In the final years of Elizabeth’s reign her court lost it’s lustre, the country that had enjoyed the Elizabethan golden age was now damaged by inflation and poor harvests. The disaffected nobility began to look towards a new age, presided over by a fresh monarch.
“Historians have pondered why Elizabeth I never married: was it the scar left by her father’s treatment of her mother, or perhaps the terror she felt after the Seymour crisis? it seems more likely that Elizabeth didn’t want to share her throne. “she was both king and queen” commented the Scottish ambassador. “
“The original ring, which still exists today, was made from a ring of mother of pearl which was embossed with tiny diamonds and rubies. The ring setting, or the front of the locket attachment, was set with 6 diamonds which formed the letter “E” over a blue enamel “R” for “Regina”. The ring top also had a beautiful pearl. What was ingenious about this ring is that it had a secret locket compartment which opened to reveal two miniature portraits – one of Elizabeth and one of a woman with a French hood and with features remarkable similar to Elizabeth’s. It could only be Anne Boleyn.”
~Claire, The Elizabeth Files
| — | Elizabeth I to Parliament (via i-gloriana) |
1587 - English blew up the Spanish cork factory. Without cork for their barrels of fresh water, the Spanish Armada couldn’t sail
1588 - English sailed flaming ships. The Armada panicked and set sail. The strong wind destroyed more than 50 of their ships
1595 - Caused minor damage in a little village in Cornwall
1596 - Storms off the Spanish coast destroyed the fleet
1597 - Once again, storms destroyed the fleet
Queen Elizabeth I
- Object:
Watercolour
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
ca. 1595-ca.1600 (painted)
- Artist/Maker:
Hilliard, Nicholas, born 1542 - died 1619 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Watercolour on vellum
n the 1580s the political and religious temperature of Europe rose. Threats to the Queen’s safety increased, especially from Spain, and the fashion for wearing the Queen’s image to express loyalty and devotion became established. From the late 1580s there was a proliferation of portraits of the Queen.
| — | Adapted from the poetry of Elizabeth I. Soundtrack of the Virgin Queen. (via theinsideofmysoul) |
Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII. Mary, Queen of Scots was the granddaughter of Henry VIII’s sister Margaret and King James V of Scotland There relationship was at best strained. Mary claimed to be the rightful heir to the English throne as Elizabeth was considered a Bastard by Catholic Europe. Marys claim to the Throne derived from her Grandmother Queen Margret of Scotland. Much to the Annoyence of Elizabeth Mary Impailed her Coat of Arms with that of England’s to show her claim to the Throne. When Mary was Deposed in Scotland she fled to England expecting her cousin to restore her to her throne, boy was she mistaken! Elizabeth had her arrested. They apparently never met even though Elizabeth held Mary captive for many years at various castles and houses around the country. Eventually, Mary was implicated in several plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I, which she strenuously denied, was imprisoned by Elizabeth for eighteen years and then executed for treason in 1587. Her death warrant was signed by Queen Elizabeth. there is some suggestion that she was tricked into signing the death warrant by her advisers
