Both Father and Son were to me “incredible”. William set up the first secret service. That in itself and how it looked in hindsight that saved England and numerous assassination attempts on Queen Elizabeth.
Robert Cecil has a fascinating connection to the US State of Maryland, the oldest part of which is Cecil County. His clerk George Calvert, whose family were reluctant conformists, bore the dispatches (and supposedly Queen Elizabeth's ring) between Cecil and James VI of Scotland. Calvert worked his way up in the king's favor on Cecil's train, naming his oldest son Cecil, eventually was knighted, and assumed his employer's former position as James I's Secretary of State and Privy Councilor after Cecil's death. Calvert's path diverged from that of Cecil, for he was clearly less of a mastermind, though gifted in diplomacy - both James and Charles I employed him occasionally as ambassador, messenger, foreign affairs expert or diplomat. Ironically this also led to Calvert's fall from grace, or at least from Parliament, where he had been James I's chief spokesman advocating peace with Spain and an alliance through marriage with James' son - leaving egg all over Calvert's face when Charles came back from a secret trip to woo the Infanta and covered his wounded pride by declaring for war instead. Calvert, losing support in Parliament through not from James, resigned and turned his attention to colonizing. James had given him an Irish plantation in County Leinster, whose seat, Baile an Tí Mhóir, was anglicized to make him Baron Baltimore. Also, Calvert received a charter to set up a fishing colony of Avalon in "New Found Land." Robert Cecil would not have approved of Calvert's other venture: religious tolerance. It's not clear when he became a cryptocatholic, but by the time of Charles' accession he was open about it. This was part of the reqson for his retreat to Ireland, and in Avalon, half his colonists were Protestant, half were Catholic. Calvert's friends in high places protected him from prosecution, although they could not help him when bitterly cold winters forced him to give up his Newfoundland colony and try again in Virginia, where Jamestown's Protestants were by no means willing to allow a settlement of Papists just north of them. Calvert died after receiving his third charter from King Charles to establish a Catholic refuge of feudal estates on either side of the Chesapeake, modeled very much more on the Irish plantation system, envisioned as a homeland for loyalist Catholic cavaliers. The charter of Maryland included a tribute of white horses, and to this day the state flag of Maryland is Lord Baltimore's coat of arms, its state sport is jousting, and from Cecil County to Annapolis to the family estates broken up in the early 1900s (including my own) there are odd traces of Maryland's origin as a reward of patronage to one of the Cecils' chief hangers-on who learned from their masters the fine art of climbing the greasy pole.
I saw a 3-part documentary about the Cecils on PBS called Elizabeth’s Secret Agents. Part 1 was about Mary, Queen of Scots, part 2 about Robert’s rivalry with Essex and the death of Elizabeth/succession of James, and part 3 was the Gunpowder Plot. Really fascinating father/son team!!
Thank you, Dr. Kat, for an *outstanding* video. I *never* knew that the deposition scene from "Richard II" was routinely suppressed; but it demonstrates how seriously Elizabethan censors took the power of theatre. Re: the Cecils -- both Cecils protected Queen Elizabeth (while enriching themselves) -- but I think their attitude toward Power was divergent. Elizabeth took seriously the fact that she was an *Anointed* monarch -- a queen blessed by God and thereby set *above* commoners -- whereas the Cecils regarded monarchs as susceptible to English law. Elizabeth understood that if a *Scottish* queen can be sentenced by commoners to death, eventually an *English* monarch can be killed by his subjects. She correctly predicted the concept of the execution of Charles I. The Cecils were too busy promoting Puritanism to foresee the consequences of regicide. Thank you again for your exceptional presentation.
I didn't know about that scene being suppressed either. I saw Richard Chamberlain in Richard II at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles when I was in high school (I'm 68 now..) An assignment for an English class on Shakespeare. I still remember Richard dangling the crown on one of his fingers in front of Bolingbroke and saying, almost teasingly, 'Here, Cousin, seize the Crown..."
Your presentation was so good that I forgot I was listening to a suppositional history. It all made so much sense. You may be closer to the truth than we know.
I fully agree with your assessments. They ruled behind the throne, with years of service to the queen, they understood her better than anyone else and were able to formulate and implement a strategy that worked for her and the country.
I'm a Cecil through marriage. We did my husband's genealogy a few years ago and we couldn't believe that he is a decendant of these very famous Cecil's in England.
Sir. William Cecil, 1st Lord of Burghley ("1521 - 1598") was my 12th great granduncle as l am an descendant to his sister Elizabeth Wingfield ("neé CECIL") ("1525 - 1611"). The wife of the famous English landowner and politician Sir. Robert Wingfield ("1523 - 1588").
A line of the Cecil's ended up in Greenville Tennessee. A former client was Cecil Roberts. She was named in honor of the lineage. She had several interesting documents and artifacts from the Cecil family throughout the many generations.
Thank you for another beautifully delivered presentation. Your well curated choice of delicious details about the subject matter and the cadence of your delivery is outstanding. I’m a big fan! I also wanted to mention that I saw you on one of the BBC history shows a couple of months ago. “IT’S DOCTOR KAT!”, came flying out of my mouth. So excited for you!
