His stereotype is Elizabeth's Puritan spymaster.

Anyone studying the politics of the 1570s and 1580s, says today's guest, will be hard-pressed to avoid him.

He was arguably responsible for the death of Mary, Queen of Scots.

The he in question was Francis Walsingham.

Sir Francis from 1577, Elizabeth the first principal

secretary from 1573 to his death in 1590 and a privy councillor. He seemingly rose from

nowhere to become one of the most important men of the

Elizabethan age, possibly even the paramount man in the 1570s and 80s.

Today's guest, Dr. Hannah Coates, has re-app praised Wallingham's political practice, religious outlook and role as a

counselor to the crown. Drawing on new and underused sources, she's created a fresh nuanced and

detailed assessment of mid-Lisabethin politics and she shares that with us today.

Dr. Hanakote has a PhD from the University of Leeds. Her thesis was called Sir Francis Walsingham and

mid-Lisbee

political culture and these days she works as a civil servant walking as it were in

Worsingham's shoes. Although as she'll tell me there are some differences.

Dr Coates, it is a pleasure to welcome you to not just the Tudors.

I'll be here, thank you.

Now you have written this wonderful doctoral thesis on Francis Walsingham,

and the general picture we have of France of Walsingham

has been until now that he's a man passionately

infused by his Puritan faith frankly, boldly, even rudely presenting his views to

the annoyance of Elizabeth First and continually presenting a paranoid perspective of the

...