Moments in Tudor History
- rfine2
- Sep 7, 2023
- 2 min read
September 7th 1533 In Greenwich, England, Elizabeth Queen of England and Ireland is born.
As today marks that historic moment and I felt the urge to look at some of her letters that keep me entertained when examining the Tudor Queens.
The letters between Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I showcase royal girls and their transition into women hood as well as Female Monarchs.
Mary and Elizabeth, although cousins as well as tandem Tudor Queens ruling neighboring countries, would keep in contact exclusively through their written correspondence. This correspondence shows the growth of girls to women as their relationship over time can be tracked. Their rivalry to friendship to hatred is documented through this correspondence and is a delightful way to showcase how precarious these women felt their rule was for 25 years.
We get a clear indication of these women's true nature as these intimate letters highlight (especially towards the end of their correspondence) Elizabeth's paternalistic viewpoints as opposed to Mary's emotional and direct nature. This written discourse would come to an abrupt end when Elizabeth openly accuses Mary of an attempt on her life followed by Mary's heartfelt response. The most important take away from these letters are the distinct choices in identity these women convey. Elizabeth's decision to be a monarch first and lead like a man vs Mary's decision to be a woman, mother and wife would come before her identification as Monarch is undeniable when analyzing their communication.
Which was ultimately the right call?
This question has plagued me for a long time. Often in my research I feel Elizabeth did what was right for kingdom and country and therefore was doing what was best. However, could a strong alliance through marriage solidified her rule and allowed for England to be stronger in the eyes of the world? Would this separation from her close relationship with Robert Dudley allowed for Elizabeth to have a clearer head when addressing state affairs? Did the scandal associated with Dudley's name affect her rule or is this story fun foder for historians? So many questions are left to be researched.
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