Queen Elizabeth I: Why Didn't She Marry?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ม.ค. 2023
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Let’s look at the question of Queen Elizabeth I’s decision to remain unmarried, could the problem have been the options available that were the main issue?
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Intro / Outro song: Silent Partner, "Greenery" [ • Greenery - Silent Part... ]
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Linked videos and playlists:
Thomas Seymour: • Thomas Seymour: A Trai...
Kat Ashley/Astley: • Kat Astley: Elizabeth ...
The Death of Amy Dudley (neé Robsart): • The Original Staircase...
St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre: • Dr Kat and the St Bart...
Images (from Wikimedia Commons, unless otherwise stated):
Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I in coronation robes by an unknown English artist (c.1600). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.
Portrait of Queen Mary I attributed to Lucas Horenbout (or Hornebolte) (c.1525). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.
Portrait of François, dauphin of France by Corneille de Lyon (c.1540). Held by the Condé Museum.
Portrait of Emperor Charles V by Barend van Orley (c.1515-1516). Held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
Portrait of Elizabeth I when a Princess attributed to William Scrots (c.1546-1547). Held by The Royal Collection.
Portrait of Katherine Parr by an unknown artist (late 16th century). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.
Portrait of Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley by Nicolas Denizot (c.1547-1549). Held by the National Maritime Museum.
Portrait of Mary I of England and Philip II of Spain by Lucas de Heere (16th century). Held by the National Maritime Museum.
Portrait of Robert Dudley by Steven van der Meulen (c.1564). Held at Waddesdon House and Garden.
Portrait of Erik XIV of Sweden by Steven van der Meulen (1561). Held by the National Museum, Sweden.
Portrait of Charles of Austria by Bartolomé González y Serrano (c.1608-1617). Held by the Museo del Prado.
Portrait of Catherine de' Medici and her children from the workshop of François Clouet (1561). Held by Strawberry Hill House.
Portrait of Prince Hercule-François, Duc d'Alençon by an unknown artist (1572). Held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Quoted texts:
Patrick Collision; Elizabeth I ODNB.
Elizabeth I Speech to Parliament, 1559.
Also consulted, were:
Other relevant entries from The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online.
#Tudor #History #ElizabethI - บันเทิง
I think it was a combination of trauma and pragmatism. Elizabeth may not have known or remembered any of the details at the time, but she would have found out the truth of her mother's execution. She would have learned of the death of Jane Seymour in childbed, and the disgrace and humiliation of Anne of Cleves and Catherine of Aragon. She would have witnessed the fall of Katherine Howard. She would have seen her stepmother Catherine Parr's marriage to Thomas Seymour start to break down as she lived with them. She may have suffered abuse from Seymour that SHE probably got the blame for when Parr sent her away. She would have seen the tragedy of her sister Mary's marriage to Philip II. And she would have heard of the horror that Mary Queen of Scots was undergoing from her husband Henry Darnley. Seeing all of this would have led Elizabeth in her mind to equate marriage with misery and destruction as she grew up.
But she would also have known that if she married, no matter to whom it would be, she would be forced to share her power as queen or completely give it up to her husband. She would also have known that her people would never accept a match with a foreign suitor after the disaster that was her sister's marriage.
In my mind, Elizabeth I refused to marry on principle because it crossed two of her worst fears - the pain and risk she believed would come from matrimony and the powerlessness and humiliation of being a queen regnant forced to give way to her husband.
I agree fully with everything you have said my thoughts exactly.
I agree completely with you. It would be naive to think all the situations you mention did not affect her in some way. They were traumatic enough to leave some sort of mark, or at the very least, a wariness. However, history tells us she was a very strong willed individual. I can’t imagine her sharing her power with anymore. Perhaps she entered these negotiations with a sense of vanity. Who doesn’t like to be pampered and adored even if it’s just for diplomacy? And perhaps she thought - what the heck? Maybe one of these men will suit me. But at the end of the day, imho, sharing power and “submitting” just wasn’t in her DNA.
Honestly, back in that era, for a woman who had any modicum of influence or independence, a husband was a liability, not an asset.
I agree with most, but the Mary Queen of the Scots. By the time of the Darley Marriage Elizabeth had been on the throne seven years, and had probably made her mind up about marriage. Elizabeth was older than Mary, and them being cousins is a simplification they were 1st cousins once removed, James V of Scotland was Elizabeth's 1st cousins.
