Amy Robsart has always struck a chord with me, maybe because we share the same name? In any case, Amy is a fasinating woman who lived in the 16th Century. Her life has been shrouded in mystery, no one will ever know the true reasons behind her death. I find Amy to be a perfect candidate for the first woman on the week.
Amy was born in Norfolk, England on the 7th of June 1532. She was the only child of Sir John Robsart and Elizabeth Scott. He was a landowner in England so with Amy falling into the category of heiress, her marriage potential seemed pretty great (all the men wanted money and land in those days).
Her suitor and husband came in the form of Robert Dudley, one of the younger sons of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumbuland. [Robert Dudley is definately one person you will hear a lot about on this blog]. The marriage took place 4 June 1550, when Amy was almost eighteen years old. The marriage actually appears to be a love match but how quickly things changed. The wedding was on importance however, as King Edward VI was in attendance.
Of course, Edward died three years later and the whole 'Lady Jane Grey' saga evolved which led to Robert being locked in the Tower Of London for eighteen months once Queen Mary came to the throne. Amy however asked the Privy Council to be allowed to see her husband in the Tower, yet they would never produce offspring.
This should actually be considered happy times for Amy considering what was to come. Once Good Ol' Queen Bess came to the throne after her half-sister's death, Robert would spend every minute at court with the Queen, rumours even started that the two were lovers. Everyone thought that Amy was to be divorced or 'discared' of so Robert could marry Elizabeth. It was said that "she [had] a malady in one of her breasts" so maybe just waiting for her death was a better option in Robert's opinion.
Amy did however venture to court (she had been residing in the country, away from Elizabeth and Robert) when Robert was made a Knight of The Garter in May/June 1559. Amy went back to the country but during 1560 her movements became less and less.
Cumnor Place would be the last estate the Amy saw. On the 8 September, 1560, Our Lady's Fair at Abingdon was on and she insisted that everyone go but she was to stay. When everyone returned, they found her lying dead at the bottom of the staircase with a broken neck.
No one truly knows what happened to her. Her death didn't look good for Robert and Bess's future, maybe revenge from the grave for the pain of the rumours and scandals about the two. Even though Robert was never found guilty, his position was too shaky for Elizabeth to ever marrying him.
Really there are two possibilities... she was mudered either by Dudley or one of Elizabeth's advisors (to get rid of the possibility that Dudley would ever be King Consort) or she had commited suicide. Either way, for a tragic life, it was a tragic way to die but is what probably has kept her remembered.
If you are anything like me, you have a slight obsession with the show The Tudors. In any case, Good Queen Cate has finally been cast. Joely Richardson, daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, is the lucky lady to smooch next to JRM. Must be in the blood to play 16th Century ladies as her mother, Vanessa, had played Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn (though briefly, as an Anne Boleyn fan I sat through all of 'A Man For All Seasons' hoping to see her and it was
one scene! Though I do recommend the movie if you want to watch an old 16th century film classic).
