Elizabeth I
"This shall be for me sufficient, that a marble stone shall declare that a Queen, having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin." - Elizabeth I
Basic Beliefs
- Matters of religion were interfering with the good of the state. She attempted to put aside matters of religion and concentrated, instead, on the well-being of her realm.
- Did not think that as ruler she should have absolute (complete) power over her subjects.
- Society should be structured in a hierarchy (ordered social rankings), with each person in his or her proper place.
- Saw her role as being a mother. She was dedicated to taking care of her subjects (the English people) as a mother is to her children.
She ruled in a limited monarchy parliament.
"I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too." - Elizabeth I
Ideal Government
I believe Elizabeth's ideal government was a monarchy. Queen Elizabeth believed this was the ideas form of government because she believed as a ruler she should be at the top of the social hierarchy, and she should have the right to make all the final decisions about her country.
Facts about Queen Elizabeth I
- Claimed the throne at the age of 25 and held it for 44 years, keeping England in the ascendant through wars, and political and religious turmoil.
- Elizabeth was raised much like any other royal child. She received tutoring and excelled at languages and music. She studied history, rhetoric, and moral philosophy, and learned how to speak Greek, French, Latin, and Italian fluently.
- Elizabeth, however, seemed to have no interest in sharing power with a spouse. Over time, she cultivated her image as a queen married to her job and her people. For this dedication Elizabeth earned the nickname the "Virgin Queen."
- She almost died of smallpox in 1562 and was left with scars on her face- these were covered with heavy white makeup which was fashionable at the time.