lifetime Bess built two great country houses which are still admired today—Chatsworth and Hardwick—and fulfilled her lifetime's ambition of founding a great dynasty. By the end of the 19th century, her blood was flowing through most of the aristocratic families of England, and she more than guaranteed her status as one of the most remarkable women in Tudor history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Bess of Hardwick was better known as Elizabeth, the Countess of Shrewsbury, and was a leading figure in Elizabethan England, most notably as the jailer of Mary Queen of Scots. Her role in British history is far wider than that, however, and her story is quite interesting as she went through a succession of husbands, with each one bringing her closer to the royal court.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

David N. Durant is a lecturer and broadcaster and has contributed to many journals and magazines, including Country Life and History Today.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers; 1 Revised edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0720610788
• ISBN-13: 978-0720610789
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,592,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bess of Hardwick - A Woman Before Her Times, November 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bess of Hardwick: Portrait of an Elizabethan Dynast (Paperback)

I bought this book after touring Hardwick Hall which was built by Bess in the late 1500's. The book brought Bess alive to me and gave me a good sense of what her life would have been like. Not only does it give a sense of Bess' life, but life in Elizabethan England. Anyone having visited Chatsworth and Hardwick wishing to know more about Elizabeth Shrewsbury should read this book. I can't help wondering what Bess would think to know that her family line continues to this day and that her grand-daughter married into the Howard family.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Upward Mobility Through Marriage, November 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bess of Hardwick: Portrait of an Elizabethan Dynast (Paperback)

David Durant does a very good job of making both the woman and her era intresting. Long time one of my favorite women of history, you have to admit that starting as a farmer's daughter and ending up the wealthiest woman in England (other than Queen Elizabeth I) Bess must have been something special. She could teach us modern girls a thing or two. Thank you, Mr. Durant, for writing this book.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Elizabethan Scarlett O'Hara, August 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bess of Hardwick: Portrait of an Elizabethan Dynast (Paperback)

Fascinating bio, well written,about a woman who came from obscure beginnings and turned into one of England's wealthiest women. Fans of Elizabethan history will enjoy reading about this smart, calculating woman who must have been very extraordinary for her time. A fictionalized account of her life in the romance genre is currently in paperback by Henley: A Woman of Passion...caution:explicit sex.