Monarchy of Letters

Rayne Allinson is an assistant professor of History at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She received a DPhil from Magdalen College, Oxford and her BA and MA from The University of Melbourne.

• Tedius and Paynefull: Letter Writing in English Royal Diplomacy My Skrating Hand: The Making of Elizabeth's Correspondence Entering the Stage: Elizabeth's Use of Letters in her First Year, 1558-60 War of Words: King Philip II of Spain, 1558-81 Silent Diplomacy: Queen Mary I of Scotland, 1559-87 Marriage and Motherhood: Catherine de Médici, Queen Mother of France, 1559-88 Inward and Secret Letters: Tsar Ivan IV of Russia, 1561-83 Letters Full of Marvels: Sultan Mur?d III of the Ottoman Empire 1579-90 Well Worth a Letter: King Henry IV of France, 1572-1603 Mine Own Hand: King James VI of Scotland, 1580-1603

'In A Monarchy of Letters, Allinson shows the importance of royal correspondence in foreign policy making and how good relations between monarchs helped to preserve peace between realms Through well-documented and also through less well studied primary sources, Rayne Allinson shrewdly enhances our understanding of early modern royal epistolary relationships.' Reviews in History "Rayne Allinson presents in broad scope and extensive detail the story of Elizabeth I's epistolary dealings with the monarchs and rulers of her time - in each case, a multifaceted narrative told to a large extent in Elizabeth's own words. Allinson offers fascinating narratives of diplomacy mediated through a complex web of correspondence. Her work succeeds on several levels - in offering an absorbing and well-researched review of some of Elizabeth's most instrumental letters, with ample quotation, and in elucidating the role epistolary rhetoric played in early modern political culture. Rich in detail and interpretation of this especially notable period in diplomatic and rhetorical history." - Renaissance Quarterly 'Rayne Allinson's engaging and lively monograph is a timely contribution to our knowledge of Queen Elizabeth I's foreign letters The book opens up numerous avenues of research and is extremely stimulating; there is no doubt whatsoever that it constitutes a landmark in the field this is a work of the highest scholarship from which historians, literary or not, students and laymen should benefit enormously' Journal of the Northern Renaissance