Not Just the Tudors (History Hit)
Episode: Elizabeth I’s Doctor – & Poisoner?
Host: Professor Suzannah Lipscomb
Guest: Dr. Samir Erazuki
Date: January 26, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the dramatic and enigmatic life of Dr. Rodrigo Lopez, Elizabeth I’s Portuguese-born, Jewish-heritage physician who rose to become the Queen’s chief doctor and fell to a brutal execution for alleged treason. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb interviews Dr. Samir Erazuki, who brings forth new research on Lopez, examining whether Lopez was truly a poison plotter or a victim of xenophobia, court intrigues, diplomatic rivalries, and prejudice. Their conversation draws out how Lopez’s story illuminates the entangled world of Tudor politics, Mediterranean diplomacy, and the precarious place of minorities in 16th-century Europe.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Introduction: The Case of Dr. Rodrigo Lopez
- (02:18-04:46) Context and Listener Request
- Professor Lipscomb introduces Lopez as a uniquely tragic figure: a Jewish-born physician in England, ultimately executed as a traitor – the only royal doctor in English history to meet such a fate.
- Listener Michal Schick describes her background studying "The Merchant of Venice" and its links with Lopez:
“The tragedy of Dr. Lopez is one of the only links to my culture that I’ve found in the Tudor world.” – Michal Schick (03:51)
- Lipscomb frames the episode as both a historical investigation and an exploration of big themes: empire, diplomacy, antisemitism, and personal downfall.
Early Life and Jewishness in Iberia
- (06:30-09:14) Lopez’s Background:
- Born c.1520s in Crato, Portugal, into a family forced to convert (“conversos”/Marranos) due to the Inquisition.
- Dr. Erazuki emphasizes the complex existence of conversos, living as outward Catholics but suspected of secretly maintaining Jewish faith.
“Even in their conversion... there was still a cloud of doubt.” – Dr. Erazuki (08:06)
- (09:14-11:47) Migration to England:
- Fled Portugal c.1550s due to increasing pressure, joining existing networks of Jewish exiles in London (often via Antwerp).
- The presence and influence of other Jewish doctors and diplomats (like Hector Nunez) paved Lopez’s way, despite Jews officially being expelled from England since 1290.
Jewish Life and Rise in Elizabethan England
- (11:56-13:11) Covert Jewish Community:
- Evidence of Jews and converts as essential intermediaries in diplomacy and commerce, despite their lack of official recognition.
- (13:11-15:12) Career in England:
- Initial post at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, documented by contentious relations with hospital authorities.
- Introduction to high society through connections with established figures and entry into the elite under the patronage of Walsingham.
- (15:12-17:22) Role as Chief Physician:
- Extreme intimacy and access:
“Inspecting their body, every crevice and orifice… one of the most exclusive and intimate and private… forms of access to the monarch.” – Dr. Erazuki (15:25)
- Granted exclusive import monopolies – sign of royal favor and trust.
- Extreme intimacy and access:
Vulnerability and Antisemitism
- (17:22-19:36) Precarious Position:
- Lopez’s Jewish heritage and outsider status made him a useful, but easily dispensable, “well-connected outsider.”
“There was a disposability. They could be the shock absorbers for domestic and foreign fallout.” – Dr. Erazuki (17:33)
- His ascent and downfall were equally rapid.
- Lopez’s Jewish heritage and outsider status made him a useful, but easily dispensable, “well-connected outsider.”
Espionage, Diplomacy, and Factional Rivalry
- (19:36-24:01) Involvement in Portuguese Succession:
- Lopez provided covert intelligence, especially relating to English aspirations to counter Spain's hold on Portugal.
- Through diplomacy with figures like Don Antonio (potentially linked to Lopez by kin and culture), Lopez acted as a channel for crucial information.
- (24:01-26:15) Jews as Geopolitical Intermediaries:
- Jews’ ability to navigate multiple cultures and languages made them indispensable; their mobility and marginalization a paradoxical source of influence.
The Fall: Rivalries and Accusations
- (29:09-32:43) Feud with the Earl of Essex:
- Essex, irritated by Lopez’s refusal to provide privileged intelligence (and perhaps social slight over rumors of medical treatment), began orchestrating his downfall.
“Lopez was said to have been spreading rumors… about his medical treatment, which would have included treatment for sexually transmitted infections.” – Dr. Erazuki (31:08)
- Essex, irritated by Lopez’s refusal to provide privileged intelligence (and perhaps social slight over rumors of medical treatment), began orchestrating his downfall.
- (32:43-36:32) The Poisoning Plot:
- Accusations that Lopez conspired with Spain to poison Elizabeth I; evidence was flimsy, contrived, and taken out of context.
“Evidence is entirely contrived. Now, it’s taken out of context as well.” – Dr. Erazuki (34:14)
- Essex was motivated more by personal enmity and court competition than hard fact.
- Accusations that Lopez conspired with Spain to poison Elizabeth I; evidence was flimsy, contrived, and taken out of context.
The Execution and Aftermath
- (36:42-39:37) Reluctant Consent, Grisly End:
- Elizabeth I was hesitant, kept staying the execution, ultimately outmaneuvered by the Privy Council who proceeded during her absence.
