Elizabeth I is one of the most iconic figures from British history - her image can be recognised in an instant. But this was no mistake, for Elizabeth’s portraits were an audacious act of spin to cement her image of female majesty. In this documentary Dr Nicola Tallis and Prof Anna Whitelock take a close look at the progression of these portraits in light of surrounding political turmoil. By exploring the portraits in forensic detail, they decode a puzzle of bizarre symbolism and hidden meaning, and shine a surprising light on the Elizabethan era. Why did objects such as moons, pelicans, globes and roses carry so much meaning? How did Elizabeth forge and utilise her apparent virginity to strengthen her position? How, in short, did Elizabeth I become an icon?
Up Next in Tudors
-
Mary Tudor - Real Fake History
On November 17th 1558, Mary Tudor, Queen Mary I of England, died - the end of a short and still controversial reign. But what if history had been different, what if she didn’t die in 1558, but lived longer to reimpose Roman Catholicism on England and forge a long lasting Anglo-Spanish alliance?
... -
Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon -...
Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn - the first two wives of Henry VIII - are so often portrayed as opposites. Katherine as the loyal, scorned wife - Anne as the bright, bewitching upstart.
But now Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb returns to Hever Castle to explore what Anne and Katherine were really l...
-
A Tudor Discovery - Thomas Cromwell’s...
History Hit digs deep into a fascinating new discovery that has grabbed the attention of historians across the world.
Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb explores what is being called the most exciting Tudor find ‘in a generation’ as curators at Hever Castle identify a bejewelled, gilded prayer book, tuc...
16 Comments