I have enjoyed your channel for many years now. I especially like your attention to detail. I have been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer and I continue to enjoy your channel because I can't get out much anymore.
Another wonderful video! I had no idea of the shadow hand of William Cecil and later Robert Cecil in so many crucial events in the reign of Elizabeth !!
I love your presentations. If you are open minded about history and the Cecils relationship with Shakespeare you cannot ignore the role played by William Cecil's ward and later son in law Edward de Vere Earl of Oxford. Who lampooned William Cecil as Polonius/ Corambis and Robert Cecil as Richard III. Essex also a ward of the Cecils rebelled against Robert, the playing of the full version of Richard II would have surely meant imprisonment for a glover's son from Stratford, but not for the most prominent Earl in the country. Oxford under the code 40 was corresponding with James VI of Scotland. When James acceded to the throne Oxford's £1000 per year annuity (likely for the policy of plays) was continued and the Earl of Essex's co-conspirator the Earl of Southampton (the fair youth of the sonnets and dedicatee of Shakespeare's poems) was released. Shakespeare's sonnets bear witness to Southampton's imprisonment and release (Hank Whittemore the monument). Just as a point of interest the Earl of Oxford was on the committee for the trial of Mary Queen of Scots.
I agree entirely. The Cecils were definitely the power behind the crown. And I agree with your thoughts on the Chamberlain’s Men. They or one of them anyway, must have been beholden to Robert Cecil.
I love how, when opinions can vary, she always begins by making clear her possible inclinations or bias - never laying down the law by saying "this is how it was and that's that". The probabilities, following different strands of research, turning into little known byways, and weighing options is what I really love to see. That's how a history presenter should be, I feel.
.You have brought up some insights that I had not thought of, including the posits about Shakespeare's company and the rebellion. BTW, the subtle expression just as you were saying all Essex had to do was wait for the next reign, is priceless.
I’ve alway thought Cecil laid a trap for Mary of Scots. And Cecil made the situation which forced Elizabeth I to act in the way she did. Hearing that Cecil may have had a higher loyalty makes everything fall into place. 😊
At the time Edward VI was King of England, John Knox lived in England and became a friend of William Cecil. When Mary Tudor succeeded it was Cecil who warned Knox to flee the country. I am sure Cecil shared Knox's dislike of Mary Queen of Scots.
I do believe it may be “in between”. I have always thought lord burley was a wise and caring support to Elizabeth throughout her reign. In turn, he had schooled his son cleverly to be his successor. I have also thought what made him so successful as an advisor was his love for England. He counseled her truthfully and wisely for the good of both Queen and country and I think she both loved and respected him for it. I believe she knew he would always be her rock. Unlike those who had counseled her father, brother and sister before her, burley didn’t seem to want power and riches, he wanted his country to be safe and secure, also like Elizabeth he wasn’t a religious fanatic.
Amy Robsart had breast cancer; one of the effects of metastatic cancer is bone cancer, having a tendency have bones break while making ordinary movements. From the stories, she was starting down a staircase, and had a broken neck.
My maiden name was Cecil and my father believed we were in some way related to both the 16 century Cecils and also to the Victorian prime minister of that name. My son has done much research on the subject and in fact there is no relationship at all as we are descended from a Huguenot family of a similar name who came to England later, when expelled from Europe as they were Protestants. No matter, as always an informative and interesting talk. Thank you.
I've aways felt that William was, as the lead counselor to Elizabeth, stuck in a catch 22. He wanted to do right in support of is queen but Elizabeth's refusal to marry didn't leave many options for security of succession. If anything it made more threats out of what could and should have been allies. Im not saying Elizabeth on a personal level should have married, but as a head of state back then security of rule was found in dynastic inheritance. William had to navigate tricky situations that would have been rough at any other time but with that was 10x harder. To have lasted as long as he did is in itself amazing. As for Robert, he has struck me as a coarser man who held grudges and took things more personally than his father, even against his father! His tenure at court could be argued to have been less bumpy had he not let personal issues come to court. I like ur speculations at their involvement in conspiracies and plots, fascinating!
This is pure survival mode- there wouldn't have been a moment of rest in that family. That position was everything... I agree you're probably right on this Kat!
LOVE your mind spirals and spiciness! Your conspiro-speculation has me really thinking about the Cecils and their, umm, "influence" on the events you mentioned. 👑🕵
I was reminded of the Cecil's this week when I saw Mark Gatiss' portrayal of Robert, in "Gunpowder." I had no idea he was a hunchback, rather that he had scoliosis and a crooked back. In classes we had discussed the Cecils and their development of early modern espionage. Hadn't thought of him as part of the Gunpowder Plot.
The Cecil’s greatest strength seems to me to be that neither father or son were impulsive. Yes, they grew wealthy in Elizabeth’s service but both were utterly loyal. They worked slowly and slyly to not only do what they felt best for England, but also to do what was best for the Cecil’s.
It just would have pulled Elizabeth down reputation, just so dangerous for her. She knew, but I believe Elizabeth really did love him. She had to stay on her own.
