I saw this article from The Daily Mail posted by Michelle Moran on her blog History Buff. I have always been curious about the background surrounding Amy Robsart’s death and whether or not Dudley had a hand in it in order to clear the way for him to marry Elizabeth. The morbidly ironic part about this potential murder (which is not mentioned in the article) is that Amy was very ill with what was probably breast cancer at the time and would have more than likely died from the disease had her life not been prematurely cut off by this mysterious fall. Of course people were quick to point the finger at Dudley right away – he was, after all, the Queen’s Master of the Horse and dear friend since childhood (and in all likelihood, her lover as well, though this is somehow still debated by historians).
Robert Dudley c. 1560
The one historical fiction account I’ve read of this event is Philippa Gregory’s The Virgin’s Lover, which takes the point of view that William Cecil, cheif advisor to the Queen, was the one responsible for Amy’s death. Cecil was displeased by the Queen’s trust and confidence in Dudley and saw the Queen’s Master of the Horse as a threat. Cecil would have been cognoscente of the fact that such a terrible scandal would annihilate any chances of Elizabeth marrying Dudley. While it is still unclear who exactly was responsible for Amy Robsart’s death, new evidence has emerged that strongly supports suspicions that her death was certainly not an accident.
See the accompanying article on The Daily Mail.
You & Lizzy both posted about this.
.. I hadn't yet read Virgin's Lover.. Saving it for a guilty pleasure so I didn't know the story included Cecil's guilt.I have always been of the mind that Amy died of an accidental fall due to her illness. But reading SkIdmore's new book on the subject might shed some new light on it, wish I could get my hands on it! Lettice Knollys is one of my fave characters by the way.
Thanks for posting this! I've always been intrigued by Elizabeth & Dudley's relationship- it mirrors that of Hatshepsut and Senenmut three thousand years earlier.
Much of the draw of this new book seems to be the discovery of the coroners report from the time. It reveals fractures to the skull. From this, oddly, the author seems to have arrived at the conclusion that it could be foul play. However, fractures to the skull are consistent with a fall from a high place, so nothing really changes in terms of whether it was an accident or not.Moreover, it must remain very unlikely that Dudley would have been culpable in the affair. He was neglectful of his wife, yes, perhaps unkindly so. But it was not uncommon for a husband thus highly placed at court to be away from home for extended periods. It was part of the job description. Moreover, he knew, as did Cecil and the Queen, that it was sadly (in those days) only a matter of time before Amy succumbed to the illness she was suffering from (probably breast cancer), and there would have been nothing to gain for Robert or Elizabeth or even for William Cecil – by having her death hastened unnaturally through violent means – in fact quite the reverse.If, indeed, it was foul play that did for poor Amy, it would have been at the hand of an enemy, someone intent on preventing a marriage between her husband and the Queen. Dudley would have been the last person to have wanted it.
Marie – Great minds think alike, although we were both discussing this on the phone last week after we both saw Michelle's re-post…Too funny that we both posted it on the same day within hours of each other! I didn't even know she was doing a post off of it, and I don't think she knew I was either. I think I already knew that you were a Lettice fan – and do you credit Plaidy with turning you that way?
Although The Virgin's Lover is a very light read, I did think the perspective that Cecil had Amy killed in order to prevent a Dudley marriage was interesting. I don't think Cecil would have been that clumsy, especially as he would not have wanted his sovereign to suffer unnecessary humiliation from the ordeal. Something does seem fishy here, although I don't think Dudley or Cecil were the ones to cause it.Stephanie – Interesting that you picked up on similarities between Hatshepsut and Senenmut and Elizabeth I and Dudley. That is a couple whose history I have not read much on, though equally as intriguing as Elizabeth and Dudley's supposed affair. Thanks for pointing out the parallel!Robert – I didn't find the info mentioned in the Daily Mail from the Skidmore book particularly poignant or containing any new eye-opening information we didn't already know, but the article was where I got the idea to raise this subject so I wanted to link to it as a source.I agree with you and Marie that it's still very likely Amy died of a fall caused by her disease. Cancer also makes one's bones very weak and prone to fracture, so she very well could have suffered from a dizzy spell, fell, and fractured her skull from just that – falling! Then again, it is always fun to contemplate "what if…" and apply it to historical situations, especially ones that appear suspicious like this one. I think if Amy did in fact die of unnatural causes, one of Dudley's enemies was behind it, for the reasons mentioned in the post (but applied to Cecil, though I don't think he was the enemy who would have done this). You're absolutely right that Dudley would have been the last person to have wanted to cause Elizabeth hurt and scandal. It would have put an irreversible mar on their relationship in the public's eye that would have made any chance at a marriage between the duo null and void.
Wow – great post and great comments on both of your posts! This is a subject that has always intrigued me – not only is it a murder mystery, but it's one that involves my fav Royal, Elizabeth! I am also of the mind that Robert did NOT take part in the death of Amy and you guys have pretty much covered all the reasons. I'd like to read this book, but taking it with a grain of salt. Besides, speculation is always juicier than what actually happened.
PS – I love the Scandal Sheet picture – so cute!
Unless we find a confession written out and signed, we will never know for sure what happened. Sometimes the mystery and what if is better than knowing the truth.
Fiona Buckley used this as the basis for her first mystery feature a maid of Queen Elizabeth I as an amateur sleuth. I can't think what the book is called at the moment.Fiona Buckley is a pseudonym for Valerie Anand.
Great post and comments!
We'll never know what happened, but I don't think Dudley was directly responsible for Amy Robsart's death. Events leading up to her fall read suspiciously — servants leaving for a country fair for the day, etc. — but I think it was just a freak accident. For the briefest of moments I think he felt relieved that she was dead and believed he might be free to marry Elizabeth (which for several reasons was never going to happen anyway, but he refused to see that). However, after Amy's suspicious death his reputation was tainted, taking him further in fact from any dreams of wearing a crown.
unlike your other commentors I have nothing intelligent to say, but it sounds like a juicy mystery perfect for fictional speculation
Allie, I know I'm late to the party, but I'm going to chime in with most of the posters here: I don't think Dudley hastened Amy's death along. In fact, I believe his marriage to her was, initially at least, a love match. I think he grew to neglect her and leave her alone for long periods of time, but as Robert Parry said, that was common for the time.Anyway, this is the position I'm taking in the new book I'm writing, which will cover the huge court rivalry that existed between Dudley and someone you've never heard of before…