Suspicious Facts About Amy Robsart, The Tudors’ Biggest Mystery
She Was A Dark Sensation
For a brief time in her short life, it looked like Amy Robsarthad it all. Beautiful and young, she was also married to one of the most powerful men in the land, QueenElizabeth I’s favorite,Robert Dudley.
But one infamous September day turned Amy into the Tudor period’s greatest true crime story.
2. She Had A Charmed Life
Amy Robsart grew up in comfortable surroundings in 16th century Norfolk, England, with a gentleman farmer for a father. She knew her letters, was trained in the Protestant faith, and received an education better than most of her contemporaries.
But it wasn’t these accomplishments that shot her into the upper echelons of society—it was a man.
3. She Met A Handsome Stranger
When she was 17 years old, Amy Robsart metRobert Dudley, a “handsome, vigorous man” the same age as her, with connections to royalty. Dudley’s father was an Earl who led the government of the young, current kingEdward VI, while his grandfather had been an advisor toKing Henry VII.
That’s when something very unusual happened.
4. She Fell In Love
At the time, marriage was seen as a vehicle for political alliance, not for romantic feelings, but Robsart and Dudley were the exception. The good-looking, young pair quickly fell in love, and were soon engaged. It was like something out of a story book—but even from the beginning, their fairy tale was dark around the edges.
5. She Was Dependent On Others
Robsart’s gentleman father had amassed many lands and money in his time, but she saw nothing of this comfort or wealth in her dowry: Her marriage contract stated that she would only inherit after both her parents passed.
As a result, Robsart would be entirely financially dependent on the gifts and kindness of other people, especially her new father-in-law, John Dudley the Earl of Warwick. This worrying dynamic only deepened.
.jpg){kind=link}
6. Her In-Laws Were A Big Deal
The Dudleys were markedly more influential than the Robsarts, and many thought Amy was getting the better end of the deal…including her in-laws. Dudley’s family merely tolerated the match and didn’t view Amy as any kind of prize—which might explain the miserly marriage contract.
Yet for all this, the wedding was the definition of splendor.
