' I would rather be a beggar and single than a Queen and married.' is the famous response of Elizabeth I (1533-1603 reigned 1558-1603) to the intense pressure of Parliament and
her Protestant supporters to get married and produce an heir. Having gained the throne only a few years after the establishment of the Church of England there was strong support throughout
England for a return to Catholicism. She initially pretended to be looking for a suitable husband but eventually used a carefully cultivated image as
'the Virgin Queen' as a very effective weapon in the game of power.
A strong case can be made that the reign of Elizabeth I was the greatest of any English Monarch.These years saw the beginning of English domination of the seas which was confirmed by the defeat of the Spanish Armada and which lasted into the 20th century and resulted in a far flung overseas empire and enourmous prosperity. The Spanish Armada and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots were the two most important events of her reign. Elizabeth
resisted the pressure to execute Mary, who was the focal point of those who wished to return England to obedience to Rome, but was eventually obliged by the entreaties of her Protestant power base to sign the death warrant. The reign of Elizabeth I saw an unprecedented and unequaled blossoming of English Literature with the likes of Edmund Spencer, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson, and William Shakespeare creating their masterpieces during Elizabeth's years as Queen. Friends and foes alike admired the intelligence, good judgement, and political skills of the Virgin Queen.
Elizabeth, who had many affairs, never revealed her personal reasons for her antipathy towards marriage. But it is easy to speculate that her father
Henry VIII, whose name is synonymous with bad marriages, was responsible for her attitude. Elizabeth was 3 years old when her mother Ann Boleyn was ordered beheaded by Henry in a jealous rage. Wife No. 5 Catherine Howard was likewise beheaded by Henry on dubious evidence of adultery. Wife no. 1 Catherine of Aragon was discarded like an outworn tool when Henry was smitten with Ann Boleyn. Wife no.3 Jane Seymour died in childbirth sixteen months after they were married. Wife no 4 Ann of Cleves was divorced after six months ( and was more than happy to be rid of Henry ) so he could marry Catherine Howard.