True. England would have been in the hands of the husband
“What were her options?” “Who was available?” Again, Dr. Kat, you have bowled me over with your amazing acuity. You have made us reconsider a subject that seemed, historically, to be closed. Queen Elizabeth has become a human being, with terrible and momentous decisions to be made by her alone.
You're tight. What were her options? I'm sure the flirting was fun.
I've always felt Elizabeth knew to keep the marriage ball in play was to her advantage. To not marry meant she kept total control of herself and her throne. Perhaps she did consider all suitors but found none convenient and determined to remain single.
Considering what she witnessed with her father's marriages and her sister's marriage, it's understandable that Elizabeth would be very fearful of making the wrong step with a marriage. It's possible she was actually interested in these suitors but could not get past the "How can this go badly for me?" thoughts.
I agree with you. I hate all those depictions of her that have her having illicit sex with Dudley. Her tombstone proudly avows that she “lived and died a virgin.” Given the real fear of going to hell for sinning and what I believe is Elizabeth’s “eyewitness” experiences of the dangers of marriage, I do believe that Elizabeth was true to her beliefs. Giving her power away to a man when she could see how women became pawns to men’s ambition and greed, I think she was justified in maintaining her status.
@@miriamiuricich6636Not to mention the very real risk of pregnancy - she saw 2 Queens die for child birth
My husband and I loved the video, but both of us wondered how the circumstances surrounding the lives of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II made it easier for them to marry and have children than it was for Queen Elizabeth I. A comparison video would be great. Thanks for a great channel!
One major difference between Elizabeth and Victoria and Elizabeth II: the first was a ruling queen, the latter constitutional monarchs whose governments rule in their names. They reigned but no longer ruled. Political power had passed from the monarch to parliament and the people‘s representatives. The whole question of a man who married the queen becoming the ruler was no longer acute. Albert was never going to be King, even if Victoria died before him, and Philipp even less.
Also both gave up all claims in their original country in order to marry the English monarch whilst taking the role of consort rather than king. And although Albert was very much the dominant partner in the marriage that was not the case with Phillip. In many ways it was an “equal but different” union which in previous eras would have been unthinkable.
Maybe it's not that she was the only woman in England who couldn't marry so much as she was the only woman in England who could choose *not* to marry? As an unmarried regnant Queen she's the powerful person in the kingdom, that alone would be hard to give up, and despite all the watchful eyes (all 1000 of them!) and pressure to marry she has an unparalleled level of freedom and influence as a woman in her unique position. Add on that so many of the women in her family (and around her family) had terrible problems (including death!) that all so obviously stemmed from them getting married and it's more of a question of "why *would* this woman ever choose to marry if she didn't have to?"
The only downside is the Tudor dynasty dies out, but her accession to the throne was so unlikely, relying on two older siblings dying without issue, that she might have considered that this was somply a matter of fate. And, besides, James 6/1 was still a relative of hers anyway. The name of the dynasty is so unimportant compared to everything else at stake.
Good point! She wasn’t compelled, so she didn’t! Thank you 🤩
nice comment. speaking about dynasty names, is it possible that as a woman she was simply less concerned about the continuation of it than her father? Women weren't considered to be the 'holders' of the dynasty, so maybe she didn't feel it was her 'duty' to continue it? As you say, James was a not-too-distant relative anyway.
@@kirstena4001 Oops, I forgot patrilineal descent! :D
I think she made James vi her heir cos she had his mother executed. I also think she wanted to bring the Tudor line to an end because of the murderous actions of her psycho father. I only wish he could have been told that all his efforts came to nought. Can you imagine his reaction? Loathsome tyrant!
If she'd married, her absolute rule would have been compromised in any number of ways and she, intuitive, wise and experienced enough to know it. She was the best of both of her parents. As always, a pleasure Dr. Kat🌹
Given the fact that the idea of a "Prince Consort" did not exist at the time, I think it would have been impossible for Elizabeth to marry and retain her own independence and agency as Queen. She had seen how her father treated his wives, the failure of her half-sister's marriage to Phillip, and her cousin's failed marriage to Darnley. Would she have wanted any person, particularly a man, to have that sort of control over her? While she might have considered possible marriages earlier in her reign, I suspect that the idea of marriage always presented an insurmountable obstacle to her. Once she reached menopause, any purpose marriage might have served in providing for an heir was moot. She turned that into an advantage, promoting the idea of the "Virgin Queen" that she had first articulated to Parliament early in her reign. In addition, by that time she did have an heir, the Protestant James VI of Scotland, and that led to a relatively smooth transition from the Tudor dynasty to the Stuart dynasty. As a dynasty, the Stuarts certainly had their problems, particularly under Charles I and James II, but I suspect that having a Spanish or French prince on the throne of England would have caused far more problems. Better to let the Tudor line die out.
