Princess Elizabeth I
Elizabeth's
life was troubled from the moment she was born. Henry VIII had changed the course of his
country's history in order to marry Anne
Boleyn, hoping that she would bear him the strong and healthy
son that Catherine of Aragon never did. But, on September
7, 1533 in Greenwich
Palace, Anne bore Elizabeth instead.
Because
Elizabeth was a daughter of the late King Henry VIII, she was in line to the
throne (despite several attempts to remove her from the chain, she was in
Henry's will as an heir) and was therefore a most sought-after bride. During
the reign of Edward VI, Thomas Seymour asked for Elizabeth's hand in marriage,
which she refused. From this incident, both Thomas and Elizabeth were suspected
of plotting against the king. Elizabeth was questioned, but was never charged.
Seymour however, after an attempt to kidnap the boy king, was arrested and
eventually executed for treason. Elizabeth was reported to have said, upon
hearing of the Lord Admiral's death (although it is probably apocryphal)
"Today died a man of much wit, and very little judgment."
life was troubled from the moment she was born. Henry VIII had changed the course of his
country's history in order to marry Anne
Boleyn, hoping that she would bear him the strong and healthy
son that Catherine of Aragon never did. But, on September
7, 1533 in Greenwich
Palace, Anne bore Elizabeth instead.
Because
Elizabeth was a daughter of the late King Henry VIII, she was in line to the
throne (despite several attempts to remove her from the chain, she was in
Henry's will as an heir) and was therefore a most sought-after bride. During
the reign of Edward VI, Thomas Seymour asked for Elizabeth's hand in marriage,
which she refused. From this incident, both Thomas and Elizabeth were suspected
of plotting against the king. Elizabeth was questioned, but was never charged.
Seymour however, after an attempt to kidnap the boy king, was arrested and
eventually executed for treason. Elizabeth was reported to have said, upon
hearing of the Lord Admiral's death (although it is probably apocryphal)
"Today died a man of much wit, and very little judgment."
Growing up
Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth became friends.
Thomas was reported to have paid morning visits to Elizabeth, in her
bedchamber, before she was dressed. There was romping, laughing and giggling.
Elizabeth was very flattered. She was receiving attention from a handsome,
older man. No one knows how far these romps went. Seymour was reported to have
extended this 'playfulness' in the presence of his wife and the servants. There
was a report of Seymour slashing and ripping the gown of Elizabeth in the
gardens of the house. Talk started - gossip increased. Elizabeth denied any
scandal or bad behaviour. But things had gone too far and early in 1548
Elizabeth leaves Katherine Parr's household under questionable circumstances.
There appeared to be no animosity between Katharine and Elizabeth. Neither were
comfortable with the conduct of Seymour and it is possible that Elizabeth was
sent away for her own protection. Elizabeth wrote to Katharine affectionately
after she left her household. Katharine gave birth to a girl named Mary at
Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire a short time later on 30 August but died
shortly after on 5 September of puerperal fever.
Thomas was reported to have paid morning visits to Elizabeth, in her
bedchamber, before she was dressed. There was romping, laughing and giggling.
Elizabeth was very flattered. She was receiving attention from a handsome,
older man. No one knows how far these romps went. Seymour was reported to have
extended this 'playfulness' in the presence of his wife and the servants. There
was a report of Seymour slashing and ripping the gown of Elizabeth in the
gardens of the house. Talk started - gossip increased. Elizabeth denied any
scandal or bad behaviour. But things had gone too far and early in 1548
Elizabeth leaves Katherine Parr's household under questionable circumstances.
There appeared to be no animosity between Katharine and Elizabeth. Neither were
comfortable with the conduct of Seymour and it is possible that Elizabeth was
sent away for her own protection. Elizabeth wrote to Katharine affectionately
after she left her household. Katharine gave birth to a girl named Mary at
Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire a short time later on 30 August but died
shortly after on 5 September of puerperal fever.
The cleaver and smart Elizabeth
Her early life was full of uncertainties, and her chances of succeeding to the
throne seemed very slight once her half-brother Edward was born in 1537. She was
then third in line behind her Roman Catholic half-sister, Princess Mary. Roman
Catholics, indeed, always considered her illegitimate and she only narrowly
escaped execution in the wake of a failed rebellion against Queen Mary in 1554.
Elizabeth succeeded to the throne on her half-sister's death in November
1558. She was very well-educated (fluent in six languages), and had inherited
intelligence, determination and shrewdness from both parents.
throne seemed very slight once her half-brother Edward was born in 1537. She was
then third in line behind her Roman Catholic half-sister, Princess Mary. Roman
Catholics, indeed, always considered her illegitimate and she only narrowly
escaped execution in the wake of a failed rebellion against Queen Mary in 1554.
