Shakespeare A to Z | Patronage of the Arts
Patronage of the arts was an arrangement by which wealthy Elizabethans provided artists or writers with financial support and other assistance. As an expression of gratitude, writers often included flattering dedications to their patron in their works.
In Shakespeare’s day the most prominent patron of the arts was Queen ELIZABETH I. The queen’s support extended far beyond money. As monarch she could also grant titles of nobility and various other honors. Her successor, King JAMES I, was especially good to Shakespeare. He placed the playwright’s acting company under his direct...
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