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 the last episode we met the suitors of her youth, whose ambitions twice landed Elizabeth in the tower. At her coronation Elizabeth declared that she was married to her kingdom and would live and die a virgin. But nobody believed her. Today we’ll meet the English lords and foreign royals who fell over themselves in their attempts to win the Queen’s hand. Through it all, one man, Robert Dudley remained by her side. We’ll take a closer look at their intimate friendship and investigate the claim that they might have had a secret love child... Part 2: Courting an Queen: Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel Sir William Pickering James Hamilton, Earl of Arran Eric XIV, King of Sweden Frederick II, King of Denmark & Norway Henri III, King of France, King of Poland & Grand Duke of Lithuania Charles II, Archduke of Austria François, Duke of Anjou 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