Can you make a video on Henry VIII's intended brides? Ones that were brought up as potential brides/considered/persued etc. but ultimately not married to him for one reason or a nother? Ladies like Christina of Milan and others.
I think it would be fun to see why these ladies were selected and why they were eventually dropped/rejected him.
I think we could take a wild guess, don’t you?🤣. But did you notice that he didn’t dare treat his foreign wives the way he did his English wives?
... who has boy given namen Henry?
Elizabeth is one of my heroes in History. Not the larger than life Elizabeth; although I do respect her flair for pageantry and her natural ability to work a room, but the multifaceted Bess. The huntress, rider, dancer, polyglot and reader. The educated and often lonely woman that few people, men in particular, appreciated. She was a formidable woman for any age but most definitely for the 16th century. Having so much knowledge of the outside world for a princess gave her worldly options but took away her marital options too. She knew any marriage would make her mate her master, regardless of the conditions set out in the contract. She had so many reasons to fear that fact, her mothers execution being the most obvious. With everything she had gone through to survive being a princess I think she just wanted a chance to control her own fate and have autonomy over her environment and body in the only way she could. I’m sure she wanted a child but she only ever loved Robert and Francis. It’s kind of sad actually that she had to do what she did. You’re right to look at it from the angle of her choices though. She really didn’t have many. She was a good judge of character as well. She obviously dodged a few bullets in refusing some suitors. She’s still my favorite Queen in History! Thank you for your videos!
I think there may have been a part of Elizabeth that wanted to experience romance (consensual, that is) in her adulthood, which may explain why she seemed open to Francois. But I also think, ultimately, she knew that a marriage was too great a gamble for her realm and possibly for herself as an individual. She saw England lose its sense of autonomy during Mary I's marriage to Phillip II, and I have to wonder if she feared her own loss of autonomy as well.
There may well have been an issue in the choices available to her and that fact that had she married a foreign Prince a foreign alliance would have inevitably resulted, the consequences of which would have been unpredictable. I have always though Elizabeth had the kind of mind that Lawyers have in that they never ask a question to which they don't already know the answer, I can't imagine that Elizabeth would have enjoyed the unpredictability of any choice that she might have made so simply decided not to make any choice at all..
... The joyce To marry we choose ouself
THE joyce To end The marriage i
also choosed myself 2 TimE
Being a queen (woman in general really) of her time and having the choice to say yes or NO to a man who isn’t absolutely perfect why would she say less to anything less? Honestly it’s admirable.
Yes Elizabeth 1 didn’t have royal cousins in Germany or ousted from Greece
idiotic comment
Ooh get you poking at our beloved Queen Elizabeth ii. For shame!
Pros and cons all considered, I think Elizabeth was smart enough to realize that her legacy didn't necessarily HAVE to be a royal dynastic legacy. It could be instead a legacy of accomplishment. A legacy of supremacy of the oceans. Of peace, prosperity and strength at home. Of scientific discovery and artistic advancement. I think she realized that she could nurture her dominion into a dominant world power that was too formidable to be challenged by other nations on the world stage. I think she came to realize all of this when she considered what she would lose if she died of childbirth, a footnote in history. I think she weighed what a continental alliance would do for her kingdom, against the obligations it would incur. I think she entertained the suitor's proposals, but only to see if they could convince her of a different course. But I think she knew all along what her decision must be.
What an excellent way of approaching this subject.
My thoughts: As a 25 year old, she might not have had enough time to overcome the trauma of her mother's death and her own experiences with men. The decision to never marry may have seemed to her the best way to protect herself. As time went by, however, she would have of course grown and changed, becoming more confident in herself and less affected by the traumas of her early life. Like many women, she probably wanted physical as well as emotional love, and so entertained various suitors. As you made clear in your video, there were serious drawbacks to making a match with each and every one of them. Once she hit age 49? She was probably in menopause and simply wanted nothing to do with the subject. Can't say as I blame her.
Thanks for another excellent upload, Dr. Kat. I'm going to rewatch the one you posted about Amy Dudley's death.
I’ve always speculated that it came down to trust: Elizabeth could not trust any of her suitors not to overrule her, to try to rule through her, not to manipulate her, or not to treat her as lesser. It could have been a choice made once, or a choice made over and over, but either way, she just couldn’t believe that marriage wouldn’t end with her getting stabbed in the back.
