To own a king known for the lady so-called virginity, Age I’s sex-life is definitely the main topic of high speculation. Right here, Dr Anna Whitelock, a reader in early progressive record at the Royal Holloway, College out of London, examines just what most proceeded about the latest closed gates of one’s so-titled Virgin Queen
Over the years, some instructions, books, performs and you may video clips has depicted Elizabeth I’s relationships having numbers instance just like the Robert Dudley, Earl regarding Leicester; Robert Devereux, Earl off Essex, and Duke from Anjou. Regarding absence of definitive proof for some reason, issue ‘did it or did not it?’ are often linger. Yet what is obvious is that, one another at your home and you will overseas, rumours from the Elizabeth’s sexual life – real otherwise thought – released during the woman reign. From the being the Virgin King, for some aggressive observers E is actually the newest ‘whore’ out-of European countries.
Contemporary philosophy about the ‘insatiable’ intimate appetites of women, also Elizabeth’s inability to help you get married, fuelled suspicions that the king is actually engaged in secret intimate liaisons. The woman Catholic rivals confronted the lady advantage, and implicated the lady of good “dirty lust” that had “defiled the lady muscles as well as the country”. The latest queen of France joked this package of high issues during the day is actually “whether Queen E try a maid or no”.