Good Queen Bess tells the story of Elizabeth I of England—a queen whose strong will, shrewd diplomacy, religious tolerance, and great love for her subjects won the hearts of her people and the admiration of her enemies. 

The daughter of King Henry VIII, whose break with the Catholic Church forced all of England to accept a new religion, Elizabeth learned caution as a young princess. And when she became queen at the age of twenty-five, she put her lessons into action. A highly intelligent woman, Elizabeth knew how to stall, change her mind, and play one side against another to get her own way—with foreign countries, her councillors, and ever her many suitors. With these tactics, Good Queen Bess steered her country through troubled times to the glorious era of peace and security that would be called the Elizabethan Age.

Diane Stanley's exquisitely detailed paintings provide memorable scenes of Elizabeth and her times. Her forceful personality, colorful court, and devoted subjects come vividly to life, as do her powerful rivals. Here are Mary, Queen of Scots, who made intricate plots to take the English throne, and King Philip II of Spain, who sent an ill-fated armada of ships against England and prayed for their victory,. This lively and beautifully illustrated biography is a wonderful portrait of the remarkable queen who loved her people so dearly and ruled them so well.

From the dust jacket