"Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason" by Helene Harrison is a book that I found both insightful and unexpectedly entertaining. Delving into the tumultuous era of Elizabeth I's reign, Harrison masterfully navigates through the complex web of political and religious upheavals that defined Tudor times.

One aspect of the book that particularly stood out to me was the detailed exploration of various rebellions, including those involving Mary Queen of Scots. Harrison’s in-depth analysis of these plots and their impact on the relationship between England and Scotland is fascinating, revealing the intricate dynamics of power, religion, and politics during this period. The exploration of whether these events were rebellions or plots added a layer of intrigue to the narrative, underscoring the ambiguous nature of political dissent in Elizabethan England.

Moreover, Harrison's passion for the subject is evident throughout the book. Her extensive research shines through, making the complexities of Elizabethan politics accessible and engaging. The book’s focus on characters like Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, adds a human element to the historical narrative, providing a glimpse into the personal lives and motivations of key figures.

This book makes you realise that no matter how bad your family members might be, it could always be worse. Your cousin could be a Tudor. Just saying.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book were the lighter moments that brought a touch of humour to an otherwise serious topic. These moments of levity not only made the book more enjoyable but also highlighted the human side of historical figures, making them more relatable to the reader.

Overall, "Elizabethan Rebellions" is a well-researched and captivating read. It's a book I'd recommend to anyone interested in Tudor history or looking to understand the complexity of Elizabethan era politics. Harrison has done a commendable job of bringing this significant period of history to life with a balance of scholarly insight and engaging storytelling.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The reign of Elizabeth I is remembered as the Golden Age but she did face multiple attempts to overthrow her and replace her on the throne.

Helene Harrison delves into five rebellions faced by Elizabeth including those centred around Mary Queen of Scots and the final rebellion of her reign by the Earl of Essex.
This book doesn't just give details of the rebellions but discusses those involved and the impact on participants and those around Elizabeth. Elizabeth was extremely lucky to have the network of Francis Walsingham who unfortunately had to pay his spies himself. For the service his network provided you would think Elizabeth would be more than happy to reward and finance this circle but surprisingly not.

Helene Harrison also discusses how those outside of England were involved in the rebellions.
It is fascinating to read how the schemes and plots were uncovered, particularly those involving Mary Queen of Scots. Helene reviews how these plots affected the relationship between England and Scotland and the reaction of Mary's son, the future James I.

It is interesting how each is reviewed in detail with the question of whether it was a rebellion or a plot.

It is apparent Helene Harrison has done alot of research on this subject and her passion for the topic shines through in her writing.
For anyone interested in knowing more about the plots and rebellions of the Elizabethan era I'd recommend this book.

Lastly I just want to add some appreciation for this cover, I really like it. The small details of Elizabeth's signature and coded words are wonderful!

This book examines Elizabethan rebellions in its various forms during her reign but also highlights earlier rebellions during the Tudor dynasty , gives a good general insight and would interest the general historian

A fascinating and informative look at the Catholics rebellions against Elizabeth Tudor and the backlash they caused. In an age of terrorism it is important to remember what causes rebellions and try to work toward a greater understand.

A very interesting read, well written and informative. I would thoroughly recommend this book to everyone interested in English history.A real page turner.

An interesting book that focuses only on the rebellions and larger plots against Elizabeth-four that Mary, Queen of Scots either participated in or inspired by being Elizabeth's heir and a Catholic. The final rebellion, the Essex Rebellion, might be considered more Essex throwing a temper tantrum about no longer being Elizabeth's favorite, except he certainly gathered supporters, a few guns were fired, and whether he admitted it or not he was challenging Elizabeth as queen in front of the entire city of London. With rather predictable results- he may have been the only one surprised when he literally lost his head. Author Helen Harrison does a deep dive into each event, exploring theories, international angles, and why Elizabeth acted as she did in each occasion.

My only argument with the book was the heavy repetition it had in it, sometimes from one paragraph to the next, more later in the book than earlier. I'm hoping this is because it is an ARC and editing before the final publication will tighten things up because it got to the point where I could skim pages because it was basically saying the exact same thing. I'm ok with a little repetition to drive a point home or remind us of something from earlier in the book, but trust the reader to remember something they read one paragraph ago.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A really great read if you love history, and Elizabeth 1 rein as queen and some of the challenges she faced along the way. Some of which had not been spoken about in pubic a lot.


many thanks for the advance copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading about the life and reign of Elizabeth I. Elizabeth faced a lot of criticism and challenges during her reign that weren’t really spoken about. It was a little short for me but had a lot of good information on her life and her time as Queen. It is recommended that people read this book

The struggle to be a king or queen in any country during Europe’s medieval or early modern era was only the beginning. They are either the next in line to the throne and inherit the crown, or they sometimes fight to the death to wear it. After the king or queen settles into ruling their respective countries, the real challenge emerges as they have to deal with rebellions and those who commit treason against their monarch. Take, for example, what happened during the reign of Elizabeth I. We consider her reign the “Golden Age” in English history. Still, she had to deal with numerous rebellions and conspiracies surrounding her viewpoints on religion and how she dealt with her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. In her first book, “Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue, and Treason,” Helene Harrison takes an in-depth look at each rebellion and how they left a mark on Elizabeth I’s reign.

