---
product_id: 377754
title: "Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage"
price: "$45.92"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/377754-her-majestys-spymaster-elizabeth-i-sir-francis-walsingham-and-birth
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage

**Price:** $45.92
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage
- **How much does it cost?** $45.92 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/377754-her-majestys-spymaster-elizabeth-i-sir-francis-walsingham-and-birth)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage [Budiansky, Stephen] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage

Review: Great book for an undergrad or the casual reader! - Having just read the review by the esteemed Lisa Jardine (her "Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance" is a great book)for the Washington Post, I felt compelled to respond. She's rather harsh with it I think. I don't think Budiansky's history is any less accurate just because he is writing to an audience wider than us nerdy historians. It's just a lot less technical. I'm sure she misses all the footnotes and endnotes that we tend to live for, but I think that his narrative style gives his subject life and makes it a lot more fun to read than most history that is written for historians. I think this book is a great introduction into the world of Elizabethan politics and espionage. Budiansky's work should not be compared to one such as Conyers Read's (still a great historian if a bit outdated), for they have completely different audiences for which they are writing. That said, perhaps Jardine was trying to say as much when she cited "Shakespeare in Love", but I think that's an unfair comparison... Budiansky takes FAR fewer liberties with fact. So, if you are a non-historian, a casual reader, or if you're looking for a book for your undergraduate students, I recommend this book. If you are a history junky, and/or trying to find an authoritative work on Walsingham for graduate studies, you'll probably only want to use this book as a quick summary (it's an easy/fast read) of the carreer of Mr. Secretary Walsingham, if at all. There are certainly more authoritative books out there, but few as entertaining to read. And shouldn't history be fun to read?
Review: espionage and treachery under Elizabeth I - This is a popular history of events in the reign of Elizabeth I, focused on the life of Sir Francis Walsingham, a senior member of the privy council who was responsible for a wide array of cloak-and-dagger work. It includes many details of the intricate and treacherous world of spies and double agents of the period, including the intercepted letters that eventually led to the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. It is sometimes a little light, but it is very readable. It helped me better understand the connections between events such as the St Bartholomew's massacre of the protestant nobility in Paris, the Spanish Armada, the conspiracies around Mary, and the distinctly paranoid atmosphere of Elizabeth's court. It isn't surprising that the protestant leadership of England were highly alarmed after what they had seen happen to their coreligionists in Paris and amidst the various rumoured conspiracies around Mary. Elizabeth herself is portrayed as continually vacillating. Sometimes by intent, to stall and delay her enemies or to allow events to unfold, but sometimes out of mere habit and apparently sometimes out of alarming genuine indecisiveness. This is by no means a complete history of Elizabeth I's times. But it sheds some interesting light and reminds us of the long dark history of spies and double-dealing between nations.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #265,802 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #141 in Historical British Biographies #170 in Espionage True Accounts #1,143 in Political Leader Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (143) |
| Dimensions  | 5.31 x 0.61 x 8 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 0452287472 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0452287471 |
| Item Weight  | 8.2 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 267 pages |
| Publication date  | July 25, 2006 |
| Publisher  | Penguin Publishing Group |

## Images

![Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81PbfRLvulL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book for an undergrad or the casual reader!
*by T***' on November 26, 2005*

Having just read the review by the esteemed Lisa Jardine (her "Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance" is a great book)for the Washington Post, I felt compelled to respond. She's rather harsh with it I think. I don't think Budiansky's history is any less accurate just because he is writing to an audience wider than us nerdy historians. It's just a lot less technical. I'm sure she misses all the footnotes and endnotes that we tend to live for, but I think that his narrative style gives his subject life and makes it a lot more fun to read than most history that is written for historians. I think this book is a great introduction into the world of Elizabethan politics and espionage. Budiansky's work should not be compared to one such as Conyers Read's (still a great historian if a bit outdated), for they have completely different audiences for which they are writing. That said, perhaps Jardine was trying to say as much when she cited "Shakespeare in Love", but I think that's an unfair comparison... Budiansky takes FAR fewer liberties with fact. So, if you are a non-historian, a casual reader, or if you're looking for a book for your undergraduate students, I recommend this book. If you are a history junky, and/or trying to find an authoritative work on Walsingham for graduate studies, you'll probably only want to use this book as a quick summary (it's an easy/fast read) of the carreer of Mr. Secretary Walsingham, if at all. There are certainly more authoritative books out there, but few as entertaining to read. And shouldn't history be fun to read?

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ espionage and treachery under Elizabeth I
*by G***M on January 25, 2008*

This is a popular history of events in the reign of Elizabeth I, focused on the life of Sir Francis Walsingham, a senior member of the privy council who was responsible for a wide array of cloak-and-dagger work. It includes many details of the intricate and treacherous world of spies and double agents of the period, including the intercepted letters that eventually led to the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. It is sometimes a little light, but it is very readable. It helped me better understand the connections between events such as the St Bartholomew's massacre of the protestant nobility in Paris, the Spanish Armada, the conspiracies around Mary, and the distinctly paranoid atmosphere of Elizabeth's court. It isn't surprising that the protestant leadership of England were highly alarmed after what they had seen happen to their coreligionists in Paris and amidst the various rumoured conspiracies around Mary. Elizabeth herself is portrayed as continually vacillating. Sometimes by intent, to stall and delay her enemies or to allow events to unfold, but sometimes out of mere habit and apparently sometimes out of alarming genuine indecisiveness. This is by no means a complete history of Elizabeth I's times. But it sheds some interesting light and reminds us of the long dark history of spies and double-dealing between nations.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great read that for a non-fiction book has real momentum
*by G***G on October 3, 2022*

If you like the Tudor period and Elizabeth I in particular, this book is a treat. It deals in great detail with Francis Walsingham’s life and progress through his career to become Elizabeth’s primary advisor.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/377754-her-majestys-spymaster-elizabeth-i-sir-francis-walsingham-and-birth](https://www.desertcart.us/products/377754-her-majestys-spymaster-elizabeth-i-sir-francis-walsingham-and-birth)

---

*Product available on Desertcart United States of America*
*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-03-05*