Sir Francis Walsingham: Who was Queen Elizabeth’s Spymaster in Chief?

Holding onto the crown in 16th century England was no small task. When Elizabeth I came to throne in 1558 the Tudor dynasty was less than a century old, and had won their right to rule on the battlefield.

For a woman to rule, and to rule unmarried was almost unheard of, and Elizabeth I faced endless plots to depose her and replace her with someone more “suitable”. And yet she ruled in isolation for the next 40 years. She achieved this through choosing the right men for the job, and particularly, the right man.

Sir Francis Walsingham was an English statesman and diplomat who has become legendary for the creation of a highly effective intelligence network. He successfully stopped England’s enemies both domestically and foreign from fulfilling their missions.

Walsingham utilized some of the first double agents and covert propaganda to be recorded in history. He pioneered code breaking and used agents provocateurs to advance the English cause. He has been strongly linked with the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587.

But who was the spymaster and how did he become famous around the world?