Thank you, Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley, for sending me a copy of this book. When I heard about this title online, I was intrigued since many of these rebellions have been covered in books about Mary Queen of Scots or biographies about Elizabeth I. Still, this is the first time I have seen a book about Elizabethan conspiracies.

Harrison begins by showing how early Tudor rebellions shaped the reigns of Elizabeth’s family and how the early uprisings affected her time as Queen of England. Beginning with her grandfather, King Henry VII, and the pretenders’ rebellions of Lambert Simnel and Perkins Warbeck, we see how important it was to take action against those who threatened to overthrow the Tudors before they even began their rule in earnest. Under Henry VIII, we see the Pilgrimage of Grace, protesting against Protestantism and for the return of Catholicism after the break from Rome. Elizabeth is considered one of the main actors behind the Wyatt Rebellion of 1554 under her sister Queen Mary I.

These previous events would help shape how Elizabeth I dealt with the five significant rebellions during her reign. These five rebellions were: the Northern Rising, Ridolfi Plot, Throckmorton Plot, Babington Plot, and the Essex Rebellion. Four of the five rebellions had something to do with Mary Queen of Scots and the battle between Protestantism versus Catholicism. In contrast, the Essex Rebellion, the final rebellion Elizabeth I dealt with, was more about a spoiled courtier not getting his way in life and blaming it on Elizabeth.

Harrison does not do a typical overview of each rebellion. Instead, she takes a deep dive into the timeline of each event, who was involved, and how they came crashing down. Each rebellion had a unique signature, from espionage and intrigue to acts of treason and secret codes. Every experience taught Elizabeth a different lesson about what it meant to be a ruler of England. I found this book informative and well-written. I learned new elements of each rebellion, which I thought I knew pretty well. For her first book, Helene Harrison does a great job sharing her points and showing how these rebellions shaped Elizabeth I’s reign. Suppose you want a book that explains the different power struggles Elizabeth I had to deal with during her reign. In that case, I recommend reading “Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue, and Treason” by Helene Harrison.

In this book, Helene Harrison conducts a forensic examination of the five rebellions which occurred during Queen Elizabeth 1's reign, including the Northern Rising, the Throckmorton Rebellion and the Babington Plot. The first one was mainly about disaffection with the nobility, but most of the plots revolved around Mary, Queen of Scots, who most Catholics saw as either the true Queen, or the successor to Elizabeth. Three were especially dangerous, because of the dangers of a Spanish invasion helped by the Catholic French. However, the Babington Plot, which brought about Mary's downfall, was probably designed to entrap her, so that Elizabeth would finally decide to execute her own cousin, and a former Queen. This decision, even if Mary was a traitor, is hugely controversial, even today.

The last rebellion, the Essex Rebellion, was probably caused by selfishness, and delusions of grandeur on the part of the former Queen's favourite, the handsome, young and over-ambitious Earl of Essex.

This was easy to read, and always interesting, especially for Tudor fans.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

3 .5 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

Another solid book published by Pen & Sword that makes for easily understood and digestible history.

I really do recommend these books to anyone getting into history or just wanting to understand a bit more. They are very readable, one doesn’t need to be a scholar.

This was a short read at less than three hundred pages, but it brings in three of the most notable historical figures of the time: Francis Walsingham, responsible for building and controlling a vast royal spy network, Elizabeth I, the queen surrounded by plots on all sides (real and imagined), and Mary, Queen of Scots, a maligned and often tragic figure. I felt that this book could have been double the length it was, as there's a seemingly endless amount of information to learn. Keeping the book under three hundred pages though, means this is a perfect book to read if you want a short and focused overview of the plots and intrigue that occurred under Elizabeth I.

I loved this detailed and insightful account of an often under-reported aspect of Elizabeth I’s reign. The book shows the challenges which were faced in a way which is more about tactics and politics than Elizabeth as a female ruler, and I think this is a huge advance on many other historical accounts of her reign. It is well written and done in such a way as to be accessible even if you are new to the Tudor period.