Elizabeth I's Approach to Marriage (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
Elizabeth I's Approach to Marriage
Introduction: Marriage and female monarchy in the sixteenth century
In the age of personal monarchy, kings and queens had clearly defined roles based on gender. Kings were expected to rule the country, dispense justice, and lead troops into battle. Queens consort (wives of kings) were expected to support their husbands, intercede for peace and mercy, and provide a male heir to continue the dynasty.
When female monarchs came to the throne, contemporary attitudes created significant challenges. Most people believed that women could not perform the traditional functions of kingship. As a result, there was a widespread expectation that a queen regnant (a queen ruling in her own right) would need a husband to take on these responsibilities.
The distinction between queen consort and queen regnant was crucial in sixteenth-century politics:
- A queen consort was the wife of a reigning king and had no independent political power
- A queen regnant was a queen ruling in her own right, but contemporary attitudes meant she was still expected to marry and defer to her husband's authority
This belief was expressed forcefully by figures like John Knox, who in 1558 argued that female rule was against nature and God's will.
The pressure on Elizabeth to marry
When Elizabeth I succeeded her half-sister Mary in 1558, she was 25 years old—young enough to marry and have children. Like Mary before her, it was widely expected that Elizabeth would marry for two key reasons:
- To produce an heir and secure the succession
- To have a husband who could help her govern the country
The pressure on Elizabeth was particularly intense because she was the last of the Tudor dynasty. If she died without children, the Tudor line would end, potentially causing serious political instability.
This danger became very real in 1562 when Elizabeth fell dangerously ill with smallpox. Her councillors were deeply concerned about what would happen if she died without naming a successor.
In 1566, a parliamentary delegation formally requested that Elizabeth marry. She responded angrily, making it clear that she resented pressure on this personal matter.
Elizabeth's potential suitors
Elizabeth had several potential marriage candidates, both English and foreign:
Domestic option:
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (son of the Duke of Northumberland) was a serious possibility. However, marrying an English nobleman would have created jealousy and rivalry at court, as other nobles might resent one of their own being elevated above them.
Foreign suitors:
- Philip of Spain (her former brother-in-law, who had been married to Mary I)
- Archduke Charles of the Holy Roman Empire
- Henry, Duke of Anjou (a French prince)
Elizabeth's Suitors Timeline:
The Anjou marriage was given serious consideration as late as 1581, when Elizabeth was already in her late forties and realistically too old to bear children. However, like all the previous marriage negotiations, it came to nothing.
Elizabeth's decision to remain single
Unlike Mary I, Elizabeth seems to have been deeply wary of marriage. She understood the problems that marriage would create for a female ruler:
- A husband might try to dominate her and take control of government
- Marrying an Englishman would create tensions and jealousies at court
- Marrying a foreigner might make her unpopular and raise fears about England being controlled by a foreign power
Elizabeth was ultimately not prepared to marry. However, she cleverly used the prospect of marriage as a diplomatic tool. By keeping marriage negotiations open, she could maintain friendly relations with foreign powers and keep her options open without actually committing to anything.
Elizabeth's strategy: The 'Virgin Queen'
From the late 1570s onwards, Elizabeth developed a distinctive image as the 'Virgin Queen'. As a woman operating in a man's world, she used her gender to her advantage in several ways:
Courtly love and male favourites:
Elizabeth encouraged the notion of courtly love at her court. Ambitious young courtiers could attract her attention through personal attraction and flirtation. These male favourites included:
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
- Sir Christopher Hatton
- Sir Walter Raleigh
How the Virgin Queen Strategy Worked:
As the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth posed as desirable yet beyond reach. This allowed her to control her male courtiers, who might otherwise have tried to control her. The favourites competed for her attention and favour, but she remained ultimately in charge.
This was a clever reversal of traditional power dynamics—instead of being controlled by a husband or male courtiers, Elizabeth used the conventions of courtly love to maintain her independence while securing the loyalty of powerful men.
Marriage as a diplomatic weapon:
While never intending to marry, Elizabeth used marriage negotiations strategically. The possibility of marriage to an English queen was attractive to foreign powers, and Elizabeth exploited this to maintain diplomatic relationships and alliances.
Elizabeth's use of rhetoric and imagery
Elizabeth was highly skilled at using rhetoric (powerful and persuasive language) to enhance her authority and present herself as a capable ruler despite being a woman.
