Lucy is a brilliant biographer. She uses her vivid writing skills to paint a picture of people and period. Her chapters range from a single page to full-scale analysis.
The book includes stunning colour plates of some the 17th century’s greatest art.
The duke of Buckingham (1592-1628) is amazing. He had superb ‘soft’ skills, which promoted his entry into King James’s inner-circle of courtiers. But he was unique as a courtier. James was homosexual. To be his ‘favourite’ you too had to be gay. Regardless of whether you were or not.
Every courtier wanted to be the king’s favourite but having a ‘love affair’ as a job! It didn’t matter whether Buckingham was sincere. For James all that mattered was that he believed it to be the real thing. Lucy’s suggests Buckingham was indeed the lover of James.
Buckingham was much more than the plaything of a queer king. And the book is brilliant in telling the story.
A long (628 pages) read but worthwhile.
Try this
“Buckingham’s own clothes for the trip were extravagantly beautiful. The suit in which he planned his entrance into Paris was of ‘rich white satin’ and white velvet, ‘set all over, both suit and cloak, with diamonds’. With it he would wear in his hat a ‘feather made with great diamonds’. His sword-belt, hatband and spurs would also be diamond-studded. The list-maker estimated the value of the outfit at £80,0001….enough to fund a four-month war.”
p400
Note
1 Inflation calculator | Bank of England £80,000 in todays’ money is a scarcely credible £166,160,000
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