Today I am proud to announce a new BeingBess feature article series, entitled Elizabethan Power Couples. The 16th century was a period of rapid growth and incredible change for women, the middle class, and religion, among many other things. These advancements inevitably caused a shift in societal norms, among them the male-female dynamic within marital relationships.
While many husbands and wives experienced marital discord, some even petitioning for annulment or divorce, we also have plenty of examples that demonstrate that domestic bliss was alive and well in Elizabethan England. Compatible husbands and wives harnessed their affection for one another, utilizing there mutual trust and shared interests to build and run businesses, engage in philanthropy,
and shape politics. Some even endured imprisonment and suffered financial and social ruin for their romances. Ample business and legal records, as well as personal accounts give us insight into the husbands and wives I have chosen to categorize as Elizabethan Power Couples.
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| The tomb effigies of Sir Thomas St. Pol and his wife, Faith Grantham. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of Richard Croft. Image public domain. |
Keep checking BeingBess;
our first Elizabethan Power Couples feature is just around the corner!
