Elizabeth I's Angriest Letters Were Written by Her Male Secretaries, Study Finds
Who Wrote Elizabeth I's Most Scathing Letters?
Historians have long treated Elizabeth I's letters as windows into her fiery temper. But an analysis of over 500 missives reveals that her secretaries, especially Francis Walsingham, didn't just transcribe her words—they intensified her anger and even invented nostalgic passages to manipulate Mary, Queen of Scots. The queen's voice was a collaborative performance.
That the expression of anger in some of Elizabeth's letters was crafted by her male secretaries reveals that, far from being overly emotional or irrational, the queen strategically deployed emotion to achieve particular political goals.