Concetti Chiave
- Mary I, born in 1516, faced early disappointment from her father, Henry VIII, due to her gender and remained loyal to her traditional faith during her reign.
- Mary I attempted to reverse Protestant reforms, earning the nickname "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of Protestants.
- Elizabeth I ascended to the throne in 1558, noted for her intelligence and strong leadership amidst a divided nation.
- Elizabeth skillfully navigated political challenges, including religious divisions and succession issues, while portraying herself as married to her people.
- Under Elizabeth's rule, England's naval power was strengthened, leading to a significant victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Indice
Mary I: a life of disappointment
Mary I was born in 1516 from Anne Boleyn: she was a girl and, for this reason, also a disappointment to her father king Henry VIII. As a matter of fact, before her birth, her father was married with Catherine of Aragon but in 1533 he broke up and divorced her to marry Anne who would have guarantee a boy. This act, also, sanctioned the institution of the Anglican Church in which the king were also the head of the Church.Rejection by her father and the cruel treatment of her mother influenced Elizabeth's life. While her father broke with Rome, she didn’t abandon her traditional faith and when she became queen in 1553 she tried to be the agent of a Counter-Reformation. The burning of Protestants earned her the nickname “Bloody Mary”. Mary’s end was tragic: she was deserted by her husband and her country was still divided over religion.
Elizabeth I: a political genius
In 1558, Elizabeth became queen of a divided nation. She was 25 and had a strong personality, a great intelligence and an excellent education. She was a political genius of the first order. She faced the problems of marriage and succession, religious division and domestic discontent. She was unmarried and she used to repeat that “the Queen was married to her people”. She wore magnificent clothes adorned with rich jewels, she had numerous portraits painted and a lot of copies were distributed.
Elizabeth's naval strategy and Spanish rivalry
She recognized Spain as her main trade rival and enemy. She strenghtened English naval power and then she secretly encouraged sea captains like Francis Drake in their piracy against Spanish ships. In 1588 Spanish decided to invade England and sent a great armada of 130 galleons to the English channel.The faster and armed English ships were able to defeat the slow and heavy Spanish ships. England’s successful resistance showed that Spain of Philippe II was not invincible.
Elizabeth's portraits and public image
Since it wasn’t considered safe for Elizabeth to travel around the country, she decided to use portraits to show herself to her people. The way the queen was painted changed over the course of her reign. Portraitists used to paint her with a pale face, with dark brown eyes, red curly hair and with freckles.
Elizabeth's legacy
Queen Elizabeth died the 24th of March 1603 and she was succeeded by the great-grandson of Henry II, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England and Ireland. For the first time the two reigns were united.
Despite that, Queen Elizabeth’s legacy is still on nowadays as well as in the past. Deep reverence is what echoes while remembering her.
As a matter of fact, she was considered a symbol of stability, strength, and national pride while she was so admired for her achievements. Somehow, she was, as well, mythologized with the appellation "Virgin Queen"
On the other hand, her reign was characterized by political and military successes that seemed almost given by the divine providence.
However, if we analyse Elizabeth’s legacy in depth, we could understand how many disputes emerges. If we add the fact that historians and writers began to reassess Elizabeth’s role in shaping England’s future, historiography will thicken.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Queen Elizabeth was often portrayed as a proto-modern monarch who paved the way for the stability of England. At the same time she was also considered a ruler who, at times, had to make ruthless decisions for the survival of her kingdom.
Domande da interrogazione
- Quali furono le influenze principali sulla vita di Mary I?
- Come affrontò Elizabeth I i problemi del suo regno?
- Quale fu la strategia di Elizabeth I contro la Spagna?
La vita di Mary I fu influenzata dal rifiuto del padre Henry VIII e dal trattamento crudele riservato a sua madre, che la portarono a mantenere la sua fede tradizionale e a tentare di essere l'agente di una Controriforma quando divenne regina nel 1553.
Elizabeth I affrontò i problemi del matrimonio e della successione, la divisione religiosa e il malcontento domestico con grande intelligenza e abilità politica, rimanendo non sposata e dichiarando che "la Regina era sposata con il suo popolo".
Elizabeth I riconobbe la Spagna come principale rivale commerciale e nemico, rafforzò la potenza navale inglese e incoraggiò segretamente i capitani di mare come Francis Drake nella pirateria contro le navi spagnole, portando alla sconfitta dell'Armada spagnola nel 1588.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
