Elizabeth was a bit of a genius at languages, a bit like the Emperor Charles V who famously said "To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse—German." It's also interesting to see the contrast with Elizabeth's chief nemesis Philip II, who I think only spoke Castilian.
I remember reading an book on Catherine de' Medici about 20 years ago and what struck me most about that time in history was that Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots and Catherine de’ Medici where three of the most prominent figures in Europe all at the same time. Their lives intertwined through diplomacy, rivalry, and intrigue.
Elizabeth was a bit of a genius at languages, a bit like the Emperor Charles V who famously said "To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse—German." It's also interesting to see the contrast with Elizabeth's chief nemesis Philip II, who I think only spoke Castilian.
I remember reading an book on Catherine de' Medici about 20 years ago and what struck me most about that time in history was that Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots and Catherine de’ Medici where three of the most prominent figures in Europe all at the same time. Their lives intertwined through diplomacy, rivalry, and intrigue.
Very interesting.