When asked who I admire, or who I would like to meet from history, my response is Queen Elizabeth I. A woman of strong character, who led a country during the Renaissance period, who also reversed the reign of terror created by her sister, Queen Mary - also known as Bloody Mary - and who also fostered the arts, to include Shakespeare! There are so many wonderful events to point out that occurred during her reign, it is difficult to name all of them.
I have also enjoyed many of the historical fiction novels that have been written with Queen Bess as a central figure. To be honest, I read these novels long before novels written by Jane Austen. In high school, I also thoroughly enjoyed Shakespeare and his works - an actor and playwright that came to fruition during the reign of Queen Elizabeth!
While in England, we had a chance to go to Kenilworth Castle - the estate of Robert Dudley... and I was able to stand inside of the ruins of the section that he had built especially for Queen Elizabeth, during one of her Summer Progresses! That was amazing for me!
Here are a few quick facts:
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The daughter of Henry VIII, she was born a princess, but her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed two and a half years after her birth, and Elizabeth was declared illegitimate. Her half-brother, Edward VI, bequeathed the crown to Lady Jane Grey, cutting his half-sisters out of the succession. His will was set aside, Lady Jane Grey was executed, and in 1558 Elizabeth succeeded the Catholic Mary I, during whose reign she had been imprisoned for nearly a year on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels.
And just for the record...I did NOT like 'Anonymous' the movie - I felt it made the major players look like complete ignorami- and that just would not do!
Here's another entry in my A to Z Challenge!
