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Greetings, I am Queen Elizabeth I of England, Ireland and France. My father was the great King Henry VIII and my mother was the Lady Anne Boleyn. Unfortunately, the King saw it fit to take my mother's head from her tiny neck, and I was declaired a bastard when I was still a young child. As soon as I was old to understand, it was made clear that my gender was a major cause for Mother's death.
What was a beloved love story turned horribly wrong when Father's heart was twisted against my beloved Mother..
Thus followed a long succession of Stepmothers, most of whom felt affection for me and tried their best to mother me and help me along... but they disappeared one by one. The most traumatic experience for me as a young child, besides losing my own mother, was the beheading of my cousin and stepmother, Kathryn Howard. She was young, beautiful, and kind to me. She was beheaded for treason when I was 8. As my childhood friend, Robert Dudley, would tell ambassadors later, that was when I began to swear that I would never marry, and live and die a virgin.
I went through many trials. I was accused of stealing the fourth husband of my good stepmother and friend, Katherine Parr. I was accused of trying to take the throne from my own sister, Mary, but all of these are false. Wicked men who were minded to have me put away, married off, or killed were content to spread evil rumours about me. Unfortunately, this would continue throughout my life.
I was imprisoned by my own sister, Mary, in the tower and later in private castles. One day I wrote:
Much suspected of me
Nothing proved can be
--Me begging Mary for my life
I feared for my life many times, but the Lord saw fit that I should become queen of England after my sister's death in 1558. When I was told of this, I cried:
This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
--Me in my Coronation Robes
I inherited a kingdom in shambles. We had little money and the fighting between Catholics and Protestants was tearing our great nation apart. There were also many people who felt I did not belong on the throne, since I was declaired a bastard, although everyone knew well that I was the daughter of the King! One only needed eyes to see such a thing! I managed to establish the Protestant Church of England more firmly and managed to build the treasury. I was ever inclined towards peace with other nations and also within my realm. When it came to religion, although I was a Protestant myself, I said "I have no desire to make windows into men's souls." I was, unlike my predecessor, content to leave those who disagreed with the State religion alone, as long as they did not betray me, and served me above the Pope. This policy probably saved my reign and my realm.
I love to flirt and many men caught my attention. The chief of these was Lord Robert Dudley, who was my friend from my youngest days. I had much affection for my dear Robin, but did not marry him.
My Robin and I
I had many other suitors from other nations, such as the Prince of France and the King of Spain, but I refused them all! I would not be married, I would rule on my own, and I did! I had wonderful advisors that helped me, such as Lord Burghley and Francis Walsingham.
Even as my reign became more secure, evil people still worked against me. From the day I was crowned, my own cousin, the queen of Scotland, claimed my crown for herself. She was driven out of her own nation and sought my protection. I did not kill her then, and I was most reluntant to do her harm, since she was my cousin. Unfortunately, she was found guilty of trying yet again to take my crown, and she had to die.. but I signed the papers with much reluntance.
My cousin Mary, Queen of Scots
I sent aid to the Protestants of Europe. I assisted the Huguenots of France when they were cruelly attacked, and also the Protestants of Scotland. Later on, the Spanish tried to attack us with their Armada, just because I sent my pirates to take their gold! (Philip hid behind that 'avenging the Queen of Scotland' thing!) God was on our side, and we were victorious! I struck a coin bearing what I cried out when I heard the news:
"God Breathed, and they were scattered"
A picture of my Navy
I was not afraid to meet the Spanish myself, in armour, as my forefathers did!
The Spanish and the Pope counted on disgruntled Catholics raising up within my realm to help overthrow me, but the vast majority were Englishmen before they were Catholics! I am most glad that I chose from the earliest days of rule not to isolate and persecute these Catholics greatly. They only suffered if they chose the Pope over me...
The arts flourished under my reign, and I especially enjoyed the works of Shakespeare. Our holdings in the New World expanded under my reign as well, and my reign is called the Golden Age of my nation. I thank God that such a thing was so.
I was not perfect, I well know! I was a flirt and a bit of a tease and I had a bad temper with those who angered me, but overall I was a good ruler and I reign in the hearts of those who admire me yet today.
If you want to know more about me, go here .
