Essay on Queen Elizabeth I - Family, Religion, and Politics

One factor Elizabeth had to face, which was seen as a huge disadvantage, was her gender. This was because the society was very patriarchal, male dominated, meaning that she was seen as week and less capable of being a good leader. This was a problem for Elizabeth as she had to do more to prove that she could be a good leader. This leads onto the fact that her sister Mary wasn’t a good leader so therefore there were low expectations of Elizabeth, This also meant Elizabeth had a lot to prove in order to be a good leader.

Elizabeth’s character was a mystery to most people at the time she inherited the throne. She had learned to keep her own council, control her emotions, and always behaved cautiously, thus being able to disprove all rumors about her. Always dignified and stately, she could be vain, willful, dictatorial, temperamental, and imperious. She had courage, both in her decisions, and in the face of danger. Possessing an innate of humanity, she was not normally cruel, unlike most rulers of her day. Most regarded her to be unusually tolerant in that age of religious conflict. She saw herself as one who was always honest and honorable, who

Elizabeth I (known simply as "Elizabeth" until the accession of Elizabeth II; 7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called "The Virgin Queen", "Gloriana" or "Good Queen Bess", Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The daughter of Henry VIII, she was born a princess, but her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed two and a half years after her birth.[1]

Elizabeth I is considered a Machiavellian queen; she placed the political unity of England above any other aspect of her kingdom, including religion. Elizabeth I’s reign was influenced politically and religiously, in respect to ideas about gender. Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII, responded authoritatively to any opposition she faced.

Elizabeth I is now known as one of the greatest monarchs England ever had, but she faced many disagreements and challenges against her ability to properly control England during her reign because she was a woman. Those religious oppositions against her gender influenced her rule greatly, eventually leading to her regal and authoritative responses. The regal responses reassured the people of her ability to control England, while the authoritative responses reestablished the fact that she was to be the only supreme ruler in England and no one should be allowed to cross her or doubt her power.

Queen Elizabeth’s reign lasted from 1558-1603 during the Protestant Reformation, the Counter Reformation, and the Renaissance (when it was brought to England). She achieved major successes and established a stabilized nation during her reign. When she assumes the throne, after the death of her half sister, Queen Mary I, she faced many challenges, such as the bankruptcy of England, European powers that were trying to reestablish Catholicism, such as Spain and France, and negative criticism denouncing her as a ruler and as the head of the Church of England. It was against church teaching and Bible teachings, for any woman to rule over a country. Elizabeth I inherited the responsibility of governing the kingdom of England despite criticism. In

Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She ¿˘claimed the throne of England at the of age 25 through the years (1558-1603).Elizabeth I marked one of the highest milestones in english monarch history. She became the first queen in european history to rule a state/country without a male companion. However because this was new idea and it didn't follow the bible directly, it stirred up many controversial opinions amongst the people of England during the 16th-17th century. Near the beginning of her reign a majority of people had the idea that a women should not hold such high power; However as time went on many individuals changed their minds about the idea of a female heir .

During the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I experienced a lot of oppression during her reign in England. Many religious figures opposed the idea of a female ruling a country, saying that it is against God’s will. Other citizens of the country, specifically personal associates of Elizabeth, however, stood behind the queen and admired her bravery, confidence and love for England. Elizabeth responded to the gender ideas in an authoritative way, She had to live with female stereotypes, and used it to her advantage when possible but she asserted that the stereotypes did not completely apply to her and that she was perfectly capable of ruling England.

Within 24 hours of Anne's death Jane Seymour and Henry VIII was betrothed. In 1537 King Henry VIII finally got his long sought over son, Price Edward. Jane Seymour died just two weeks after Edwards's birth. Jane, in the end, would be the only of Henry's six wives that was buried with him.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, the Privy Council and court were the centre of the Elizabethan government. Although parliament was Elizabeth’s necessary method of legislation and raising taxes, it was far from being a regular part of the governmental system (only being called 13 times during her reign). A leading debate arose when the historian Sir John Neale argued that there was a considerable amount of conflict between MPs and the queen. Whereas revisionists, such as Graves and Sir Geoffrey Elton, challenged this view and argued that the relationship was one of co-operation. I agree with the views of Elton that over Elizabeth’s 46 year reign there was much success, however she faced a

Queen Elizabeth I was a major political influence from her time and still influences our world today. Elizabeth I was born on September 7th, 1533 in Greenwich, England. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII, the half-sister of King Edward VI and Queen Mary I (Ellis 1). Elizabeth did not only rule the country she had accomplished many other tasks among her lifetime. She wrote her own poems (Women Writers Of Great Britain & Europe 1), she never relied on translators since she had mastered languages like Greek, Latin, French, and Italian when she was a student (Ellis 1). Queen Elizabeth’s greatest accomplishment was being an extraordinary ruler of England. Another massive accomplishment of hers was reestablishing England back to Protestantism. Queen Elizabeth I deserves to be in the History Hall of Fame because she was a successful, popular Queen of England, who reestablished Protestantism to England.

Elizabeth's adolescence was no easier than her childhood. While the King lived, she was safe from political opportunists, but when he died in the January of 1547, she became vulnerable to those who saw her as a political pawn. Despite being officially illegitimate, Henry had reinstated his daughters in the line of succession. Mary was to follow Edward, and Elizabeth was to follow Mary. This meant that Elizabeth was now second in line to the throne. Edward was too young to rule himself, as he was only nine years old, so his uncle, Edward Seymour, became Protector of England. His younger brother, Thomas Seymour, was jealous of his position and attempted to overthrow him. His scheme, which involved an attempted kidnapping of the Boy King, cost him his life. He had made no secret of his desire to marry Elizabeth (in Tudor times a girl was considered of marriageable age at twelve) so she was implicated in his plot. It was treason for an heir to the throne to marry without the consent of the King and his counsel, and at only fifteen years of age, Elizabeth had to persuade her interrogators that she knew nothing of the plot and had not consented to marry the King's uncle. She

Mary and Edward did not get along and when Edward became sick he was convinced by the Duke of Normandy and Henry Grey to make Jane Grey his heir. Jane was only considered queen for nine days before the Privy Council declared Mary the true Queen of England on July 19th, 1554.

Elizabeth was born at Greenwich Palace in England to King Henry VII and Anne Boleyn on September 7th, 1533. Less than three years later, Anne Boleyn was arrested, charged, and executed because she could not bear Henry a son. Twelve days later, Henry married Jane Seymour, and she gave birth to Prince Edward, the long awaited male heir, in October of 1537. However, Jane shortly died of childbed fever. Elizabeth’s father married three more times, but it was Catherine Parr, Henry’s sixth and final wife, who had the greatest

King Henry VIII (1491-1547) ruled the nation of England for thirty six years, during which many changes eventually brought his nation into the Protestant Reformation. He married six wives in pursuit for a healthy male heir and political alliance. After annulling his first marriage, without papal approval this led to the creation of a separate Church of England. Of his six marriages, two of them ended in annulment, two with his wives’ beheadings for treason and adultery, and the last two in natural deaths. Each of his children would take their turn as England’s monarch, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.