Bess of Hardwick, also known as Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of
Shrewsbury was an Elizabethan noblewoman. She married four times and became
very wealthy through these marriages. Her first marriage was to Robert Barlow when he was just 13 and she was around 16. Robert died a year
after the wedding and there is no evidence that they lived together as man an
wife.
Bess was refused her share
in Robert’s estate after he died and a court battle went on for several years
before she was given her share and compensation.
Her second marriage was to
Sir William Cavendish who was Treasurer of the King’s Chamber. This marriage lasted ten years and she
received the title Lady Cavendish through this marriage. Bess had eight of her own
children with William, two of which died in infancy.
Her third marriage was to
Sir William St Loe. She took on her third husbands two daughters on as her on after he died
suddenly. It is believed that he was poisoned by his younger brother although
this was never proved. After his death Bess became one of the wealthiest women
in England and became Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen.
Her last marriage was to
George Talbot who was the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and keeper to Mary Queen of
Scots while she was being held captive. Mary Queen of Scots was to be put in the custody of
Shrewsbury and Bess for 15 years and is believed to be the cause for them
splitting up. She believed that her husband had had an affair with Mary.
Although this is unlikely due to his poor health at the time. She spent a lot of time
with Mary and together they produced the Oxburgh Hangings.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Elizabeth_Talbot,_Countess_of_Shrewsbury_from_NPG.jpg
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