Lady Elizabeth Ralegh

Anna Beer (University of Oxford)

Ed. by Jacqueline Eales, Canterbury Christ Church University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.03: English Writing and Culture: Renaissance (Elizabethan and Jacobean periods) , 1485-1625.
Vol. editors: William M. Hamlin (Washington State University), J A Roe (University of York), Virginia Mason Vaughan (Clark University), Ema Vyroubalova (Trinity College Dublin)

Dates

Born Apr 1565
Died c. 1647
Activity 1584-1631

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Activities

Primary

Courtier
Letter-writer/ Diarist

Resources

Ralegh's Works

Save to Bookshelf

Bess Throckmorton was connected with three major families, the Carews (her mother’s family), Greys (her step-father’s family), and Throckmortons. Executions dominated the history of each family: Nicholas Carew in 1539; Lady Jane Grey in 1554; and Francis Throckmorton (a Catholic plotter) in 1584.

Despite this background, Bess became a Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber in 1584, and thus close to Queen Elizabeth I. During 1591, she became clandestinely involved with Sir Walter Ralegh, who had risen to prominence during the 1580s. Pregnant by Ralegh in the summer of 1591, she was secretly married to him in November 1591. She served at Court almost until the baby was due, and returned to her Court duties within weeks of the discreetly handled birth. The baby was christened Damerei, with

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1051 words

Citation: Beer, Anna. "Lady Elizabeth Ralegh". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 April 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12499, accessed 24 November 2024.]