Sex and the Virgin Queen: Aristocratic Concupiscence and the Court of Elizabeth I
Much has been written about Elizabeth I and issues of sex, gender, and political power. This article focuses on an underexplored dimension to this debate, Elizabeth's dealings with "scandalous" sexual liaisons among those members of the social and political elite who were her courtier...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc.
2000
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In: |
The sixteenth century journal
Year: 2000, Volume: 31, Issue: 1, Pages: 77-97 |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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Summary: | Much has been written about Elizabeth I and issues of sex, gender, and political power. This article focuses on an underexplored dimension to this debate, Elizabeth's dealings with "scandalous" sexual liaisons among those members of the social and political elite who were her courtiers. For a female sovereign whose own mother had been put to death on charges of treasonous adultery and incest, such affairs were an indicator of the moral tone of her court and an important test of her princely authority. Throughout her reign, Elizabeth responded to these episodes with swift and sometimes harsh punishment. However, the 1590s witnessed a remarkable number of such incidents, which seems to reflect both a marked generational change among Elizabeth's courtiers and a decline in her personal authority as queen. |
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ISSN: | 2326-0726 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: The sixteenth century journal
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/2671290 |