Brava! What a wonderful way to start the weekend! I love it when you engage in this type of videos. The Cecils were a fascinating pair. The idea of the elder Cecil in the death of Lord Dudley’s wife is fascinating. Thank you for spoiling us. 👸
I’m sure you get this often… I’ve been working on my family tree and am related to many of the people you discuss. I thank you for your channel is helping me fill in gaps and learn so very much!!! ❤
John Francis Amherst Cecil grew up in the English countryside of Norfolk. He was the third son of Lord Cecil and the Baroness Amherst of Hackney. His father was a descendant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, who was Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth 1. John married the Vanderbilt heiress who owned Biltmore and was instrumental in preserving it. The Cecil family still owns Biltmore today.
Let's be fair, these are FAR from the most unrealistic Elizabethan conspiracies ("Essex was Elizabeth's bastard son who was also Shakespeare" anyone?). Your theories on the king's men and their involvement with the plot sounds really interesting. I'd love to hear more! 🔎👑💀
I've always found it very suspicious that, at an early stage, the Gunpowder Plotters were known to have met together at 'Whitewebbs House' in Enfield. This secluded house is barely two miles from the then Robert Cecil's 'Palace of Theobalds' - just over the border in Hertfordshire. Why so near to Cecil's nest ? Did he meet with them there ? I have never seen this addressed by historians.
I agree that William Cecil was devoted to England as much as he was to Elizabeth. Securing a Protestant England during and after Elizabeth’s reign was very important to him. Robert I think was focused on his political position and holding onto it. 🕵️♂️🌺👸🏻💂♀️
I believe that the Cecils were a coordinated effort to steer the ship of state in a direction that they thought was the most beneficial for England, not to mention benefiting their own wealth and power. Two brilliant minds working towards a common goal. Fascinating.
So this is not just a 16th century problem. The quip "never trust a Cecil" was quoted in the drama The Crown but Elizabeth II which stated "her father tried his best to over look this as well" This was in regards that he had helped hide the illness of Winston Churchill.
I love listening to your videos. I really enjoy history and your videos are like lectures from your favorite history professor without having to pay tuition or take exams
Dear Dr. Kat, would you consider doing a video exploring Adam Ardrey's arguments about King Arthur? I know...Arthurian stuff is not any scholar's top choice for a topic. BUT, please do consider (1) the opportunity to explain to us what makes for legitimate vs shoddy historical arguments (I read his book and I can't for the life of me see why he's so ridiculed and rejected by academic scholars; what he says makes a lot of intuitive sense to me, including his explanation for why a Scottish petty king became a legend embraced by the Welsh) and (2) maybe you can more clearly explain to us which academic theories about Arthur and Merlin are the most accepted ones and which are pure speculation and guesswork and (3) yeah, its commercial too, a fun topic that'll draw viewers for sure. But I'd just LOVE to hear your thoughts on it, particularly because your channel is unique in your willingness to dive into the primary sources and show them to us, read them to us, gosh how I love that!! Wishing you and yours all the best!! ❤
So important to have wise counsel! I’ve always admired 👑 Elizabeth’s decision to lean on Wm. Cecil throughout his life. Best decision ever. He was a genius advisor. I often wondered how she found him. Rbt Cecil was the opposite of that hot under the collar moron, Essex. Controlled & cool, he knew how to keep score.
Sir. William Cecil, 1st Lord of Burghley ("1521 - 1598") was my 12th great granduncle. l am descendant of his sister Elizabeth Wingfield ("Neé CECIL") ("1525 - 1611"). She was wife of the famous English landowner and politician Sir. Robert Wingfield ("1523 - 1588").
I had to watch this session 3 times to get it all into my head. Wow… I’m looking at Cecil with new eyes. Not as benign as I once thought. It shows me an a Elizabeth I never knew. Still… Court manipulations and undercover dealing should never have surprised me. Now I must go internalize this new info. Thanks so much. Please please please do a video on Stephen Gardner..
I have a question. Why was the will of Henry VIII so important yet the will of Edward VI was not? And then the will of Henry VIII was set aside when Elizabeth I decided who would follow her to the throne? I find this interesting but I cannot find out why one will superseded another. I love your channel. Thank you!!
Wonderful analysis. Especially the link between Shakespeare and Essex. I believe that Henry Wriothesly/Earl of Southampton is the key. Both Shakespeare's patron and Essex's friend/fellow ward and lieutenant , Southhampton was involved in the Essex rebellion, sentenced to life in the Tower, and released by King James. Almost immediately after that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. I think the lead man and woman in these three plays represent Elizabeth and Essex. All three plays play on the relationships as being somewhere between Mother/Son, husband/.wife and lovers. For example, no one would call a queen Lady Macbeth, since Macbeth was the king's first name, and the name suggests "son of beth". Livi and Plutarch describe Volumnia as alternately mother and wife of the Roman general. And the relationships ibetween Antony/Cleo and Caesar are similar to Elizabeth, Dudley and Essex. I think these three plays together suggest that the Essex rebellion was indeed intended to overthrow the council, not the queen. They are not a flattering portrayal, however, of either Essex or Elizabeth. Holinshed's queen would never have said she would smash her baby's head against the rocks if she had made a promise, but that is similar to Elizabeth's bluntness. Anyway, I would love it if you did a video on the relationships between Elizabeth, Essex, Southhampton and SHakespeare. Love this channel.