If she ever married anyone, I believe it would have been Robert Dudley, for the simple reason that his loyalty to her was absolute. Maybe their relationship was romantic, maybe platonic, but she trusted him in ways she didn’t trust anyone else.
I think it's so interesting that her counsellors continually recommended marriage despite presumably being aware of the pitfalls discussed in this video. I presume they may have all had their own agendas that did not align exactly with Elizabeth's.
I think Jovin D'souza is correct. I also don't think there was a single possible suitor who was not inherently dangerous. I agree with you Dr. Kat that she was not malicious in her decisions regarding her suitors. I think she was extremely intelligent and many intelligent people attempt to make decisions that satisfy their heads and hearts. Often, this is not possible.
I think you did a marvelous job explaining her reasons: clearly, the benefits of a marriage were far less appealing compared to the dangers it would offer.
Elizabeh denial of marriage
is probably one of the reasons later queens could get married without their position being damaged, as Elizabeth decision ended up strengthening the view of what a woman could be as a monarch!
A few years ago, I wrote an esay (not published) on this topic. You stated most of the points I had researched/concluded. During my research, I kept coming back to the family history. Most of the women, two and three generations back, had struggled to produce male heirs. In fact, when Edward VI was dieing, there were only female heirs. All she saw growing up was devoice and death to those who didn't produce males heirs (or any heirs in some cases). I think the final staw was her sister Mary. Not even being a regnant queen fully protected you. I believe Elizabeth did approach marriage options in good faith, because logically, she needed to marry and produce children. But when she had to make the final arrangements, the family history would stay her hand. I saw only one thin possibility, a foreign great lord. A lot of political problems deminish by marriage with a foreign Duke, or possible Count/Earl, but I can't seem to locate where this was considered.
A man without much political power would’ve probably been the option of not for the fact that her counsel may not have approved the match due to his lower status. I think according to her fathers will she had to have there approval to marry.
@@michaelablair4689 OK, but it is how Queen Victoria married, and it is how Queen Elizabeth II married. In the 12th century, Empiress Matilda married a French count. Her problem was the English hated her. They only disliked her husband. So in hindsight, Henry VIII was wrong. I still say Elizabeth I would still not marry because of family history.
@@historybuff7491 You may be right. But I also think she wanted to bring an end to the Tudor line because of her father’s actions. Also, making James vi her heir salved her conscience cos she had his mother executed. A win win situation I’d say. Clever woman.
Love your video. Thank you so much for producing it. 👏🏼👏🏼I myself have always felt sorry for Elizabeth. To me she seemed to be traumatized in Henry’s court, and then when she came to the throne, she realized if she married she’d be under her husbands rule. Which could be dangerous for her. But she was also a woman. Who had urges, flirted, and maybe even fell in love. Well, actually, she did fall in love a couple of times. But she managed to let the clock run out, the biological clock that is. And so nature took its course. She dithered so long she had no choice but to die the Virgin Queen. And we all appreciate her sacrifice. Regardless of whether she delayed because she was shy or delayed because there wasn’t the appropriate prince for her to marry or delayed because she didn’t want to be subject to a male foreign ruler this is one of the reasons why her story survives to this day.
She was also sexually abused.. that kinda messes someone up!
oh my gosh! This is so much more complex than the reasons I had always thought: 1) knowing the marital shenanigans of her father and how disposable a wife could be; 2) the psychological trauma of that; 3) after all Elizabeth had gone through to stay alive with her reputation intact to not want to share her power with a power-hungry husband and be relegated to the role of mere brood mare; 4) and lastly, not wanting to risk dying in childbirth. Wow, so much more to think about! Thank you, Dr. Kat, for not rehashing a lot of already told theories!
Elizabeth was very much the granddaughter of Henry VII and the great granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville both savvy political operators.
I think it was a combination of childhood trauma, potentially a belief that she could be barren, and contemporary examples of queens marrying being a terrible decision (such as Mary Queen of Scots having terrible marriage after terrible marriage, resulting in her losing her throne). Could Elizabeth have approached each match with good faith? Maybe. But I think she had a lot of baggage holding her back from the start with each of them.
Elizabeth I's marriage was a conundrum. Though I find it incredibly ironic that it was her councillors who were pushing for the Queen to marry, but when she seriously considered any suitor, they were opposed to the match.
