Her dalliances with court favourites like Lord Dudley provoked speculation, but what concerned her advisers was her refusal to consider a suitor from France or Spain, powers which constituted a military threat. Title Virgin Queen, The Synopsis In this section Starkey focuses on the early years of Elizabeth’s rule and her reluctance to marry.

The sexual abuse coupled with the uprising by the Protestant Wyatt against Queen Mary, which led to Elizabeth’s imprisonment in the Tower of London, may have resulted in the Queen’s deep mistrust of men.

Sections Title From the prison to the palace Synopsis The first part focuses on Elizabeth’s early life - before her coronation she was disinherited, sexually abused and imprisoned, while Henry VIII had her mother executed. Type VHS Format PAL Price £14.99 Availability Sale Duration/Size 197 minutes Year 2003 (4 parts) Language English Country Great Britain Year of release 2003 Year of production 2002 Notes First broadcast on Channel 4 in four parts beginning 4/5/00 Documentation A book ‘Elizabeth’ by David Starkey is available separately Subjects History Keywords biographies history of Britain history of the 16th century Elizabeth I, Queen of England Distribution Formats Type DVD Format Region 2 PAL Price £19.99 Availability Sale Duration/Size 197 minutes Year 2003 18/5: Heart of a King: battle of the Spanish Armada 25/5: Gloriana: After the defeat of the Armada, England prospered, but Spain later threatened again. 11/5: The Virgin Queen: The threat posed by Elizabeth’s reluctance to marry and that of Mary, Queen of Scots. A potent story of one of the earliest English feminists. Series in which, Professor David Starkey, the Virgin Queen. The self styled Virgin founded a national church, and warded off the Spanish Armada. As Queen, Elizabeth had to prove that a woman was capable of ruling the warring factions in her court. The survival instinct she developed in her early years would become invaluable later when she succeeded to the throne. Starkey says that her deep distrust of men derives from two events: molestation by her stepfather Thomas Seymour, and an uprising by the Protestant Wyatt against Queen Mary, which landed the young princess in the Tower. She was in constant danger from both ambitious men and the adherents of the Catholic religion. The series uses a combination of tableaux, testimony from descendants, contemporary documents, actors and Starkey’s own narration to tell the story of Elizabeth who reigned for over 40 tumultuous years. Alternative title Elizabeth Synopsis Professor David Starkey chronicles the story of Queen Elizabeth I, first broadcast in 4-parts on Channel 4.

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