- (39:37-41:16) Unusual Acts of Clemency:
- Elizabeth restored Lopez’s property to his widow (highly unusual), and provided his son with a pension—suggesting regret or recognition of injustice.
“It suggests a degree of remorse and regret that… the case against him was contrived.” – Dr. Erazuki (41:05)
- Elizabeth restored Lopez’s property to his widow (highly unusual), and provided his son with a pension—suggesting regret or recognition of injustice.
Cultural Impact and Literary Echoes
- (41:16-43:23) From History to Theatre:
- Lopez’s case fueled renewed public fascination with “Jewish” villains—seen in Marlowe’s "Jew of Malta" and Shakespeare’s "Merchant of Venice."
- Dr. Erazuki cautions against letting literature eclipse the real history:
“To look at his history beyond Shylock, beyond Barabbas, is important… antisemitism had existed before, during, and after his execution.” – Dr. Erazuki (42:30)
New Research: Lopez, Morocco, and Scapegoating
- (43:23-47:44) Diplomatic Letters and Espionage:
- Dr. Erazuki’s ongoing research may link Lopez to the architect Alvaro Lopez (likely a relative) in Morocco, and to the translation of key diplomatic correspondence between England and Morocco.
- Lopez may have unwittingly translated incriminating trial evidence against himself, including codewords used in both contexts.
“He was, first of all, forced to translate the evidence used against him…” – Dr. Erazuki (45:50)
- (47:44-51:23) Political Fallout and Scapegoating:
- The failure of Franco-English-Moroccan operations against Spain required a scapegoat; public and political anger zeroed in on Lopez.
“…in these moments of major political loss… there is the need for a scapegoat. And as a high ranking member… of suspected Jewish origin… he’s presented as the scapegoat that is needed.” – Dr. Erazuki (48:46)
- The failure of Franco-English-Moroccan operations against Spain required a scapegoat; public and political anger zeroed in on Lopez.
Reframing the Tragedy
- (51:23-53:21) Beyond Court Intrigue:
- Lopez is not simply a victim of Essex versus Cecil, but was situated at the intersection of grand, shifting international rivalries—involving England, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
“He’s at the cusp of all of these overlapping and intersecting rivalries and alliances… marginalized groups like Jews who lived on the sort of liminal space in between were susceptible to being accused of a lot of problems that had nothing to do with them.” – Dr. Erazuki (51:47)
- Lopez is not simply a victim of Essex versus Cecil, but was situated at the intersection of grand, shifting international rivalries—involving England, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Lopez’s precarious existence:
“They could be the shock absorbers for domestic and foreign fallout. And if they could not prove themselves to be useful, their life was on the line.”
— Dr. Samir Erazuki (17:33) -
On the lack of credible evidence:
“Evidence is entirely contrived. Now, it’s taken out of context as well… the letters may look like they’re saying and giving us the image of someone who is willfully collaborating… but know that this is just a tactic of us gathering more information.”
— Dr. Samir Erazuki (34:14) -
Elizabeth’s remorse after the execution:
“She restores property to his family… and provided at least one pension to cover [his son’s] studies… That’s going above and beyond. And I think this suggests a degree of remorse and regret…”
— Dr. Samir Erazuki (41:05) -
Literary shadowing of Lopez’s fate:
“Oftentimes, I think, obscures our ability to… look at what happened in the history. Right? Not to view the history of Dr. Lopez through the lens of literature, though certainly gives us some insight into at least the perception…”
— Dr. Samir Erazuki (42:30) -
On the importance of Lopez’s story:
“There’s something that we can learn as much about his execution as his life, I think… It’s about empire, it’s about diplomacy. It’s about this world that is transforming at a rate that has never been before in the 16th century and what was at stake.”
— Dr. Samir Erazuki (52:43)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 02:18 — Introduction to Dr. Rodrigo Lopez
- 03:51 — Listener request and relevance to Jewish history
- 06:30 — Dr. Erazuki introduces Lopez's early life
- 09:14 — Migration to England and networks of Jewish exiles
- 11:56 — Jewish life and commerce in Tudor England
- 13:11 — Lopez’s rise in English society and family
- 15:25 — Role and privileges of Chief Physician
- 17:33 — The vulnerability and disposability of Jewish courtiers
- 19:36 — Lopez's role in major diplomatic schemes
- 29:09 — Conflict with the Earl of Essex
- 34:14 — Lack of evidence in treason accusations
- 36:42 — Elizabeth’s reluctant approval of execution
- 39:37 — Unusually compassionate royal actions after Lopez’s death
- 41:16 — The Lopez affair’s impact on Elizabethan popular culture
- 43:34 — New research: links to Morocco & translations
- 48:46 — Lopez as political scapegoat
- 51:23 — Reframing Lopez’s tragedy in the wider context of empire and exclusion
Conclusion
Through Dr. Lopez’s tragic arc—from displaced converso to royal physician, spymaster’s asset, and finally, scapegoated traitor—this episode reveals much about Tudor society, European power politics, the permeability and peril of minority status, and the way historical narrative is shaped by both fact and popular imagination. Dr. Erazuki’s insights, especially her ongoing research into the cross-Mediterranean networks of Jews and possible connections to Moroccan diplomacy, invite listeners to see Lopez as both a man caught in the gears of empire and as a figure whose story carries urgent relevance for understanding the complexities of prejudice, politics, and identity—then and now.