If Elizabeth I's councillors had been able to agree on a suitable husband for her, I think she would have married whoever it was. But since they couldn't, she deemed the risk of marrying anyone without her council's approval too big a gamble for her to be willing to make.
There is also the reality that by the time her menstrual cycle stopped, Elizabeth's heir presumptive was Mary Queen of Scots (who'd been Elizabeth's prisoner for well over a decade by that point), and her son, James VI of Scots. This meant that even though there was some risk of instability once her reign was over, there was no other obvious alternative to fight them for England's throne. So even though Elizabeth never formally named James her heir, I think there was an unspoken understanding that he would be the one to succeed her.
I think it could have been a combination of her own apprehension towards marriage and the lack of any really viable options. The trauma that she experienced would have jaded her, I think, and led her to be less than trusting of others, couple that with probably genuine concerns about her country, and you have a recipe for someone who is less than willing to risk either her own autonomy or that of her country.
1. Elizabeth I's lifelong approach to major decisions tended to be delay, delay, delay ... and her approach to marrying definitely meets this. 2. QE1's first speech to Parliament re marriage has always been seen as a literal signpost against which all future relationship based decisions are analysed. An alternative is the speech contains a series of signposts to Parliament regarding what she's prepared to accept from them, in which case her comments regarding marriage are I'm not interested in your pressure or advice so hands off. My recollection is QE1 became increasingly annoyed by Parliament's demands she marry and during one session stormed out. Even at the time people didn't hear the message QE1 delivered.
Living in a time knowing love wasn't necessary to forge a dynasty, and though religion could be problematic. I think the fact that though queen she would not have full control of her life and decisions and therefore her safety, played a larger part in her decision not to marry.
Facinating. British history is so ancient, so multi layered, so dramatic, so full of intrigue and violence yet so romantic and mysterious. I love it. Elizabeth 1st was no doubt the most facinating Monarch there ever was.....female, smart, cunning and devoted.
I have always maintained the opinion that on the tally list for marriage, there was just too many cons and not enough pros, just as you say. Elizabeth was a rare woman who had both a) enough of a say in her own life that she needn't marry, and b) an 'important' enough story that she is remembered through history. We largely remember legacy through our ancestral lines, and those who dont have children, particularly women, are simply not remembered. I would hazard a guess that Elizabeth's choice is not dissimilar to that of countless women throughout the ages, she has just been deemed 'important' enough by men that she is the one remembered
Given how Victoria's marriage turned out (despite her doing her best to make Albert seem like the perfect prince, father and spouse), I think Elizabeth remaining unmarried was for the best. Albert definitely took the "keep her pregnant and busy" approach in order to hold the reigns of the kingdom, and might have even found a way to either unseat her in all but name or take her to her grave via childbirth had he not died young. And as much as she painted him as her joy afterwards, she gives the impression of being so much happier after he was gone.
I think that until now we're getting to a point where a woman can have the power and her husband not feel inferior over it. Asking for it in Tudor England would be asking for too much
I never knew that. I know post menopause she found herself a new man.
@@thelittleredhairedgirlfrom6527 I know of two of Victoria's favorites post Albert, a Scottish guy that apparently had really good legs (based on her diary entries) and an Indian guy whom she found fascinating. I'm pretty sure there are more than those two, but I can't remember them.
And Albert did write to someone stating his plan to keep her busy with constant pregnancies and babies in order to keep the power in himself. I saw it in a documentary here on youtube a while ago, but sadly I don't remember which. Alas, as she did ask her daughter to edit her diaries before publishing, we'll never know if she ever caught up to what a lowsy man Albert actually was
When I teach about this, I succinctly summarize the matter with a historical flashback from recent Reagan rather than Elizabeth regnant; when it came to medieval men and the marriage game, the only way a queen could win was NOT to play!!! As soon as a boy was pulled from your body, you were done--as Mary, Queen of Scots discovered, and before her queens regent to young sons who were pushed aside proved the pattern. Even Victoria had difficulty holding her own on the throne when birthing all those babies, and Albert treated her in some ways that really raises eyebrows now that the extent of his power and behavior are known. SHE had to write HIM apologies for "outbursts," which quite likely were exacerbated by hormone swings but also had legitimate reason for anger! Elizabeth outplayed EVERYBODY by playing her own game, one that wisely did not include marriage!
I think it could have been as simple as her knowing if she got married, she would surrender her power, and due to her father dis inheriting her in the line of succession, i imagine growing up, there must have been a lot of things Elizabeth had to share with other people, so when she grew up and became Queen, her power was probably something she didnt want to share with anyone.
