A. L. Rowse
Alfred Leslie Rowse CH FBA FRSL FRHistS (4 December 1903 – 3 October 1997) was a British historian and writer, best known for his work on Elizabethan England and books relating to Cornwall.
A. L. Rowse CH FBA FRSL | |
|---|---|
Rowse in 1926 | |
| Born | Alfred Leslie Rowse 4 December 1903 Tregonissey, Cornwall |
| Died | 3 October 1997 (aged 93) Trenarren, Cornwall, UK |
| Occupation | Poet, academic and Elizabethan historian |
| Notable awards | Companion of Honour |
Born in Cornwall and raised in modest circumstances, he was encouraged to study for Oxford by fellow-Cornishman Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. He was elected a fellow of All Souls College and later appointed lecturer at Merton College. Best known of his many works was The Elizabethan Age trilogy. His work on Shakespeare included a claim to have identified the Dark Lady of the Sonnets as Emilia Lanier, which attracted much interest from scholars, but also many counterclaims. Rowse was in popular demand as a lecturer in North America.
In the 1930s, he stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate for Penryn and Falmouth, though later in life he became a Conservative.