Queen Elizabeth, I was born to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII in 1533. She became the queen of England in the year 1558 and ruled up to 1603. She was an influential leader and her reign put England on the road to becoming a global political and economic power. Her decision not to marry was due to political reasons and she influenced arts and religion.
The queen never got married albeit the many marriage proposals that she received. Among her suitors were Archduke Charles, Philip II of Spain, Adolphus the Duke of Holstein, and Robert Dudley of Earl. She used her prospect of marriage to her advantage to keep off potential enemies of England. During her reign, Spain and France were powerful countries and a big threat to England. Her courting of foreign Princes ensured that England was not attacked and this tact worked on various occasions as she managed to balance the two powerful countries to avert a possible attack on her country. She used her hand as a diplomatic weapon; however, she never married any of her suitors. Queen Elizabeth, I was a pragmatic leader and she knew that if she married a foreigner she would put England’s future in jeopardy by relinquishing her power to her husband. She was expected to marry and the parliament petitioned her about marriage. Her reply was “this shall be for me sufficient, that a marble stone shall declare that a Queen, having reigned such a time died a virgin” (Hibbert 250). According to her, she was already married to her Kingdom. In her address to parliament, she raised her coronation ring and said “The pledge of this my wedlock and marriage with my kingdom” (Greenblatt 23). She put the kingdom before herself” yet when the welfare of my state was concerned, I dared not indulge my own inclinations” (Thomas 174).
When Elizabeth I descended to power there was a strong division between the Protestants and the Catholics. Her predecessor Queen Mary I was a catholic and during her reign, she prosecuted Protestants thus raising a sharp division between Catholics and Protestants. Elizabeth leaned more on Protestantism but choose a conciliatory ground because she knew how divisive religion could become. Elizabeth had to settle the church position in England finally. Retaining Catholicism was not politically viable. She established the Church of England but the religious conflicts continued as Catholics and Puritans attacked it (Crane 1). The Catholic Church was still powerful and some of Mary’s loyalists posed a threat to the crown. Thus, Elizabeth looked for a religious compromise that would mitigate the threat and at the same time retain the loyalty of the catholic sympathizers. Therefore, using the Church of England she created a middle ground and in 1585 in a speech to parliament, she retaliated this position by saying that “if I were not persuaded that mine were the true way of God’s will, God forbid I should live to prescribe it to you” (Halsall 1). To date the identity of the Church of England is alive.
Queen Elizabeth, I had a lot of influence in arts. Her reign was known as the Elizabethan Age due to her influence in the arts. Her writings were powerful and shaped people’s opinions about her. Elizabeth influenced authors like William Shakespeare, Edmund Spencer, and Christopher Marlowe among others. After she became the queen, women began to gain a voice in the arts. Moreover, she was a poet herself and an intelligent woman (Crane 1). Among her greatest works was the speech she gave to the army during the Spanish Armada war. In this speech, she proved she was a leader who was not afraid to defend her country even if it meant putting her life at risk. ” I have come amongst you at this time… to live or die amongst you all, to lay down for God and for my kingdom and for my people my honor and my blood even in the dust”(“Queen Elizabeth” 1). She encouraged the English army to fight on and win the war because she would be with them in the war “I myself will take up arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field” (“Queen Elizabeth” 1). Elizabeth displayed her leadership qualities in this speech by admitting her faults, “I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too” (“Queen Elizabeth” 1). She was not a leader shy of admitting her weaknesses.
The Queen used her works to retaliate her love for her subjects and thus gained their loyalty. For instance, in a speech, she told the people that “There is no jewel, be it of never so rich a price, which I set before this jewel: I mean your love. For I do esteem it more than any treasure of riches… I count the glory of my crown that I have reigned with your love” (Halsall 1). On the other hand, she expressed her feelings for instance, in the poem On Monsieur’s Departure she writes “I grieve and dare not show my discontent… I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned,” concluding: “or let me live with some more sweet content, / Or die and so forget what love ere meant” (Crane 1). This shows her sorrow because of disappointment in love. More importantly through her works, Queen Elizabeth communicated with her subjects and gained popularity.
Queen Elizabeth I remains one of the greatest monarchs in England’s history. During her rule, there was peace at home and abroad. She managed to maintain England’s stability. Her leadership was incredible and her decision to remain single influenced her reign greatly. The Church of England today is proof of her influence in religion. Moreover, the artists document her influence on arts and she came across as a passionate queen who cared about the welfare of her subjects above all else just, as a good leader should.
Works Cited
Crane, Thomas Mary. Queen Elizabeth 1 (1533-1603). 2010. Web.
Greenblatt, Miriam. Rulers and Their Times: Elizabeth I and Tudor England. New York: Benchmark Books, 2002. Print.
Halsall, Paul. Modern History Sourcebook: Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. 1533, r. 1558-1603) Selected Writing and Speeches. Fordham. Ed. 1998. Web.
Hibbert, Christopher. The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I, Genius of the Golden Age. New York: Addison-Wesley, 1991. Print.
Thomas, Jane Resh. Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I. New York: Clarion, 1998. Print.