Essay on Historians Interest in Elizabeth and Her Successors

Historians Interest in Elizabeth and Her Successors Elizabeth Tudor is considered by many to be the greatest monarch in English history. When she became queen in 1558, she was twenty-five years old, a survivor of scandal and danger, and considered illegitimate by most Europeans. She inherited a bankrupt nation, torn by religious discord, a weakened pawn between the great powers of France and Spain. She was only the third queen to rule England in her own right; the other two examples, her cousin Lady Jane Grey and half-sister Mary I, were disastrous. Even her supporters believed her position dangerous and uncertain. Although there was widely held discomfort with England having a female ruler,†¦show more content†¦The complex issue of who might have been chosen as a husband for Elizabeth has greatly interested historians, as there was no shortage of candidates. However, candidates had to be approved by both Elizabeth and her council, which proved harder than they had imagined. Potential partners fell into two categories: En glishmen and foreigners. There were unfortunately drawbacks in both categories. If Elizabeth were to marry an Englishman he would be of non-royal stock as there were no remaining male Tudor relations of a marriageable age. However, Mary’s marriage to Philip II of Spain meant now that â€Å"many at Court disliked the prospect of the Queen marrying a foreigner.† Although Mary had signed a pre-nuptial contract limiting Philip’s powers, she was reluctant to enforce it and the common opinion was that this led to the loss of Calais. The xenophobic feelings of the council (and public) were heightened in 1554-1558 and they were determined that this situation would not arise again, where Britain would not become â€Å"A satellite of the bridegroom’s domains†¦..the new king’s territories.† (Keith Randell.) Some historians believe that having witnessed this situation, Elizabeth herself wished to be avoid â€Å"risking the loss of control that Mar y experienced† (C. Jordan) and this may have made her reluctant to seriouslyShow MoreRelatedAn Extremely Brief Biography of Queen Elizabeth I1334 Words   |  5 PagesOn this day in history, March 24, 1603, Queen Elizabeth the first dies, leaving the throne to King James VI of Scotland. Within her reign Elizabeth enforced Protestant religion. In 1587, she had Queen Mary executed, and her conflict continued with the Roman Catholic Spain, and victoriously defeated the Spanish Armada. The Elizabethan age flourished with commerce, literature, arts, and geographical exploration. 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