Honestly I had never thought of all the Cecil connections. I was quite aware of their power and that there were major power players but never thought of all the game playing behind the scenes. This video this video was very enlightening thank you very much for it.
Fascinating and enthralling. There needs to be a print and screen treatment of the Cecils in the manner of Wolf Hall, if there hasn't been already (I don't think there has...?).
I’ve read an article in which was proposed that Shakespeare’s drama of Richard III could have been a protest against the Cecil’s because of the humpback and all the mistake’s Shakespeare made.
I think your counter-factual analysis videos are my favorite to be honest. You do such an excellent job of impartiality in the vast majority of your videos that it's honestly kind of fun to see you 'let loose' and speculate a bit.
Weren't there some letters sent by the French and Spanish ambassadors at the end of 1560(?) that Elizabeth was looking pregnant, Francis Bacon is born in January 1561 , and the birth registered taking place where she is living and the house next door? Of course this could easily be checked by doing a DNA test on the bodies...hopefully soon? My main encounter with the Cecils was through Mark Anderson's "Shakespeare' by another name. And now I'm wondering why Shakespeare , as a pen name(?) first turned up 13 days after the death of Marlowe...there are some papers suggesting he died in Padua in 1627. This was a very interesting talk, thank you for suggesting even more plots, schemes and conspiracy theories to have fun with!
The Cecils are so fascinating. Indeed these dudes were playing a game of chest better than anyone. I think it's a combination of both factors. Some events they absolutely were orchestrating into their master plan but I think when presented with other events, they acted in a way it could stay on the path they were creating. I can never think of Queen Elizabeth I without also think of her Cecils. "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." And, these men knew that better than anyone. I absolutely loved this video, Dr.Kat. I think these guys are some the most interesting politicians of their time. ⚔️🎓📚📜💭🤔👑🤔💭📜📚🎓⚔️
🏰🫅👀🦻outstanding as always! Cecil father and son played a very large role in Elizabethan England. Ruthless, brilliant manipulators by which their family profited greatly.
Love the theme of this! 👌 As it's certainly very evident that the Cecils had a hand in many events during their tenures at court.. also possibly including the Gunpowder Plot, as a way to show James I how dangerous the Catholics could be, so he wouldn't be too lenient with them..
It’s interesting just how much spin was used in the Tudor court. Sure, we have more modern terms for it, but there it is, a political dance that had much higher price, much higher stakes back then.
Cecil was in charge. I loved “Cecil was playing chess while all others were playing checkers”. Exactly. 👍🏼
Both Father and Son were to me “incredible”. William set up the first secret service. That in itself and how it looked in hindsight that saved England and numerous assassination attempts on Queen Elizabeth.
Gorgeous painting of Mary. Look at her gown . Beautiful. Silver cloth dress, velvet, rings on her fingers..beautiful. Gorgeous jewelry.
Dr Kat's Disclaimer: "But, when all is said & done, it's *my* effing video."
Bravo!
Robert Cecil has a fascinating connection to the US State of Maryland, the oldest part of which is Cecil County.
His clerk George Calvert, whose family were reluctant conformists, bore the dispatches (and supposedly Queen Elizabeth's ring) between Cecil and James VI of Scotland. Calvert worked his way up in the king's favor on Cecil's train, naming his oldest son Cecil, eventually was knighted, and assumed his employer's former position as James I's Secretary of State and Privy Councilor after Cecil's death.
Calvert's path diverged from that of Cecil, for he was clearly less of a mastermind, though gifted in diplomacy - both James and Charles I employed him occasionally as ambassador, messenger, foreign affairs expert or diplomat. Ironically this also led to Calvert's fall from grace, or at least from Parliament, where he had been James I's chief spokesman advocating peace with Spain and an alliance through marriage with James' son - leaving egg all over Calvert's face when Charles came back from a secret trip to woo the Infanta and covered his wounded pride by declaring for war instead.
Calvert, losing support in Parliament through not from James, resigned and turned his attention to colonizing. James had given him an Irish plantation in County Leinster, whose seat, Baile an Tí Mhóir, was anglicized to make him Baron Baltimore. Also, Calvert received a charter to set up a fishing colony of Avalon in "New Found Land."
Robert Cecil would not have approved of Calvert's other venture: religious tolerance. It's not clear when he became a cryptocatholic, but by the time of Charles' accession he was open about it. This was part of the reqson for his retreat to Ireland, and in Avalon, half his colonists were Protestant, half were Catholic. Calvert's friends in high places protected him from prosecution, although they could not help him when bitterly cold winters forced him to give up his Newfoundland colony and try again in Virginia, where Jamestown's Protestants were by no means willing to allow a settlement of Papists just north of them.
