Page 89 - All About History - Issue 58-17

The Dark Arts of Elizabeth’s Spymaster

although quite a few of these allies showed doubt
if Philip’s interests were truly to Catholicism
or purely to Spain. However, for all intents and
purposes, things were going to plan. As he rapidly
built up his numbers, Philip secretly schemed the
downfall of his most persistent thorns — Elizabeth
and England.
England, however, was not oblivious to the
spider king’s plans. Walsingham had already
been informed by his many spies, expertly placed
in foreign courts, that Spain planned to launch
an invasion of the country. He wasn’t powerful
enough to stop it completely but his intelligence
meant he could certainly prepare the country and
lessen the threat.
Dover Harbour was rebuilt so it was ready for an
invasion and he urged his agents across the world
to promote more aggressive strategies by attacking
Spanish holdings in the hope that this would
distract Spain, giving him more time to prepare. In
particular, he ensured that Francis Drake’s surprise
raid on Cadiz would remain just that, which he
did by feeding false information to the England
ambassador in Paris.
Walsingham already suspected the ambassador Elizabeth
wasworkingfortheSpanishand,asusual,his nicknamed
William Cecil her
hunch was correct. Drake’s raid was a success — ‘spirit’ alongside
Walsingham’s ‘Moor’

The queen and her moor

DespitethefactthatWalsinghamlikelysavedthe Elizabeth often mocked Walsingham’s zealous
queen’s life countless times by thwarting conspiracies beliefsandsoberdemeanour,evencallinghimarank
aimed to eliminate her, their relationship was Puritan.Butshedidgivehimoneofhernicknames,
During the Armada, Elizabeth proclaimed herself to complicated. It is no great secret that Elizabeth callinghimher“moor”duetohisdarkappearance.The
“have the heart and stomach of a king — and of a king of
England, too” wasalarger-than-life personality—loud,brashand queen’s nicknames, though often appearing derivative,
outspoken—andshedidn’tminceherwords.Although were savedsolelyforthoseshewasfondestof,soitis
it wreaked havoc with the Spanish logistics and she famously never married, Elizabeth was particularly clearshehadsomeaffectionforWalsingham.
set the launch of the Armada back considerably. fond of men and her support structure was composed Although their relationship may have been rocky,
pretty much entirely of them. She liked men who the queen valued him for his trustworthiness, honesty
When the Armada finally set sail in 1588,
cooed over her, and especially ones who said what she and council and even his dry humour. Over time, rather
Walsingham already knew how many ships to
wanted to hear. Walsingham, however, was not one than fighting against him, Elizabeth accepted her
expect, how many men were on board and what
of them. spymaster for who he was — “her Moor [who] cannot
they were carrying. Not only was the ‘moor’ given The two of them frequently disagreed on policy. change his colour.”
frequent updates from the English Navy, but he Walsingham was very direct, honest and rather
even raised his own land defence, should it get passionate about his opinions. For one, he was Elizabeth’s
that far, with 260 men at his command. convinced that a marriage that Elizabeth sought nickname
for the
When the Armada was vanquished in August between herself and Francis, the duke of Anjou, was duke of
1588, the naval commander Lord Henry Seymour not a wise idea. In fact, Anjou was
wrote to Walsingham, “You have fought more he opposed the union so adamantly that when he her “frog”
failed to secure it, Elizabeth furiously dismissed him
with your pen than many have in our English
from court for several months.
navy fought with their enemies.” For now, at least,
Despite these fiery encounters, Elizabeth was not
the Spanish threat was crushed but Philip would
a fool — she saw how talented and vital Walsingham
continue to set his sights on England for years to was to her court and gave him role after role of pivotal
come. However, as long as Walsingham and his responsibility in both domestic and foreign affairs,
spies were listening in the shadows, Elizabeth even trusting him to talk on her behalf with
would be one step ahead of the spider king’s ploys. foreign ambassadors.

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