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Book Corner: Bess – Tudor Gentlewoman by Tony Riches

07/05/202505/05/2025Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today, it is an absolute pleasure to welcome Tony Riches back to History … the Interesting Bits for a little chat about his latest book, Bess: Tudor Gentlewoman, the sixth and final book in his magnificent, and enthralling, Elizabeth series.

Sharon: So, Tony, what made you pick Bess Throckmorton as the subject of your sixth and final book in your Tudor series?

Tony: The idea behind the Elizabethan series was to see the enigmatic Queen Elizabeth through the eyes of three of her favourite men and three of her ladies. Each had a very different relationship with the queen, as Drake was in awe of ‘Gloriana’, Essex was like the son she never had and Raleigh was the captain of her guard. I had plenty of ladies to choose from, and was intrigued by Essex’s sister Penelope Devereux (who he blamed for encouraging his ‘rebellion’). His wife, Frances, seemed an unlikely choice, but as I looked into her life as the daughter of the queen’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, I found she was closely involved with the key events of the Elizabethan era.

Bess’ story allowed me to complete the story of Walter Raleigh (which ended with the death of Queen Elizabeth), and I was intrigued at how she remained so loyal to Walter, even living in his cell at the Tower of London to keep him company. As my research continued, I found she lived until the age of eighty two – well past the end of the Tudors and into the Stuart era, making her one of the last true Elizabethans.

Sharon: Who has been your favourite Tudor to write about?

Tony: I would have to say Bess Raleigh, as she was a remarkable woman, (and I’ve been living with her every day for the past eighteen months), but if time travel is perfected I would love to visit Katherine Willoughby, as she knew every one of the wives and children of King Henry VIII, and must have a lot of secrets! I visited Katherine’s home at Grimsthorpe Castle during my research, and felt a real connection with her at her tomb in Spilsby parish church.

Sharon: Are there any Tudors you would still like to write about?

Tony: The ‘one who got away’ is Sir Philip Sidney, the fascinating and brilliant warrior poet. He features in three of my books, as he was the Earl of Essex’s mentor, Lady Penelope Devereux’s lover and Frances Walsingham’s first husband.

Sharon: Who is your favourite Tudor?

Tony: I never tire of reading about Queen Elizabeth I, who appears in seven of my books. Every time I think I understand her, I discover something new that makes me think again.

Sharon: And who is your least favourite Tudor?

Tony: The villain of the piece, Sir Richard Rich, who oversaw the trials of Catholic martyrs Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher, as well as the Protestant martyr Anne Askew. Richard Rich can never be forgiven for what he did to poor Anne Askew, who never betrayed Katherine Willoughby – even when tortured on the rack and burned at the stake.

Sharon: What’s next?

Tony: I am now researching the life of the first Stuart queen, Anna of Denmark, who I introduce in my last book, when she visits Bess and Walter at the Tower of London to speak with Walter about his herbal potions. Although I covered the English Civil War in my history lessons, the Stuart queens had only a brief mention, so I would like to help restore them to the place in history they deserve by bringing their stories to life.

About the book:

Bess: Tudor Gentlewoman

“A thrilling portrait of a remarkable woman who witnessed the key events of Elizabethan England.”

Bess Throckmorton defies her notorious background and lack of education to become Queen Elizabeth’s Gentlewoman and trusted confidante.

Forced to choose between loyalty and love, duty and desire, will she risk her queen’s anger by marrying adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh without permission?

Entangled in a web of intrigue, from the glittering Palace of Whitehall to the cells of the Tower of London, Bess endures tragedy and injustice, becoming a resilient, determined woman, who takes nothing for granted.

Can she outwit her enemies, protect her family, and claim her destiny in a world where women are pawns and survival is a game of deadly consequences?

This is the true story of the last of the Elizabethans, which ends the story of the Tudor dynasty – and introduces their successors, the Stuarts.

Buy the book

About the author:

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of Tudor historical fiction. He lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the lives of the early Tudors. As well as his Elizabethan series, Tony’s historical fiction novels include the best-selling Tudor trilogy and his Brandon trilogy, (about Charles Brandon and his wives). For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and Twitter @tonyriches.

