The National Portrait Gallery Book of Elizabeth I

The daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I became queen at just 25 in a period of great political and religious tension. Ultimately she triumphed and is recognised as one of the bravest and most spectacular monarchs of English history. The Tudor Gallery at the National Portrait Gallery, London, contains many famous images of her, which illustrate key themes from her reign: her family and childhood; her virginity and relationship with her courtiers; religion and the war with Catholic Spain. With a lively and informative text by the Gallery’s Learning Manager, Clare Gittings, this book presents a concise, intelligent and refreshing summary of the life and reign of Elizabeth I. In addition to the images of the queen herself, it includes portraits of her favourites, such as Sir Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh, her adversaries, and the leaders and advisors who guided her. Presented in Scala’s popular 4-Fold format, featuring pages that fold out vertically and horizontally, it will engage and stimulate readers young and old. The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to collect the likenesses of famous British men and women. Today the collection is the most comprehensive of its kind in the world.