A theory has long existed that Queen Elizabeth I's lover, Robert Dudley, killed his wife, Amy, so he could wed the Queen.
Amy died aged just 28 in 1560 by breaking her neck after falling down the stairs. At the time, it was rumoured that Dudley had actually killed her to clear the way for him to marry the Queen.
Dudley always denied the rumours, saying that he was "perplexed" by them.
But now the original coroner's report on Amy's death has been discovered in the National Archives by historian Steven Gunn, a lecturer at Oxford University .
This report supports the theory that Amy was murdered.
Revealed: The evidence that might show Elizabeth I's 'lover' had wife killed so he could wed the Queen
By Daily Mail Reporter
21st February 2010
Daily Mail
It has been the subject of fierce debate for more than 400 years.
Now new evidence has emerged that supports the theory that Amy, the wife of Elizabeth I's close friend and suspected lover Robert Dudley, was murdered so her husband could marry the Queen.
Amy died aged 28 in 1560 after breaking her neck while falling down the stairs at Cumnor Place in Berkshire.
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At the time, it was rumoured that Dudley had his wife killed to clear the way for him to wed Elizabeth.
An 1877 painting by WF Yeames that shows Amy's death at Cumnor Place
On hearing the gossip, Dudley wrote letters to friends in which he claimed to be 'much perplexed'.
Any chance of marrying the monarch were dashed by 'the malicious talk that I know the wicked world will use'.
But now the original coroner's report on Amy's death has been discovered in the National Archives by historian Steven Gunn, a lecturer at Oxford University who was searching through 16th century court reports of accidents.
In the report, the coroner records two impacts that caused two deep wounds to Amy's head. There were no other injuries, as would normally be expected in a fall down a stone staircase.
The coroner concluded that Amy's death was the result of 'misfortune'.
'At the very least it casts doubt on the accident theory,' Chris Skidmore, who reveals the documents in his new book Death And The Virgin, told The Sunday Times.
Mr Skidmore has discovered that within five weeks of Amy's death Dudley gave £310 - the equivalent of £65,000 in today's money - to Anthony Forster, who had been renting Cunnor Place at the time of her death.
Dudley, who did not attend his wife's funeral, also wrote to ask that the coroner's jury be 'discreet' men, while one member of jury was a John Stevenson, a man he employed.
The foreman of the inquest jury was Robert Smith, a man who Dudley always maintained he never had any contact with.
But Mr Skidmore found that Dudley's household accounts for May 1566 who he gave 'Mr Smith, the Queen's man' several yards of black taffeta and velvet to make clothes.
Mr Skidmore is one of many historians who believes that Dudley was the only man Elizabeth ever desired to marry.
'You could say that Amy’s death was what really made her the Virgin Queen,' he said.
The relationship between Elizabeth and Dudley was portrayed by actors Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the 1998 film Elizabeth.
In the years following Amy's death Dudley did not remarry for the monarch's sake.
When he finally did wed, his new wife Lettice Knollys was permanently banished from court.
His only legitimate son died in 1584.
Dudley was made the 1st Earl of Leicestershire in 1564. He died aged 56 in 1588.
dailymail.co.uk
Amy died aged just 28 in 1560 by breaking her neck after falling down the stairs. At the time, it was rumoured that Dudley had actually killed her to clear the way for him to marry the Queen.
Dudley always denied the rumours, saying that he was "perplexed" by them.
But now the original coroner's report on Amy's death has been discovered in the National Archives by historian Steven Gunn, a lecturer at Oxford University .
This report supports the theory that Amy was murdered.
Revealed: The evidence that might show Elizabeth I's 'lover' had wife killed so he could wed the Queen
By Daily Mail Reporter
21st February 2010
Daily Mail
It has been the subject of fierce debate for more than 400 years.
Now new evidence has emerged that supports the theory that Amy, the wife of Elizabeth I's close friend and suspected lover Robert Dudley, was murdered so her husband could marry the Queen.
Amy died aged 28 in 1560 after breaking her neck while falling down the stairs at Cumnor Place in Berkshire.
Enlarge
Enlarge
New evidence: Was Amy, the wife of Elizabeth I's suspected lover Robert Dudley (top), murdered so her husband could marry the Queen (bhottom)
At the time, it was rumoured that Dudley had his wife killed to clear the way for him to wed Elizabeth.
An 1877 painting by WF Yeames that shows Amy's death at Cumnor Place
On hearing the gossip, Dudley wrote letters to friends in which he claimed to be 'much perplexed'.
Any chance of marrying the monarch were dashed by 'the malicious talk that I know the wicked world will use'.
But now the original coroner's report on Amy's death has been discovered in the National Archives by historian Steven Gunn, a lecturer at Oxford University who was searching through 16th century court reports of accidents.
In the report, the coroner records two impacts that caused two deep wounds to Amy's head. There were no other injuries, as would normally be expected in a fall down a stone staircase.
The coroner concluded that Amy's death was the result of 'misfortune'.
'At the very least it casts doubt on the accident theory,' Chris Skidmore, who reveals the documents in his new book Death And The Virgin, told The Sunday Times.
Mr Skidmore has discovered that within five weeks of Amy's death Dudley gave £310 - the equivalent of £65,000 in today's money - to Anthony Forster, who had been renting Cunnor Place at the time of her death.
Recreation: Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes played Elizabeth I and Dudley in the 1998 film Elizabeth
Dudley, who did not attend his wife's funeral, also wrote to ask that the coroner's jury be 'discreet' men, while one member of jury was a John Stevenson, a man he employed.
The foreman of the inquest jury was Robert Smith, a man who Dudley always maintained he never had any contact with.
But Mr Skidmore found that Dudley's household accounts for May 1566 who he gave 'Mr Smith, the Queen's man' several yards of black taffeta and velvet to make clothes.
Mr Skidmore is one of many historians who believes that Dudley was the only man Elizabeth ever desired to marry.
'You could say that Amy’s death was what really made her the Virgin Queen,' he said.
The relationship between Elizabeth and Dudley was portrayed by actors Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the 1998 film Elizabeth.
In the years following Amy's death Dudley did not remarry for the monarch's sake.
When he finally did wed, his new wife Lettice Knollys was permanently banished from court.
His only legitimate son died in 1584.
Dudley was made the 1st Earl of Leicestershire in 1564. He died aged 56 in 1588.
dailymail.co.uk