Cunning Facts About Bess of Hardwick, The Tudor Secret-Keeper
Queen Elizabeth I had many ladies-in-waiting, but she only trusted Bess of Hardwick to do her dirty work—and it paid off.
Bess was the wealthiest woman in Tudor England, and her life testifies to the heights a lady could achieve with the help of a little cunning…and about four rich, dead husbands.
Bow down to these scandalous facts about Bess of Hardwick, the Tudor family’s secret-keeper.
1. She Was Born In A Time Of Turmoil
Elizabeth “Bess” Cavendish’s life began long before that of her famous patron, Queen Elizabeth I. Born somewhere in the 1520s, Bess came into the world at a time of great contention. King Henry VIII was trying desperately to rid himself of his first wife in order to marry Anne Boleyn.
Contrary to where she’d end up, Bess’s early life was about as far removed from this soap opera as you could get.
2. She Lost Her Father
Bess grew up with her poor yet well-connected parents at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire. Despite their position, she didn’t have much of an education—or much of a childhood, as disaster struck early. Her father died at the age of 40, leaving behind five children: Bess, three sisters, and a brother.
His land and title would eventually go to his family—but first, to get there, the Hardwicks would have to play ball with the Tudors.
3. She Had No Other Choice
As members of the court, Bess and her family were subject to one of the more absurd aspects of Tudor bureaucracy.
Although her mother was still around, the loss of her father meant that their estate became crown property until the surviving heir turned 21. As a result of these rules, Bess’s mother was destitute, and the Hardwick children became wards.
There was only one way out—and it wasn’t going to be pretty.
4. She Moved On Quickly
In order to simply survive, Bess’s mother Elizabeth had no choice but to find a husband and remarry—and fast. She didn’t look very far and ended up marrying another man from Derbyshire named Ralph.
Bess had been barely out of diapers when she lost her father, but her family situation and her brother’s position as heir made one thing clear.
If she wanted any sort of agency in her life, she was going to have to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
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