Elizabeth I Takes Control of England

On November 17, 1558 Elizabeth, second child of King Henry VIII of England, was taking a brisk walk in her garden.  This was not her home, but her prison.  She was not here by her choice, but by her sister’s decree.  Her host was her jailor.  But, isolated and without any means of transportation, she could walk the grounds each day, rain or shine, as was her habit.  On this November day, the weather was sunny but quite cold. 

She saw a small group of riders coming up the road to Hatfield at top speed.    The leader of the Privy Council moved quickly to her side; the others close behind.  The men fell to their knees as their leader handed Elizabeth the ring of office that had been on her half-sister, Queen Mary’s, hand.  That ring would only have been removed upon Mary’s death. 

Elizabeth dropped to her knees, breathing, at first, too fast to speak.  Finally, she raised her head and her hands.  Speaking in Latin she quoted from the psalms, “This is the doing of the Lord; and it is marvelous in our eyes.”  She was 25 years old.  She had walked through fire and escaped death.  And now, finally, she was the Queen of England.

Elizabeth became a Queen of remarkable courage.  She accomplished much and ruled with amazing intelligence and success.  This does not mean that she ruled without mistake or without trouble and conflict.  She had, indeed, to fight both her friends and her enemies for the control of her kingdom.  She was a woman in a man’s world, and no one expected her to succeed on her own.  She had to prove them all wrong on a daily basis.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England, ruled for 45 years.  She died between two and three o’clock in the morning on March 24, 1603 at sixty-nine years of age.  She did not suffer in her last illness.  Her mind had been strong until the end, her body less so.  Her spirit was, as always, the strongest part of her.

Like all of us, Elizabeth was many people in one body.  Like most people of historical substance, her strengths outweighed her weaknesses.  She deserves much, but not all, of the credit for her success.  She was aided by the intelligence of some people and the ignorance of others in achieving greatness.  There was an element of luck, both good and bad, that entered into how her life was played out. 

            Elizabeth I was many qualities that we would like our daughters to have.  She was strong and smart.  She believed in herself while accepting the help of others.  She judged people carefully.  Elizabeth loved life, took her responsibilities seriously and found joy in the respect of others.  She earned her crown and throne and place in history, but she was still thankful to her beloved English people, who gave her all three.  She is a woman whose life is worth our study.

She died, as she had lived, as the Virgin Queen.  The beloved Gloriana of the English people.  During her reign, England stabilized its economy, earned its rank as a leader in the European panoply of nations, and developed the culture, literature and ethos that defines it today. 

Elizabeth is a woman I have long admired.  I have read 14 biographies of Elizabeth, her parents, and her siblings.  Much of what you have just read is from a fictionalized biography I wrote of Elizabeth I, “They Called Her Gloriana” which is available at amazon.com.  If you are looking for a good historical novel as a Christmas present for a granddaughter, order “They Called Her Gloriana.”  They will enjoy this book about a strong woman who kept the faith.