Amy Robsart was born in 1532 in Norfolk, England to a fairly wealthy farming and grazing family.  When she was almost 18 she married Roberty Dudley, a younger son of the Earl of Warwick.  It was considered to be a love match as opposed to something political or to bind family lines together.  However, soon after they were married, Robert became an obvious favortie of Queen Elizabeth I and many thought the two might marry... if he didn't already have a wife.  After a lingering illness, Amy was found dead at the base of some stairs, the apparent victim of an accidental fall, or was it.  The resulting scandal kept the queen from marrying Robert and is still debated today.