William Davison and the mid-Elizabethan polity

William Davison is a man both familiar and unfamiliar to Elizabethan historians. He is best known for his role in the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots in February 1587 – as Elizabeth’s principal secretary, Davison was partly responsible for the dispatch of the death warrant without her knowledge, and was subsequently imprisoned and disgraced. This dramatic episode continues to shape his reputation and legacy, and to overshadow his earlier work as a successful diplomat in Scotland and the Low Countries.

Consequently, Davison’s distinct importance within Elizabethan politics has never been acknowledged. He was one of the most influential men in the mid-Elizabethan polity, who, if not for the execution crisis, would have become one of the conciliar heavyweights of the 1590s. His experience was entirely unique among his peers, as he worked at the lowest and highest levels of both diplomacy and domestic government. Davison is therefore key to understanding mid-Elizabethan politics across the diplomatic and domestic spheres, and beyond socio-political hierarchies and categories.

First, this thesis will prove that Davison was an influential and significant political actor within the mid-Elizabethan polity, both before and during his tenure as principal secretary. In so doing, it will uncover hitherto overlooked episodes in Elizabethan history in which Davison played a central role, and offer a brand new perspective on familiar ones. Second, it will reveal the complexity and fluidity of political relationships, and dispense with oversimplified notions of patronage and men-of-business. Third, it will show the cohesion of diplomatic and domestic service, particularly with regard to political creeds, counsel and rhetoric.