Two Queens in One Isle by Alison Plowden

#twoqueensinoneisle

The story of the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary Queen of Scots has been told many times before. What Alison Plowden does in Two Queens in One Isle to bring this relationship to life in a way that makes both of them sympathetic. 

Mary and Elizabeth were first cousins once removed. Mary's grandmother Margaret Tudor was the sister of Elizabeth's father Henry VIII. What is quite amazing is that the two women never met in person. Mary was Elizabeth's prisoner for more than 18 years and a threat to her throne for most of that time. 

Elizabeth didn't want to meet Mary in person due to many factors but it was important for the security of the country that she not give any legitimacy to Mary's claim to the English throne. Mary was a Catholic and thus was supported by the pope and English Catholics and of course, Elizabeth's mother was Anne Boleyn who was pregnant with her when Henry finally broke with Rome and declared his first marriage invalid and married Anne. He later declared Elizabeth a bastard and his second marriage invalid. This made her right to the throne somewhat precarious since in the eyes of Catholics she was a bastard. 

In spite of all the provocation she received over the years from Mary, Elizabeth had always been reluctant to execute her cousin. Once you execute a legitimate queen, you have opened yourself up to similar treatment. 

This book is a fascinating look at the letters and relationship between these two very different cousins and what made both of them act the way that they did.