Elizabeth Spencer, Baroness Hunsdon facts for kids

Elizabeth Spencer, Baroness Hunsdon (born June 29, 1552 – died February 25, 1618) was an important English noblewoman. She was known for being a scholar and for supporting artists.

Elizabeth inspired the famous poet Edmund Spenser. She appeared in his poems Muiopotmos and Colin Clouts Come Home Againe. She also translated works by the Italian poet Petrarch. Her first husband was George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon, who was a relative of Queen Elizabeth I.

Early Life and Family

Elizabeth Spencer was born on June 29, 1552, in Althorp, a town in England. Her parents were Sir John Spencer and Katherine Kitson.

Elizabeth was the second oldest daughter in her family. She had three brothers and three sisters. Her father, Sir John Spencer, was an important person in their area. He served as the High Sheriff of Northamptonshire. This role was like a chief law enforcement officer for the county. He was also a Member of Parliament, meaning he helped make laws for the country.

Marriages and Family Life

Elizabeth Spencer married her first husband, George Carey, on December 29, 1574. Their wedding was approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury, a very important church leader. George Carey was the eldest son of Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon.

George Carey was a grandson of Mary Boleyn. Mary Boleyn was the older sister of Anne Boleyn, who was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. This meant George Carey was closely related to the Queen. Queen Elizabeth I liked the Hunsdon family very much.

In 1596, Elizabeth's husband became the Baron Hunsdon. From that time on, Elizabeth was known as Baroness Hunsdon.

Elizabeth and George Carey had one daughter named Elizabeth Carey. She was born on May 24, 1576. Their daughter also loved learning and supported artists, just like her mother.

After her first husband, Baron Hunsdon, passed away in 1603, Elizabeth married again. Her second husband was Ralph Eure, 3rd Baron Eure. They married sometime before January 1613.

Supporting the Arts and Learning

Elizabeth Spencer was well-known for being a scholar and a patron of the arts. A patron is someone who supports artists, writers, and musicians with money or help.

She translated writings by the famous Italian poet Petrarch. She also inspired the English poet Edmund Spenser. He wrote the poem Muiopotmos in 1590 because of her. She was also shown as the character "Phyllis" in his poem Colin Clouts Come Home Againe. Her sisters, Anne and Alice, were also in the poem as "Charyllis" and "Amaryllis."

Edmund Spenser also honored Elizabeth in one of his special poems. This poem was part of his famous work, The Faerie Queene. He wrote about her grace and how she brightened the court.

Besides Edmund Spenser, Elizabeth also supported other artists. She helped the writer Thomas Nashe and the composer John Dowland. John Dowland even mentioned her in his book of songs published in 1597.

A tiny portrait of Elizabeth was painted by the artist Nicholas Hilliard. This type of painting is called a miniature.

Later Life and Death

Elizabeth Spencer died on February 25, 1618. She was buried on March 2 in Westminster Abbey in London. Westminster Abbey is a very famous church where many important people are buried.