Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage

by Stephen Budiansky

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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.… (more)

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To paraphrase Vice-Admiral Lord Henry Seymour...Mr. Secretary proves again that the pen can be a mighty as a sword or in this case the navy. (

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Klatooo | Feb 8, 2020 |

I read Stephen's book on Dogs and thoroughly enjoyed it. He continues to educate here. Found out that Elizabeth wasn't very decisive, in fact she was a royal PITA. ;-) Mr. Secretary had his work cut out for him trying to find out everything that was going on in Spain and France to protect Elizabeth and England. If you enjoy history, read this book. (

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pnwbookgirl | Feb 7, 2016 |

Brevity is something author valued in this work. And yet when you arrive at the end you don't feel that the story suffered from lack of info.

Sir Walsingham was not the first spy master. But he was very significant in forging the case that led to the trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots. He was adept at finding people to place in key positions that could give him information. Knowledge has always been power, a fact not lost on Sir Walsingham.

He was one person the Queen could depend on for an honest assessment as he was not a "yes" man. It was not unusual that he earned her displeasure for backing a course of action or view the Queen found unpleasant.

Overall fairly entertaining but did not keep me on the edge of the chair by any means. Good for someone that wants a look into the Elizabethan court from a different angle. (

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Chris_El | Mar 19, 2015 |

Vivid, evocative, and fascinating. The depth of inquiry drops in the last third or so, but I was completely delighted by the description of how spying was conducted in the C.16. (

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cricketbats | Apr 1, 2013 |

A truly action-packed of Elizabethan court intrigue and European espionage. Some section, though, have too many details and the flow gets lost a bit.

http://lifelongdewey.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/327-her-majestys-spymaster-by-step... (

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NielsenGW | Jan 26, 2012 |

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Canonical title

Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2005-08-22

People/Characters

François-Hercule, Duke of Anjou and Alençon

William Cardinal Allen

Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba

Henri III, King of France

Important places

Important events

St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572)

Babington Plot

Anglo-Spanish War (1585 | 1604)

Elizabethan Era

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

To David Alverez

First words

Afterward, when the Seine flowed with corpses and thousands were dead, there were some who said that if only the assassin had not bungled his job in the first place all of the subsequent trouble might have been avoided.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Littell, Robert

Original language

English US

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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Wikipedia in English (1)

Stephen Budiansky

▾Book descriptions

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.

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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,

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