Links:

Website: Facebook: Twitter: Bluesky: Instagram: Amazon Author Page: Goodreads: LinkedIn.

My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England’s northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland’s queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.

‘Scotland’s Medieval Queens gives a thorough grounding in the history of the women who ruled Scotland at the side of its kings, often in the shadows, but just as interesting in their lives beyond the spotlight. It’s not a subject that has been widely covered, and Sharon is a pioneer in bringing that information into accessible history.’ Elizabeth Chadwick (New York Times bestselling author)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon.

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon, Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

Guest Post: Researching the Elizabethan Court, by Tony Riches

13/06/202312/06/2023Sharon Bennett Connolly2 Comments

Today, it is an absolute pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow author Tony Riches to History…the Interesting Bits to talk about the research behind his latest book Penelope – Tudor Baroness, the fourth book in his Elizabethan series.

Researching the Elizabethan Court, by Tony Riches

I’ve spent the past five years immersed in the strange world of the court of Queen Elizabeth I researching my Elizabethan series. I wanted to keep the books as historically accurate and consistent as possible. My favourite source is Marion E. Colthorpe’s fascinating website, ‘The Elizabethan Court Day by Day’. This is the result of her decades of research, and includes details of other useful sources.

Penelope and her sister Dorothy (Wikimedia Commons)

To show the many complex facets of the last Tudor queen, I decided the first three books of the series would see her through the eyes of three of her favourites, Drake, Essex, and Raleigh – each of whom knew a different side of their queen. Drake was in awe of her, and showered her with (looted) jewels, Essex was like the son she never had, and Raleigh was the captain of her guard.

These are to be followed by books about three of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies. Less well known, they all had close contact with her, a certain amount of influence with her advisors, and the opportunity to see behind the queen’s carefully contrived façade.

I chose the life of Lady Penelope Devereux as the fourth book in Elizabethan series. Penelope’s great-grandmother was Queen Elizabeth I’s aunt, Mary Boleyn. Her father was Sir Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, and her mother was Lady Lettice Knollys, banished from court for her secret marriage to the queen’s great favourite, Sir Robert Dudley.

A famous beauty, Penelope was well educated, an accomplished dancer and musician. Fluent in Italian, French and Spanish. Penelope became a prominent figure in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. She was also involved in political intrigue, influencing the succession and her brother’s ill-fated Essex rebellion.

A measure of the challenges in researching Elizabethan ladies is the range and number of primary sources, such as letters. When I researched Penelope’s brother Robert for my book Essex – Tudor Rebel, I had Walter Bourchier Devereux’s ‘Lives and Letters of the Devereux, Earls of Essex’ – a two volume collection of his letters and papers, complete with detailed analysis and context.

In Penelope’s case, I managed to track down only twenty-seven letters in English, six in French and seven letters in Spanish. Interestingly, many use code words or are deliberately obscure, although analysis of them all reveal an invaluable sense of Penelope’s character, and how she related to others.

I began my research expecting Penelope to have been greatly disadvantaged by her mother’s banishment from court, yet she became a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth until her stepfather, Sir Robert Dudley arranged her marriage to Baron Rich. (An unlikely choice of husband for her, he was the grandson of Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell’s right hand man in the Dissolution of the monasteries.)

Another surprise was the inconsistent records of Penelope’s many children. Some biographers have them in the wrong order and others omit some entirely. The situation is not helped by the question of who their fathers were, and several premature or stillbirths with no baptism. My solution was to create my own list from the best information I could find, (and I updated her Wikipedia page accordingly.)

To avoid too many spoilers, I shall not say here what I made of her brother accusing Penelope of encouraging his rebellion, or her relationship with Queen Elizabeth after he was executed for treason. Her story does take readers past the end of the Tudors with the death of Elizabeth, and how she became a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Anne.

Lord Byron’s saying ‘Tis strange — but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction; if it could be told.’ is proven right by my research. Although historical fiction, I have only had to ‘fill in the gaps’, and believe my new book is therefore one of the most comprehensive accounts of Penelope’s amazing story.

Tony Riches