Body Elizabeth I’s avoidance of Royal Intermarriage through her early years and throughout her reign ultimately allowed her to keep total control of the powers given to her as Queen. Throughout European history the practice Royal Intermarriage occurred where members of ruling families married into other ruling families. Often arranged, these marriages were a form of diplomacy, which signified increased relations between the two nations. Elizabeth I witnessed such a marriage occur when her half sister Mary I married the Spanish Prince Philip of Spain. Despite her royal birth and bloodline to England, as soon as she married Prince Philip all decisions were made by him and in the interests of Spain (Thomas 98). Seeing the consequences of such
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As monarchy is a hereditary system with primogeniture, it was extremely important that the ruling monarch to produce or declare an heir prior to their death. In the past, realms without a clear heir to assume the thorn saw great conflict which leading to civil war. The cornerstone of any monarchy is in producing children to continue the family line and legacy. Thus Elizabeth I getting married and having children was not simply important from an ideological standpoint but also for dynastic implications (McLaren 262). A lack of reproduction was not the only issue concerning her privy council, in 1562 at the age of 29 Elizabeth I contracted smallpox resulting in her becoming seriously ill and stirring fears of her death. Following her recovery the sacred and anxious Parliament and Privy Council stepped up their pressure on Elizabeth I to marry while she was able to have children and to name a successor when she was not longer able to (Thomas 114). Her unwillingness to do either left the kingdom without an undisputed heir and in a dangerous position. One could argue that Elizabeth I was further securing safety and power in the government as ruling monarch as naming a successor, especially a male successor, would have similar consequences to a husband. Elizabeth I’s power and authority would ultimately be challenged and undermined by the presence of such an individual …show more content…
One could argue that Elizabeth I working in conjunction with Dudley and Cecil, along with the remainder of the Privy Council filled the vacancy left the a king. While Elizabeth I may have wanted unchallenged possession of the crown, this differed from the Privy Council who wanted to secure the reputation of England as a prominent Protestant kingdom (McLaren 266). This is furthered when the Scottish ambassador James Melville points out that Elizabeth I enjoyed filling the roles both King and Queen when he said “ I know your stately stomach [pride]. You think, if you were married, you would be but Queen of England, and now you are King and Queen Both. You may not endure a commander” (Thomas 121). In this sense entering a marriage would be degrading for Elizabeth I as her power as ruler would only be reduced by her husband’s presence. With her position as sole Monarch, she was extremely desirable to royals and aristocrats all over the content. Should Elizabeth I have married and produced children, they would rule both kingdoms and secure future family members into a powerful dynasty. In this sense, one could argue that Elizabeth I might have had such an overwhelming number and variety of suitors that she was never able to decide a
As monarchy is a hereditary system with primogeniture, it was extremely important that the ruling monarch to produce or declare an heir prior to their death. In the past, realms without a clear heir to assume the thorn saw great conflict which leading to civil war. The cornerstone of any monarchy is in producing children to continue the family line and legacy. Thus Elizabeth I getting married and having children was not simply important from an ideological standpoint but also for dynastic implications (McLaren 262). A lack of reproduction was not the only issue concerning her privy council, in 1562 at the age of 29 Elizabeth I contracted smallpox resulting in her becoming seriously ill and stirring fears of her death. Following her recovery the sacred and anxious Parliament and Privy Council stepped up their pressure on Elizabeth I to marry while she was able to have children and to name a successor when she was not longer able to (Thomas 114). Her unwillingness to do either left the kingdom without an undisputed heir and in a dangerous position. One could argue that Elizabeth I was further securing safety and power in the government as ruling monarch as naming a successor, especially a male successor, would have similar consequences to a husband. Elizabeth I’s power and authority would ultimately be challenged and undermined by the presence of such an individual …show more content…
One could argue that Elizabeth I working in conjunction with Dudley and Cecil, along with the remainder of the Privy Council filled the vacancy left the a king. While Elizabeth I may have wanted unchallenged possession of the crown, this differed from the Privy Council who wanted to secure the reputation of England as a prominent Protestant kingdom (McLaren 266). This is furthered when the Scottish ambassador James Melville points out that Elizabeth I enjoyed filling the roles both King and Queen when he said “ I know your stately stomach [pride]. You think, if you were married, you would be but Queen of England, and now you are King and Queen Both. You may not endure a commander” (Thomas 121). In this sense entering a marriage would be degrading for Elizabeth I as her power as ruler would only be reduced by her husband’s presence. With her position as sole Monarch, she was extremely desirable to royals and aristocrats all over the content. Should Elizabeth I have married and produced children, they would rule both kingdoms and secure future family members into a powerful dynasty. In this sense, one could argue that Elizabeth I might have had such an overwhelming number and variety of suitors that she was never able to decide a