Historians have dedicated more biographies to Elizabeth I than any other of the Tudor monarchs. Elizabeth was the only daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Books relating to aspects of Queen Elizabeth I 's life currently run into the hundreds. The time that a certain biography was written is an important factor to bear in mind when reading about this historical figure. Despite that historical facts are unchanging, the historian 's perspectives and interpretations, as well as their styles of reconstructing history often, change with time. This paper analyzes the interpretation of the events that surrounded the confinement of Elizabeth I in the Tower of London by her predecessor Mary I over religious differences.
Alison Weir’s accounts of the life of Queen Elizabeth I seek to depict the monarch 's personal life within the framework of her rule. The facts are majorly drawn from Queen Elizabeth 's literary remains and also those of her contemporaries. Weir 's manuscript was originally called "The Private Life of Elizabeth I," a title that later changed after it became apparent that Queen Elizabeth’s life was not a private affair. Weir also acknowledges that it is not possible to come up with a convincing account of Queen Elizabeth’s life without drawing in the social and political events that made her life fabric. As such, this biography emphasizes the reactions of Queen Elizabeth I to the events surrounding her so as to depict how she managed to influence
Thesis: Although the English Council ruled Mary guilty of treason leading to her execution, the council’s actions were unjustified due to Mary’s privileges as monarch, the questionable authenticity of the documents incriminating her, and Elizabeth never complying with the decision.
During the Tudor Dynasty it is easily thought that the years between 1547 and 1558 were ones of crisis. With the succession of a child and the first woman within England, people have assumed that the years between Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were an unproductive interlude. The mid Tudor period is seen as negative years within the Tudor Dynasty. It is regarded that Henry VIII and Elizabeth I’s reputations were a factor in why historians such as A.F Pollard and S T Bindoff supported the ‘Mid Tudor Crisis’ . The ‘two little Tudors’, referring to Edward and Mary, seemed colourless in comparison to their surrounding
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 .
Mary’s time in England between 1568 and 1587 was ridden with controversy. Mary, Queen of Scots made her cousin Elizabeth feel insecure due to the amounting pressure to execute Mary by her Parliament. After fleeing Scotland, Mary sought refuge in England. However, Elizabeth saw her as a threat and kept her imprisoned in remote locations for nineteen years. Several plots focused around Mary because she was a Catholic, led her into controversy.
On Friday, May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn, former Queen of England, was executed for high treason and adultery, her head severed from her body by an expert swordsman, the only concession given her by her ex-husband King Henry VIII. How, in so short a time, had the woman that Henry had defied the religious tradition of England for, divorcing his wife and changing the history of religion in his country, whom he pursued relentlessly for years, fallen so far, so quickly? To understand one must examine Henry’s desperate need for a male heir, understand the politics of the time, and the personality of Anne Boleyn herself. Anne’s involvement with religion, politics, foreign affairs and fashion are still being seen centuries after her death. Filled
When Mary was the monarch of Scotland, the Calvinist nobles deposed of her, and she fled to England for safety (Spielvogel 408). Since she was the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister, Mary held a legitimate claim to the throne after Elizabeth. In fact, many Catholics saw Henry’s second marriage to Anne Boleyn as improper, making Mary the more fitting queen for England (Sifakis 1). Seeing opportunity in this woman who “had no intention of altering her faith,” the Catholics plotted to place her on the English throne (Black 68). They took part in many failed assassination plots on Elizabeth, one of them being the Babington Plot of 1586. This nefarious plan held Mary’s controversial involvement, leading to her trial, conviction, and execution (Sifakis 2). With a resolve “to end the threats to her regime,” Elizabeth ended her cousin’s life through a beheading (Spielvogel 408). Both Elizabeth’s decision to get rid of Mary and the construction of religious compromise were Machiavellian because of her pragmatic way of thinking to ensure a successful reign.
Many suitors were available to Elizabeth, but she chose not to marry and had no interest in sharing her power with a husband. This earned her the nickname the “Virgin Queen.” She built herself up as a queen married to her people. Even though she worked hard, Elizabeth loved the arts. She enjoyed music, watching plays, and dancing. Many artists painted her portrait, and these paintings show that she loved clothing and jewelry. Elizabeth also wore makeup to help her look extremely pale. This makeup unfortunately contained white lead and vinegar, which most likely caused her health problems.