Calvert died after receiving his third charter from King Charles to establish a Catholic refuge of feudal estates on either side of the Chesapeake, modeled very much more on the Irish plantation system, envisioned as a homeland for loyalist Catholic cavaliers. The charter of Maryland included a tribute of white horses, and to this day the state flag of Maryland is Lord Baltimore's coat of arms, its state sport is jousting, and from Cecil County to Annapolis to the family estates broken up in the early 1900s (including my own) there are odd traces of Maryland's origin as a reward of patronage to one of the Cecils' chief hangers-on who learned from their masters the fine art of climbing the greasy pole.
I saw a 3-part documentary about the Cecils on PBS called Elizabeth’s Secret Agents. Part 1 was about Mary, Queen of Scots, part 2 about Robert’s rivalry with Essex and the death of Elizabeth/succession of James, and part 3 was the Gunpowder Plot. Really fascinating father/son team!!
It’s still available on PBS
What’s it called? Sounds amazing
@@Karasakina Elizabeth’s Secret Agents.
Thank you, Dr. Kat, for an *outstanding* video. I *never* knew that the deposition scene from "Richard II" was routinely suppressed; but it demonstrates how seriously Elizabethan censors took the power of theatre. Re: the Cecils -- both Cecils protected Queen Elizabeth (while enriching themselves) -- but I think their attitude toward Power was divergent. Elizabeth took seriously the fact that she was an *Anointed* monarch -- a queen blessed by God and thereby set *above* commoners -- whereas the Cecils regarded monarchs as susceptible to English law. Elizabeth understood that if a *Scottish* queen can be sentenced by commoners to death, eventually an *English* monarch can be killed by his subjects. She correctly predicted the concept of the execution of Charles I. The Cecils were too busy promoting Puritanism to foresee the consequences of regicide. Thank you again for your exceptional presentation.
I didn't know about that scene being suppressed either. I saw Richard Chamberlain in Richard II at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles when I was in high school (I'm 68 now..) An assignment for an English class on Shakespeare. I still remember Richard dangling the crown on one of his fingers in front of Bolingbroke and saying, almost teasingly, 'Here, Cousin, seize the Crown..."
Your presentation was so good that I forgot I was listening to a suppositional history. It all made so much sense. You may be closer to the truth than we know.
I remember reading Alison Weir’s Life of Elizabeth I, and she also seems to believe William Cecil was behind Amy Robsart’s death.
I found the ideas about Shakespeare's troupe to be particularly intriguing. Great video!🔎
thanks for the discussion of Shakespeare's troupe in the Essex rebellion. intriguing.
I fully agree with your assessments. They ruled behind the throne, with years of service to the queen, they understood her better than anyone else and were able to formulate and implement a strategy that worked for her and the country.
I'm a Cecil through marriage. We did my husband's genealogy a few years ago and we couldn't believe that he is a decendant of these very famous Cecil's in England.
"Cecils"
Isn’t that thrilling when you find history in your genealogy?
Wow! Lucky you. It must be a great adjunct to learning more history.
Omg.. Cous inlaw 😂😂
Sir. William Cecil, 1st Lord of Burghley ("1521 - 1598") was my 12th great granduncle as l am an descendant to his sister Elizabeth Wingfield ("neé CECIL") ("1525 - 1611"). The wife of the famous English landowner and politician Sir. Robert Wingfield ("1523 - 1588").
A line of the Cecil's ended up in Greenville Tennessee. A former client was Cecil Roberts. She was named in honor of the lineage. She had several interesting documents and artifacts from the Cecil family throughout the many generations.
Happy to see you were feeling spicy enough and went with this great title. 😂
Thank you for another beautifully delivered presentation. Your well curated choice of delicious details about the subject matter and the cadence of your delivery is outstanding. I’m a big fan! I also wanted to mention that I saw you on one of the BBC history shows a couple of months ago. “IT’S DOCTOR KAT!”, came flying out of my mouth. So excited for you!
I have enjoyed your channel for many years now. I especially like your attention to detail.
I have been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer and I continue to enjoy your channel because I can't get out much anymore.
I’m so sorry, I will pray for your complete, painless and speedy recovery, April.❤
Another wonderful video! I had no idea of the shadow hand of William Cecil and later Robert Cecil in so many crucial events in the reign of Elizabeth !!
Does Dr Kat have a video on Francis Walsingham and how he became spymaster, how effective he really was, if he lived up to his reputation etc?
I love your presentations. If you are open minded about history and the Cecils relationship with Shakespeare you cannot ignore the role played by William Cecil's ward and later son in law Edward de Vere Earl of Oxford. Who lampooned William Cecil as Polonius/ Corambis and Robert Cecil as Richard III. Essex also a ward of the Cecils rebelled against Robert, the playing of the full version of Richard II would have surely meant imprisonment for a glover's son from Stratford, but not for the most prominent Earl in the country. Oxford under the code 40 was corresponding with James VI of Scotland. When James acceded to the throne Oxford's £1000 per year annuity (likely for the policy of plays) was continued and the Earl of Essex's co-conspirator the Earl of Southampton (the fair youth of the sonnets and dedicatee of Shakespeare's poems) was released. Shakespeare's sonnets bear witness to Southampton's imprisonment and release (Hank Whittemore the monument). Just as a point of interest the Earl of Oxford was on the committee for the trial of Mary Queen of Scots.
