April 25, 2023

Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan

51 minutes

Summary

R. Kent Tiernan joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the seven-year covert operation to execute Mary Queen of Scots. Kent is the author of The Walsingham Gambit.

What You’ll LearnIntelligence

The spy plot to trap Mary, Queen of Scots

Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster

16th century intelligence tactics

The importance of recruiting agents from your opponent’s camp

The Denial and Deception Committee

Reflections

Religious conflict

Temperament and statecraft

And much, much more …*FULL SHOW NOTES HERE*

Episode Notes

Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn, survived no less than 9 elaborate plots against her life. In an era of religious conflict and constant power struggles, it was perhaps more important than ever to run an effective intelligence service.

Guest Bio

R. Kent Tiernan previously served as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force, and an assistant professor of history at the United States Air Force Academy. Kent also served as the Vice Chairman and Staff Director of the Foreign Denial and Deception Committee before retiring in 2014 at the rank of Senior National Intelligence Service officer.

Quotes of the Week

Our analysts do a wonderful job, but it's very difficult for them because they're looking for continuity or congruity in the information, uh, in order to come up with an answer or a best evaluation of truth. Our job was looking for incongruities in the information. Uh, things that didn't make sense the other evidence was leaning one way, but then we'd get a bit of evidence, and it just didn't make sense to what we were seeing, uh, normally.

Resources SURFACE SKIM*Featured Resource*

The Walsingham Gambit: Deception, Entrapment, and Execution of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, R. Kent Tiernan (Lexington Books, 2022)

*SpyCasts*

The Denial and Deception Committee – with Bill Parquette

The IRA, The Troubles & Intelligence - with Eleanor Williams and Thomas Leahy (2022)

So, You Want to Be a Codebreaker? - with Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh (2021)

The Spymaster’s Prism - with CIA Legend Jack Devine (2021)

*Beginner Resources*

A beginner’s guide to the Babington Plot, M. Mayhew, The History Press (n.d.) [article]

Biography of Mary Queen of Scots, E. Castelow, Historic UK (n.d.) [article]

Queen Elizabeth I, B. Johnson, Historic UK (n.d.) [article]

Elizabeth I’s Problem with Religion, YouTube (2021) [5 min. video]

*FULL SHOW NOTES HERE*Primary Sources

Drawing of Mary, Queen of Scots’ Execution by Robert Beale, British Library (1587)

Page of Ciphers Used by Mary Queen of Scots, UK National Archives (1586)

Letter from Mary, Queen of Scots in Sheffield Castle to Elizabeth I, British Library (1582)

Mary, Queen of Scots to Sir William Cecil, UK National Archives (1570)

Letter from Elizabeth I to Mary, Queen of Scots, British Library (1568)

Elizabeth I to Mary, Queen of Scots, UK National Archives (1567)

*Wildcard Resource*

Elizabeth I famously had a sweet tooth – A habit that would eventually cause her teeth to go black in an era of subpar dentistry. One of her favorite sugary treats was candied violets – A less popular snack nowadays, but just as tasty!

*FULL SHOW NOTES HERE*

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