DOB: 1527 DOD: 13 th February 1608 Known for: Rich gentlewoman from the Tudor era, who fought hard to earn her own money, she married 4 husbands and had her name smeared in Parliament Bess of Hardwick was a noble lady in the Tudor era who went from being a farmer’s daughter to being grandmother to a potential Queen. She married 4 times and built 4 homes, at least two of which still stand and are great examples of architecture from the time. Bess became the second richest and powerful woman of the Elizabethan era, behind only Queen Elizabeth herself. Bess lead a life that would make some envious and others happy it wasn’t theirs. Bess was born Elizabeth Hardwick in roughly 1527, the exact date is not known. She was the one of five children to John Hardwick a moderately prosperous landowner from a low level gentry family from Derbyshire. Sadly John passed away while Bess was still small but as Bess’...