Elizabeth succeeded to the throne on her half-sister's death in November
1558. She was very well-educated (fluent in six languages), and had inherited
intelligence, determination and shrewdness from both parents.
the begining of elizabeth reign
With Mary I dead, Queen Elizabeth I became ruler of England at the age of
25. Mary had left the kingdom a divided mess, and now Elizabeth undertook the
task of repairing it. Almost immediately, she made Sir William Cecil, who had
already proved his loyalty to her, Secretary of State. William, later given
the title Earl of Burleigh, would remain perhaps her most trusted advisor
throughout her life. Another close friend of the new queen was Lord Robert
Dudley, to whom Elizabeth was very emotionally attached. Although she loved
Dudley dearly, she was also prudent enough not to put him in a position of too
much power: she made him Master of the Horse, an easy, decorative office that
allowed Elizabeth to keep him close to her.
Elizabeth's recognition procession and coronation took place amidst much pomp
and spectacle on January 15, 1559. Glimpsing Elizabeth, the people treated the
Queen as their savior. After Mary's fiery persecution of Protestants,
Elizabeth's ascension to the throne was cause for celeb
25. Mary had left the kingdom a divided mess, and now Elizabeth undertook the
task of repairing it. Almost immediately, she made Sir William Cecil, who had
already proved his loyalty to her, Secretary of State. William, later given
the title Earl of Burleigh, would remain perhaps her most trusted advisor
throughout her life. Another close friend of the new queen was Lord Robert
Dudley, to whom Elizabeth was very emotionally attached. Although she loved
Dudley dearly, she was also prudent enough not to put him in a position of too
much power: she made him Master of the Horse, an easy, decorative office that
allowed Elizabeth to keep him close to her.
Elizabeth's recognition procession and coronation took place amidst much pomp
and spectacle on January 15, 1559. Glimpsing Elizabeth, the people treated the
Queen as their savior. After Mary's fiery persecution of Protestants,
Elizabeth's ascension to the throne was cause for celeb
the end of elizabeth reign
The 1590s proved a difficult decade for Elizabeth. The question of how to
govern Ireland had created terrible problems for the Queen over the years but
1594 saw the start of the Nine Years War in which hundreds of English troops
were killed. Elizabeth sent out the impetuous Earl of Essex who only managed to
create further difficulties. Her most trusted ministers, including Burghley and
Walsingham, passed away. Leicester, to whom she had remained close, died in 1588
and Elizabeth kept his last letter beside her bed until her own death.
The Queen herself was not as sharp as she once had been. Ministers often
dealt with matters without consulting her, and she became paranoid about the
threat of assassination. But by now Elizabeth was nearly seventy. Her health
deteriorated and, when death came on 24 March 1603, it was: 'mildly like a lamb,
easily like a ripe apple from the tree'. The crown passed to the Protestant King
James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England.
Elizabeth's greatest achievement lay in the relationship she had forged with her people
The mourning which followed her death was unprecedented. However, details of
the legacy she left the country are open to interpretation. Certainly, her reign
had seen England prosper and become a major player in Europe. Protestantism was
now firmly established as the country's religion. The people had enjoyed stable
government, and Poor Laws had created a new framework of support for the needy.
But problems remained. There was widespread corruption amongst ministers
involving the abuse of monopolies and tax evasion. Local government was
inefficient. Elizabeth had often shied away from making difficult decisions and
this had sown the seeds for future conflict, particularly in Ireland.
Elizabeth's greatest achievement lay in the relationship she had forged with
her people. She was ahead of her time in her grasp of public relations, and her
popularity had remained undimmed. 'This I account the glory of my crown, that I
have reigned with your loves,' she said in her Golden Speech of 1601. Elizabeth
was rewarded with loyalty and, enhanced by the glow of nostalgia, her own unique
place in history.
govern Ireland had created terrible problems for the Queen over the years but
1594 saw the start of the Nine Years War in which hundreds of English troops
were killed. Elizabeth sent out the impetuous Earl of Essex who only managed to
create further difficulties. Her most trusted ministers, including Burghley and
Walsingham, passed away. Leicester, to whom she had remained close, died in 1588
and Elizabeth kept his last letter beside her bed until her own death.
The Queen herself was not as sharp as she once had been. Ministers often
dealt with matters without consulting her, and she became paranoid about the
threat of assassination. But by now Elizabeth was nearly seventy. Her health
deteriorated and, when death came on 24 March 1603, it was: 'mildly like a lamb,
easily like a ripe apple from the tree'. The crown passed to the Protestant King
James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England.
Elizabeth's greatest achievement lay in the relationship she had forged with her people
The mourning which followed her death was unprecedented. However, details of
the legacy she left the country are open to interpretation. Certainly, her reign
had seen England prosper and become a major player in Europe. Protestantism was
now firmly established as the country's religion. The people had enjoyed stable
government, and Poor Laws had created a new framework of support for the needy.
But problems remained. There was widespread corruption amongst ministers
involving the abuse of monopolies and tax evasion. Local government was
inefficient. Elizabeth had often shied away from making difficult decisions and
this had sown the seeds for future conflict, particularly in Ireland.
Elizabeth's greatest achievement lay in the relationship she had forged with
her people. She was ahead of her time in her grasp of public relations, and her
popularity had remained undimmed. 'This I account the glory of my crown, that I
have reigned with your loves,' she said in her Golden Speech of 1601. Elizabeth
was rewarded with loyalty and, enhanced by the glow of nostalgia, her own unique
place in history.