In an age of Queens, John Knox - a leader of the early Protestant church in Scotland - especially tiraded against the rules of the three catholic Marys' - Mary Guise, her daughter, Mary of Scotland, and Mary Tudor. We- especially those of us fortunate enough to live our lives in parts of the world where determined women shatter glass ceilings every day- may flinch at his words, but John Knox only expressed society's view prevalent to this time. It was a view so entrenched upon the consciousness of the time people rarely questioned it.
Even Elizabeth I, a supremely intelligent woman, appeared on the political stage apologetic for her femaleness, referring to herself as 'Prince' on many occasions during her long reign as Queen. And this was the same multi-skilled Elizabeth Tudor who possessed the confidence to say, 'I thank God I am indued with such qualities that of I were turned out of the realm in my petticoat, I were able to live in any place in Christendom."
I believe one of Elizabeth's grandest moments as Queen was when England faced the fear of Spanish invasion. Seventeen years prior to the sailing of the Armada, the pope had excommunicated Elizabeth, the papal bull written in such a way as to make it a deed worthy of being heaven blessed if any of her catholic subjects chose to assassinate her. The force of this bull had been re-inforced by the papal power of 1580, a letter from Pope Gregory saying,
[since] the guilty woman of England rules over two such noble kingdoms of Christendom and is the cause of so much injury to the Catholic faith, and loss of so many million souls, there is no doubt that whosoever sends her out of the world with the pious intention of doing God service, not only does not sin but gains merit, especially having regard to the sentence pronounced against her by Pius V of holy memory."
(ii)Thus, clearly- to the Pope and any of Elizabeth's catholic subjects deciding to take heed of his words- it was no sin to murder England's Queen. Knowing this- and understanding a little of Elizabeth great fear of violent death- indeed of any death- makes the words she said- face to face- to her troops at Tilbury even more stirring:
My loving people, I have been persuaded by some that are careful of my safety, to take heed how I commit ourselves to armed multitudes for fear of treachery. But I tell you that I would not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have so behaved myself that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects. Wherefore I am come amongst you at this time but for my recreation and pleasure, being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people mine honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too. And take foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm. (i)
Elizabeth may have had professed herself as 'a weak and feeble woman,' but during her time as England's Queen, Elizabeth turned around the hindrance of her 'femaleness,' making it a strong political tool. Elizabeth's persona of 'Virgin' Queen made all men at her court potential wooers, all of them seeking, wishing and desiring the position of being first in her favours. As the years went by, the courtiers' wooing resembled more that of rituals enacted to their Gloriana, the aging Elizabeth finding a hiding place in the cult her monarchy had become.
But England's first Queen Elizabeth is not the only capable Tudor woman worthy of examination. From Elizabeth own grandmother, to most of her father's wives- to mention only just a few- the Tudor period abounds with stories of powerful, patient, pragmatic and wonderful women- women dominating- often in ways not obviously apparent to their menfolk- - in a male dominated society. So much for the common held view that ''women were weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish!'
(i) Elizabeth !, Collected Works, Edited by L. Marcus, Janel Mueller and M.Rose, page 325-6
(ii) The reign of Elizabeth, J.B. Black, London, 1964, Page 176
Copyright Wendy J. Dunn 2001
First published at Tudor England Suite101.com
