Was Bess of Hardwick Tudor England's BIGGEST Gold-Digger?

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Was Bess of Hardwick a Tudor gold-digger, or was she simply a remarkably shrewd woman who knew how to make the most of her opportunities? Bess married four times, outlived all four husbands and became one of the wealthiest people in Elizabethan England. It's hardly surprising that she's sometimes been accused of marrying her way to a fortune! But was that really what happened? In this video, I'm investigating Bess's four marriages, from her first husband, Robert Barlow, to the wealthy and powerful Earl of Shrewsbury. We'll look at the enormous debt left by her second husband, Sir William Cavendish, the furious accusations made by Sir William St Loe's family when he left Bess most of his fortune, and the extraordinary marriage arrangements that united the Cavendish and Talbot families. Was Bess calculating and manipulative, or was she doing exactly what Tudor society expected of an ambitious woman of her position? And would we judge a man quite so harshly for doing the same thing? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments! TUDOR WOMEN OF POWER - 4-10 JANUARY 2027 I've been researching Bess for my upcoming online event, Tudor Women of Power, where we'll be exploring the lives of eight fascinating Tudor women and the different ways they exercised power and influence. We'll be looking beyond the familiar stories to explore their relationships, beliefs, ambitions, struggles and achievements. The event includes pre-recorded talks you can watch at your own pace, live Zoom discussions and plenty of opportunities to explore Tudor history together. Find out more and book your place at: https://claireridgway.com/events/power/ Early bird registration is available until 20 November 2026. If you enjoy Tudor history, please subscribe for more videos exploring the people, events and mysteries of the Tudor period. #BessOfHardwick #TudorHistory #ElizabethanEngland #TudorWomen #TheAnneBoleynFiles