Elizabeth I: Historians Granted Unprecedented Access for Uncensored Glimpse

During Elizabeth I’s final moments in 1603, the commonly accepted belief was that she selected King James VI of Scotland as her successor on the British throne. However, recent advancements in high-tech imaging technology have allowed historians at the British Library to uncover the original text written by William Camden, the author of the first official account of her reign, called the Annals. Surprisingly, it appears that the deathbed scene depicting Elizabeth’s choice of James is a fabrication, as reported by the Guardian. Camden’s work was commissioned by King James himself, and it seems that the author revised hundreds of pages in order to present James in a more favorable light. This was achieved by pasting new paper over the original text and replacing it with new text, as mentioned in an article on Fine Books & Collections.

For 400 years, historians have been unable to access Camden’s original text, but the introduction of new imaging technology has changed that. Regarding the potentially fictional deathbed scene, Julian Harrison from the British Library explains that it was likely included to please James and make his succession appear more predetermined than it actually was. He further states, “Elizabeth was too ill to speak in her final hours and no other historical evidence supports the truthfulness of this deathbed scene.” While it will take time to thoroughly analyze all of the revisions, the British Library is providing early examples for interested readers. One example involves a rumor that James conspired to assassinate Elizabeth:

• “In 1598, a man named Valentine Thomas confessed to being sent by King James to murder Queen Elizabeth,” according to the findings of the library. “By studying newly discovered passages, it became evident that Camden initially intended to include this shocking information in the Annals. However, he later amended and softened the confession to suggest that Thomas ‘had accused the King of Scots with ill affection towards the Queen.'” Although the allegation was false, James was very sensitive to any slander against him and had previously imprisoned writers who offended him. Camden played it safe and made revisions to his text.

(Read more Queen Elizabeth I stories.)