'Married to England' imagery:
Both Mary I and Elizabeth I used the powerful idea that, as queens, they were symbolically 'married' to their country. This allowed them to present themselves as committed to England's welfare while explaining why they didn't need (or want) an actual husband.
In 1559, when parliament requested that she marry, Elizabeth responded:
Now that the public care of governing the kingdom is laid upon me, to draw upon me also the cares of marriage may seem a point of inconsiderate folly. Yea, to satisfy you, I have already joined myself to an husband, namely, the Kingdom of England.
This clever response suggested that taking on a real husband would be an unnecessary burden when she was already committed to England.
Elizabeth's Tilbury Speech (1588):
Elizabeth's most famous example of using rhetoric came in 1588 when England faced the threat of invasion by the Spanish Armada. She addressed her troops at Tilbury wearing a silver breastplate over her dress—a powerful visual symbol combining feminine and masculine imagery.
Her speech included the memorable words:
I know that I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England, too.
Why this was so effective:
This rhetoric acknowledged the contemporary view that women were physically weaker than men, but insisted that she possessed the courage, determination, and leadership qualities of a king. By appearing before her troops in military dress, she presented herself as a leader of men even though, as a woman, she could not physically fight in battle.
Comparison: Elizabeth I and Mary I
Understanding Elizabeth's approach to marriage is clearer when compared with her half-sister Mary I:
Comparing Two Queens: Different Approaches to Marriage
Mary I's approach:
- Mary married Philip of Spain in 1554
- She was driven by dynastic (family succession) and religious considerations (Philip was Catholic)
- At 37, Mary needed to marry quickly to have any chance of producing an heir
- The marriage was deeply unpopular and contributed to Wyatt's rebellion in January 1554
- A marriage treaty was drawn up to protect Mary's power, but fears remained that Philip would control England
- These fears existed specifically because Mary was a woman—there would have been no such concerns about a queen consort controlling her husband
In her 1554 speech at the London Guildhall, Mary rallied support against Wyatt's rebellion using the 'married to England' imagery:
I am your queen, to whom at my coronation, when I was wedded to the realm and laws of the same (the spousal ring whereof I have on my finger, which never hitherto was, not hereafter shall be, left off), you promised your allegiance and obedience unto me.
Elizabeth I's approach:
- Refused to marry despite intense pressure
- Used marriage negotiations as diplomatic tools
- Developed the Virgin Queen image
- Remained in control through courtly love and male favourites
- Used powerful rhetoric to present herself as a capable leader
Similarities:
- Both faced unique challenges because they were female rulers
- Both used the imagery of being 'married' to England
- Both faced rebellions and challenges to their authority
- Both ultimately survived and maintained their power
Key difference:
Mary believed she needed a husband to help her govern and produce an heir. Elizabeth concluded that marriage would create more problems than it solved and remained single, using her unmarried status to her political advantage.
Significance and assessment
Although Tudor attitudes to female rulers made it harder for both Mary and Elizabeth to assert their authority, ultimately both were successful. The issue of marriage and succession created enormous difficulties—particularly for Elizabeth in the 1590s as she aged without an heir—but both queens survived challenges to their rule.
Elizabeth's Revolutionary Approach:
Elizabeth's approach was particularly innovative. By remaining single, she:
- Avoided the loss of power that might have come with marriage
- Maintained her independence and authority
- Used the prospect of marriage as a diplomatic tool
- Created a distinctive image (the Virgin Queen) that enhanced rather than diminished her authority
- Demonstrated that a woman could rule successfully without a husband
This was a remarkable achievement given the deeply entrenched beliefs about women's capabilities in the sixteenth century.
Elizabeth showed that it was possible to turn potential weakness (being an unmarried woman) into strength through clever use of imagery, rhetoric, and political strategy.
Key Points to Remember:
- Elizabeth I faced intense pressure to marry and produce an heir, especially as the last Tudor monarch, but she refused to do so
- She had several potential suitors (Robert Dudley, Philip of Spain, Archduke Charles, Duke of Anjou) but used marriage negotiations as diplomatic tools rather than genuinely intending to marry
- From the late 1570s, Elizabeth cultivated the 'Virgin Queen' image, using courtly love to control male favourites like Dudley, Hatton, and Raleigh
- Elizabeth used powerful rhetoric and imagery to enhance her authority, including the idea of being 'married to England' and her famous Tilbury speech (1588) declaring she had the heart and stomach of a king
- Unlike Mary I, who married Philip of Spain, Elizabeth concluded that remaining single gave her greater power and independence as a female ruler