Bess of Hardwick

Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, known as Bess of Hardwick, of Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, was a figure in Elizabethan English society. By a series of well-made marriages, she rose to the highest levels of English nobility and became wealthy. Bess was reportedly a shrewd businesswoman, increasing her assets with business interests including mines and glass-making workshops.