Commenting for engagement...🥰🥰Though, these videos really are wonderful. Thank-you Dr. Kat for making it available to all!
I agree entirely. The Cecils were definitely the power behind the crown. And I agree with your thoughts on the Chamberlain’s Men. They or one of them anyway, must have been beholden to Robert Cecil.
I love how, when opinions can vary, she always begins by making clear her possible inclinations or bias - never laying down the law by saying "this is how it was and that's that". The probabilities, following different strands of research, turning into little known byways, and weighing options is what I really love to see. That's how a history presenter should be, I feel.
I just so happen to agree with you, Dr. Kat!
.You have brought up some insights that I had not thought of, including the posits about Shakespeare's company and the rebellion. BTW, the subtle expression just as you were saying all Essex had to do was wait for the next reign, is priceless.
The Cecils and Walsingham would make a fascinating movie, if Hollywood could let the story tell itself. 👑 Another excellent video, thank you. 🙈🙉🙊
I’ve alway thought Cecil laid a trap for Mary of Scots. And Cecil made the situation which forced Elizabeth I to act in the way she did. Hearing that Cecil may have had a higher loyalty makes everything fall into place. 😊
At the time Edward VI was King of England, John Knox lived in England and became a friend of William Cecil. When Mary Tudor succeeded it was Cecil who warned Knox to flee the country. I am sure Cecil shared Knox's dislike of Mary Queen of Scots.
I do believe it may be “in between”. I have always thought lord burley was a wise and caring support to Elizabeth throughout her reign. In turn, he had schooled his son cleverly to be his successor. I have also thought what made him so successful as an advisor was his love for England. He counseled her truthfully and wisely for the good of both Queen and country and I think she both loved and respected him for it. I believe she knew he would always be her rock. Unlike those who had counseled her father, brother and sister before her, burley didn’t seem to want power and riches, he wanted his country to be safe and secure, also like Elizabeth he wasn’t a religious fanatic.
Amy Robsart had breast cancer; one of the effects of metastatic cancer is bone cancer, having a tendency have bones break while making ordinary movements. From the stories, she was starting down a staircase, and had a broken neck.
I think no matter how brilliant Elizabeth was, she was lucky to have both Cecil and Walsingham by her side.
Yes. It was all about the right time, the right place and a fiercely intelligent remarkable woman, Queen Elizabeth. Quite a Team.
My maiden name was Cecil and my father believed we were in some way related to both the 16 century Cecils and also to the Victorian prime minister of that name. My son has done much research on the subject and in fact there is no relationship at all as we are descended from a Huguenot family of a similar name who came to England later, when expelled from Europe as they were Protestants. No matter, as always an informative and interesting talk. Thank you.
I've aways felt that William was, as the lead counselor to Elizabeth, stuck in a catch 22. He wanted to do right in support of is queen but Elizabeth's refusal to marry didn't leave many options for security of succession. If anything it made more threats out of what could and should have been allies. Im not saying Elizabeth on a personal level should have married, but as a head of state back then security of rule was found in dynastic inheritance. William had to navigate tricky situations that would have been rough at any other time but with that was 10x harder. To have lasted as long as he did is in itself amazing. As for Robert, he has struck me as a coarser man who held grudges and took things more personally than his father, even against his father! His tenure at court could be argued to have been less bumpy had he not let personal issues come to court.
I like ur speculations at their involvement in conspiracies and plots, fascinating!
This is pure survival mode- there wouldn't have been a moment of rest in that family. That position was everything... I agree you're probably right on this Kat!
I found your theories spot on. They all make sense and I can see both Cecils plotting away for the good of England.
👑
I’m always surprised how adamant Elizabeth was in not securing a successor especially in her later years when she was established on the throne
Love this approach to the Cecil's. Thank you.👑
LOVE your mind spirals and spiciness! Your conspiro-speculation has me really thinking about the Cecils and their, umm, "influence" on the events you mentioned. 👑🕵
I was reminded of the Cecil's this week when I saw Mark Gatiss' portrayal of Robert, in "Gunpowder."
I had no idea he was a hunchback, rather that he had scoliosis and a crooked back.
In classes we had discussed the Cecils and their development of early modern espionage. Hadn't thought of him as part of the Gunpowder Plot.
The Cecil’s greatest strength seems to me to be that neither father or son were impulsive. Yes, they grew wealthy in Elizabeth’s service but both were utterly loyal. They worked slowly and slyly to not only do what they felt best for England, but also to do what was best for the Cecil’s.
Thank you for your clarity once again 😻
It just would have pulled Elizabeth down reputation, just so dangerous for her. She knew, but I believe Elizabeth really did love him. She had to stay on her own.
An utterly fascinating family can't wait
Brava! What a wonderful way to start the weekend! I love it when you engage in this type of videos. The Cecils were a fascinating pair. The idea of the elder Cecil in the death of Lord Dudley’s wife is fascinating. Thank you for spoiling us. 👸
I even got to meet one of his descendant my distant cousin honourable Lord Simon Michaels Abney - Hastings, 15th Lord of Loudoun ("1974 - Present")
Cecil descendants now own and operate Biltmore Estate here in Asheville, NC.
