Elizabeth I of England and Ireland reigned for 45 years over a golden age of peace, prosperity and flourishing art and culture. And she shocked the medieval world by doing it all without a man. But that certainly wasn’t for lack of proposals. Elizabeth had at least 16 suitors in her lifetime. In her youth men were eager to take advantage of her and their ambitions landed Elizabeth in the tower of London. But when she was Queen, Elizabeth turned the table on the many men eager to win her hand. She played them against each other and dangled herself as a prize they could never quite win. Over this 2 part series we’ll meet the English Lords and European royals who pursued her majesty, and the one man she truly loved through it all. And examine that age old question, was the virgin Queen really a virgin? Part 1: Proposing to a Princess: Charles de Valois, Duke of Angoulme & Orléans Adolf, Prince of Denmark & Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Thomas Seymour, Baron of Sudeley Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy Carlos, Prince of Asturias Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester Philip II, King of Spain Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Yonder Hill and Dale by Aaron Kenny #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices