Overview

Born into a great Spanish noble family, Luisa de Carvajal hankered from her early years to become a martyr for her faith. In 1605 - the year of the Gunpowder Plot - she was secreted into England by the Jesuits. To everyone's surprise including her own, she steadily assumed a prominent role within London's underground Catholic community, setting up an unofficial nunnery, offering Roman priests a secure place to live, consoling prisoners awaiting execution, importing banned books, and helping persecuted Catholics to flee abroad. Throughout this time she ran the grave risk of imprisonment and execution, yet she miraculously managed to avoid this ultimate fate in spite of being arrested on a number of occasions. This vividly written biography, the first to give equal treatment to her double life in Spain and England, is based on Luisa's own autobiographical writings, her sparkling collection of poems and letters, and the detailed reminiscences by dozens of people who worked with her

Full Product Details

9780199533534

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Reviews

Glyn Redworth's gripping biography deserves to bring its subject to a wider audience. Alison Shell, TLS With its emphasis on self-mortification and bloody interdenominational strife, The She Apostle is unlike most of the fare on offer at religios bookshops. Glyn Redworth's gripping biography deserves to bring its subject to a wider audience Alison Shell, Times Literary Supplement Redworth's study of this wilful and saintly woman is notably well researched. Edward Norman, Literary Review A grim but fascinating story. Leanda de Lisle An incredibly readable work of historical scholarship. Catholic Herald Engrossing biography. Peter Stanford, Independent on Sunday A wonderfully readable and three dimensional study. The Scotsman. 'a literary coup'. John Guy, The Sunday Times A beautifully crafted biography of a remarkable personality. Times Higher Education Supplement.

Author Information

Glyn Redworth taught at Oxford University for several years and was a research fellow at Christ Church before moving to the University of Manchester. Closely associated with the Institute of History in Madrid, he has spent several years in Spain researching Luisa's life. He has published widely on sixteenth and early seventeenth century religious and political history, including In Defence of the Church Catholic: The Life of Stephen Gardiner and The Prince and the Infanta: The Cultural Politics of the Spanish Match.

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