I’m sure you get this often… I’ve been working on my family tree and am related to many of the people you discuss. I thank you for your channel is helping me fill in gaps and learn so very much!!! ❤
This was fascinating. Info packed. Will rewatch and form my questions. Have you featured Walingsford? 🥰
John Francis Amherst Cecil grew up in the English countryside of Norfolk. He was the third son of Lord Cecil and the Baroness Amherst of Hackney. His father was a descendant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, who was Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth 1. John married the Vanderbilt heiress who owned Biltmore and was instrumental in preserving it. The Cecil family still owns Biltmore today.
Fascinating! Love learning about this, although some it is familiar from travel, novels, films, etc. Thanks for sharing.
Let's be fair, these are FAR from the most unrealistic Elizabethan conspiracies ("Essex was Elizabeth's bastard son who was also Shakespeare" anyone?). Your theories on the king's men and their involvement with the plot sounds really interesting. I'd love to hear more! 🔎👑💀
I loved the subtitle "Slandering the Cecils."🤣👑
I've always found it very suspicious that, at an early stage, the Gunpowder Plotters were known to have met together at 'Whitewebbs House' in Enfield. This secluded house is barely two miles from the then Robert Cecil's 'Palace of Theobalds' - just over the border in Hertfordshire. Why so near to Cecil's nest ? Did he meet with them there ? I have never seen this addressed by historians.
I agree that William Cecil was devoted to England as much as he was to Elizabeth. Securing a Protestant England during and after Elizabeth’s reign was very important to him. Robert I think was focused on his political position and holding onto it. 🕵️♂️🌺👸🏻💂♀️
I believe that the Cecils were a coordinated effort to steer the ship of state in a direction that they thought was the most beneficial for England, not to mention benefiting their own wealth and power. Two brilliant minds working towards a common goal. Fascinating.
So this is not just a 16th century problem. The quip "never trust a Cecil" was quoted in the drama The Crown but Elizabeth II which stated "her father tried his best to over look this as well" This was in regards that he had helped hide the illness of Winston Churchill.
Brilliant and persuasive analysis, superbly (and entertainingly) delivered! Thank you!
Brilliant video! Loved it!
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I love listening to your videos. I really enjoy history and your videos are like lectures from your favorite history professor without having to pay tuition or take exams
Dear Dr. Kat, would you consider doing a video exploring Adam Ardrey's arguments about King Arthur? I know...Arthurian stuff is not any scholar's top choice for a topic. BUT, please do consider (1) the opportunity to explain to us what makes for legitimate vs shoddy historical arguments (I read his book and I can't for the life of me see why he's so ridiculed and rejected by academic scholars; what he says makes a lot of intuitive sense to me, including his explanation for why a Scottish petty king became a legend embraced by the Welsh) and (2) maybe you can more clearly explain to us which academic theories about Arthur and Merlin are the most accepted ones and which are pure speculation and guesswork and (3) yeah, its commercial too, a fun topic that'll draw viewers for sure. But I'd just LOVE to hear your thoughts on it, particularly because your channel is unique in your willingness to dive into the primary sources and show them to us, read them to us, gosh how I love that!! Wishing you and yours all the best!! ❤
Quite sophisticated machinations by the Cecil's, older, as well as younger. Incredibly cunning and discerning men.
So important to have wise counsel! I’ve always admired 👑 Elizabeth’s decision to lean on Wm. Cecil throughout his life. Best decision ever. He was a genius advisor. I often wondered how she found him.
Rbt Cecil was the opposite of that hot under the collar moron, Essex. Controlled & cool, he knew how to keep score.
One of your best Dr. Kat,
As always Dr Kat, your enthusiasm is palpable, and your humour is spot on, a very engaging video 👏👏👏 bravo!
Sir. William Cecil, 1st Lord of Burghley ("1521 - 1598") was my 12th great granduncle. l am descendant of his sister Elizabeth Wingfield ("Neé CECIL") ("1525 - 1611"). She was wife of the famous English landowner and politician Sir. Robert Wingfield ("1523 - 1588").
Interesting video, as always. I love how I always get an angle I never considered from these videos, and there is plenty of food for thought here.
Great video, Dr Kat! 🕵 Thank you for bringing our little community together! 👑🐈⬛
Love the history lessons you give. You have a way of bringing the people to life. Keep up the great work.
All of your presentations are outstanding. You are brilliant👸🤴
I had to watch this session 3 times to get it all into my head. Wow… I’m looking at Cecil with new eyes. Not as benign as I once thought. It shows me an a Elizabeth I never knew. Still… Court manipulations and undercover dealing should never have surprised me. Now I must go internalize this new info. Thanks so much. Please please please do a video on Stephen Gardner..
Your best one yet, utterly fantastic love love love, so informative
I have a question. Why was the will of Henry VIII so important yet the will of Edward VI was not? And then the will of Henry VIII was set aside when Elizabeth I decided who would follow her to the throne? I find this interesting but I cannot find out why one will superseded another.
I love your channel. Thank you!!
Cecil and Walsingham were a team weren't they? Wow! Great episode! 😊 Thanks Dr Kat!