It is undeniable that the Catholic threat represented a serious threat to the Elizabethan church. However, it was not always a more serious threat than the Puritan threat. In fact, it could be argued that towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign, neither Catholicism not Puritanism represented a threat anymore, because she dealt with most opposition effectively. Nevertheless, in the beginning of her reign, Catholicism represented one of Elizabeth’s most threatening counterparts, partly due to the remaining influence of her sister, Mary I as well as Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scots. Similarly, in the middle years of her reign, Catholicism still represented a much more serious threat than puritanism, as seen through the Northern Rebellion of the nobles
Henry VIII was the King that would change England’s religious system and make it his legacy. The religious system would carry on after his reign and become the predominant religion of England. The question is: How did events connected to key historical figures during Henry VIII’s reign cause for a permanent shift in the religious system of England? This question will be answered by analyzing events related to key historical figures during Henry VIII’s reign. These events will not be a biographical representation of any one historical figure, but relayed in connection to the topic of this paper in order to provide an answer for the essay question. This method is being utilized because it provides an analytical perspective, while also providing a personal appeal by tying the facts in with historical figures. History is not just facts, it is a story, and like any good story it should pull a reader in and make them interested. The historical figures utilized will be Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer due to their direct correlation to the change in the religious system of England. The sources utilized were chosen and implemented in relation to how they encompassed concepts related to historical
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.
A group of rebels planned to free Mary stuart and put her on the throne of England. Their plan failed only because Elizabeth’s faithful Walsingham got wind of it through his network of spies. This time there was proof. Mary Stuart was smuggling notes to the rebels in beer barrels from the castle where she was held prisoner. When Elizabeth found out, she was furious. The rebel’s leader was put to death. But what would Elizabeth do about Mary? She had protected her cousin in England for almost twenty years. Now Elizabeth looked like a fool.
In the stories of “Mary Queen of Scots” and “Elizabeth I”, it is known that Mary and Elizabeth I are two different people, but also the similar in some ways. Both Elizabeth and Mary lived within the same time period and were even related, although their lives ended up completely different. Elizabeth was a well-respected queen with an interesting personal life. Mary on the other hand was convicted of aiding a homicide and had many problems in her personal life. Therefore, Elizabeth and Mary both had some similarities and differences between their early lives and their personal lives.
politically. Although she had, at times, a horrible temper and a disagreeable personality, and suffered through many physical and psychological problems as an adult, Elizabeth proved to be one of the most remarkable monarchs in English history. Firstly, I will discuss Elizabeth’s family (including her many stepmothers), and then I will talk about her relationship with her siblings under their power. Thirdly, I will examine religion and how it affected her opinions and politics during her reign. Lastly, I will look at foreign politics of the time and some of Elizabeth’s decisions
On Friday, May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn, former Queen of England, was executed for high treason and adultery, her head severed from her body by an expert swordsman, the only concession given her by her ex-husband King Henry VIII. How, in so short a time, had the woman that Henry had defied the religious tradition of England for, divorcing his wife and changing the history of religion in his country, whom he pursued relentlessly for years, fallen so far, so quickly? To understand one must examine Henry’s desperate need for a male heir, understand the politics of the time, and the personality of Anne Boleyn herself.
Sixteenth century England experienced a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the Age of Queens. The decisive power of the country was placed in women’s hands and their reigns were watched with a reasonable doubt. There is contrast of rule in terms of reigns between Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth of England, both of whom were engaged in a protracted struggle for the English throne. Beside the legitimacy of their claims, there are more significant considerations which predestined them to either increase or lose their power. The rule and attitudes of the two monarchs bore significant influence upon the times in which they lived, including social, political and legal precedents which were being challenged and in some cases reversed. The fact that both Queens encountered situations of striking similarity, serves as a suitable example for a remarkable comparison, helping to analyze the lives of the two Queens and how their lives diverged as a result of such encounters and their actions thereafter. They were both Queens, struggling for the throne, they were women as well as rivals; they both had affairs with married men, however, one managed a narrow escape from the disgraceful situation, while the other failed to do so. Mary grew to hate Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth, because he took the position of her mother Catharine as Queen of England. Before Elizabeth came to the scene, Mary was loved and was the only child of King Henry VIII of