Author(s): Susan Ronald

Biography/Memoir

'Whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself.' - Sir Walter Raleigh. Elizabeth I was originally dubbed 'the pirate queen' by Philip II of Spain and was acknowledged as such by the Pope. The ultimate icon of female power, Elizabeth was the first queen of England to rule in her own right. Without her foresight and determination, it is possible that not only England but also the English language would have been eclipsed by Spain and France. "Pirate Queen" puts her into context, showing how her leadership transformed England from a fringe player to a world power. It investigates the evolution of England's money supply and the birth of modern banking, and how this affected political policy and the man in the street as much then as it does now. Above all, it shows how human nature hasn't changed in 400 years, and that the Elizabethans were not as different as one might expect. It is an illuminating revisionist account of Queen Elizabeth I and her merchant-adventurers who terrorised the seas, extended the Empire and amassed great wealth for the throne.