I like the idea of wondering just who pulled the strings how and when. We'll never really know, but it's neat to wonder.
Wonderful analysis. Especially the link between Shakespeare and Essex. I believe that Henry Wriothesly/Earl of Southampton is the key. Both Shakespeare's patron and Essex's friend/fellow ward and lieutenant , Southhampton was involved in the Essex rebellion, sentenced to life in the Tower, and released by King James. Almost immediately after that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. I think the lead man and woman in these three plays represent Elizabeth and Essex. All three plays play on the relationships as being somewhere between Mother/Son, husband/.wife and lovers. For example, no one would call a queen Lady Macbeth, since Macbeth was the king's first name, and the name suggests "son of beth". Livi and Plutarch describe Volumnia as alternately mother and wife of the Roman general. And the relationships ibetween Antony/Cleo and Caesar are similar to Elizabeth, Dudley and Essex. I think these three plays together suggest that the Essex rebellion was indeed intended to overthrow the council, not the queen. They are not a flattering portrayal, however, of either Essex or Elizabeth. Holinshed's queen would never have said she would smash her baby's head against the rocks if she had made a promise, but that is similar to Elizabeth's bluntness.
Anyway, I would love it if you did a video on the relationships between Elizabeth, Essex, Southhampton and SHakespeare. Love this channel.
This analysis is very compelling, indeed.
Honestly I had never thought of all the Cecil connections. I was quite aware of their power and that there were major power players but never thought of all the game playing behind the scenes. This video this video was very enlightening thank you very much for it.
Fascinating and enthralling. There needs to be a print and screen treatment of the Cecils in the manner of Wolf Hall, if there hasn't been already (I don't think there has...?).
Yes, they would make for a great work of fiction!
Very interesting as always!
A Cecil owns Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. Visit if you can, it's beautiful.
You just get better... a brilliant listen!😊😊😊
So interesting! I very much enjoyed this. I always think how sad it was that relatives were pitted against each other for a crown 👑
👁️ I loved this video! You do a wonderful job and I always look forward to the next one.
Once again a fascinating study.
Thank you for the video! I have always been interested with the dealings of the the Cecil’s.
I would LOVE a video about who Elizabeth wanted to succeed her at different points
I’ve read an article in which was proposed that Shakespeare’s drama of Richard III could have been a protest against the Cecil’s because of the humpback and all the mistake’s Shakespeare made.
I appreciate all you do! Always so interesting. Thank you. Have you ever spoke of Anne of Brittany?
That is a very interesting point about Shakespeare. How did they escape punishment for such a serious infraction???
I've been subscribed for years, but your stuff hasn't been popping up for me for the last few months. It's weird.
Nice to see you again.
I think your counter-factual analysis videos are my favorite to be honest. You do such an excellent job of impartiality in the vast majority of your videos that it's honestly kind of fun to see you 'let loose' and speculate a bit.
As usual, very interesting! Thanks for all the research and thought you put into your videos - I appreciate that so much.🔍👑🕵
Excellent video. Many thanks.
I have always been suspicious of Cecil being behind Amy Dudley's death
Absolutely! Totally fits the pattern.
Weren't there some letters sent by the French and Spanish ambassadors at the end of 1560(?) that Elizabeth was looking pregnant, Francis Bacon is born in January 1561 , and the birth registered taking place where she is living and the house next door? Of course this could easily be checked by doing a DNA test on the bodies...hopefully soon? My main encounter with the Cecils was through Mark Anderson's "Shakespeare' by another name. And now I'm wondering why Shakespeare , as a pen name(?) first turned up 13 days after the death of Marlowe...there are some papers suggesting he died in Padua in 1627. This was a very interesting talk, thank you for suggesting even more plots, schemes and conspiracy theories to have fun with!
The Cecils are so fascinating. Indeed these dudes were playing a game of chest better than anyone. I think it's a combination of both factors. Some events they absolutely were orchestrating into their master plan but I think when presented with other events, they acted in a way it could stay on the path they were creating. I can never think of Queen Elizabeth I without also think of her Cecils.
"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." And, these men knew that better than anyone.
I absolutely loved this video, Dr.Kat. I think these guys are some the most interesting politicians of their time.
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They really did have their fingers in all the biggest pies! 😮🧙♀️🤴👸🏼
🏰🫅👀🦻outstanding as always! Cecil father and son played a very large role in Elizabethan England. Ruthless, brilliant manipulators by which their family profited greatly.
👍 interesting subject
Love the theme of this! 👌 As it's certainly very evident that the Cecils had a hand in many events during their tenures at court.. also possibly including the Gunpowder Plot, as a way to show James I how dangerous the Catholics could be, so he wouldn't be too lenient with them..
Hey, girl, you're A scholar, too! You're analyses are as legitimate as any other scholar. Love you!
👑 🔍✒️ love the nuances of Elizabeth, the Cecils, and Walsingham
I loved this video. I think that the Cecils knew what they thought best.
Fascinating lecture.
It’s interesting just how much spin was used in the Tudor court. Sure, we have more modern terms for it, but there it is, a political dance that had much higher price, much higher stakes back then.