I agree with your points for each of the suitors you examine. I learned something new about Eric of Sweden, which makes her ultimate decision not to marry him explicable as well. But I also think the life she led during her father’s and siblings’ reigns could have also left psychological scars, that might have contributed to her freezing at the post. Look what she’d heard and witnessed at her father’s court. His first queen cast aside and their daughter bastardised. Then the same happening to her at her mother’s downfall and execution. Then the natural way of death in childbirth with his third wife. A similar fate to her mother with his fifth wife and even a close call with his sixth. She even had her own closish call involving her stepmother’s fourth husband Lord Seymour’s designs on her. I think all those events would have left their mark on her unwillingness to consider marriage, in addition to the political/foreign policy/religious/gender drawbacks you covered in this episode.
The big what if question for me was why her sister didn’t use the power she had as Queen, especially after her marriage to Philip, to arrange a marriage for Elizabeth with a suitable Catholic to help ensure her Catholic restoration would survive. Elizabeth had gone through the motions of becoming a Catholic when Mary took the throne for self preservation.
The uprisings against Mary in her reign showed the dangers of trying to force a marriage on Elizabeth in England, but that posed no insuperable barrier in my opinion. Not in an age when monarchs generally chose the marriages for their heirs, especially their female ones. I proposed how it could be got round in the comments section of the video you produced concerning Mary and her options for securing her Kingdom for Catholicism. That was to arrange to go on a progress through Ireland to celebrate her ascension to the throne, bringing Elizabeth along, leaving a powerful regent in England to maintain order. Then they would set off for Spain by the quickest route possible from Ireland’s southwest coast, using the excuse of an emergency requiring a change of plans. Once there in the midst of rabidly Catholic Spain Mary would have had Elizabeth right where she wanted her to marry her off to whatever Catholic candidate that suited her. Once accomplished, she could return to England and bar Elizabeth from returning until she herself died.
The excuse that she was married and hoping for a child of her own, is no sensible argument against such a plan, in an age when so many successful births were followed by so many deaths in infancy, childhood, adolescence or young adulthood, not to mention miscarriage, of which her mother suffered many, and the fact that she was already approaching her last years of fertility when she married Philip. She also came from a family not noted for its fecundity in the best of circumstances.
So why didn’t she take this route? My suspicion is that her long and deep jealousy, and resentment associated with her half sister, and the humiliations visited upon both her and her mother by Elizabeth’s birth and HER mother’s marriage to Henry - her father’s concubine, made her dislike so great that it blinded her to the benefits such a course of action would have potentially provided, even to the extent that it obscured her ability to see the aspects that would have secured in great part the revenge it might have offered. But perhaps while her actions towards Elizabeth suggested a fair amount of resentment towards her, perhaps her behaviour was not driven as much by a desire for revenge. In any case fortune certainly smiled on Elizabeth in how events unfolded in this period when Mary might have been persuaded to see how useful Elizabeth could have been to her as a pawn that would fulfill her plans for England and its religious future. I admit it’s all conjecture.
Great video as always, Dr. Kat. No matter what they say, sometimes marriage isn't the answer they think it is
I've always thought that Elizabeth really was tempted to consider a number of suitors, off and on, throughout her reign, and rejected each for all the reasons you so clearly presented. I think she was averse to marriage in general, due to, as you enumerated, her youthful observations and life events. Yet I also think that if Robert Dudley had not had such a bad reputation, she would have tried to find a way to create a new legal status of Consort for him. Since Prince Consort was not available, I think there were no good options for poor Elizabeth at the time.
In Psychology, we would say it was overdetermined....many reasons which all led to the same conclusion. I think her love for Leicester was also a factor.
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This was super interesting. I have always thought that she made a deliberate choice to remain unmarried, and that the marriage negotiations that went on during her reign were really to appease her councilors etc. I had not considered the religious aspect, but did consider the difficulties of pregnancy and birth. I also had not thought about the issue of a “local” marriage, and the potential difficulties post death (assuming she had a child). She was shrewd, and smart, and I would be willing to believe that she had a long time, as she waited to see if she would be queen, to make some decisions about marriage.
Three Elizabethan videos in a row! Be still my heart! 😀 One thing that hasn't really been fully mentioned here is Elizabeth's commitment to the crown and her firm belief that God had chosen and appointed her to that position. She took this very seriously and was loath to relinquish any part of her vows that she had made to God, to the crown and to her people. It isn't a decision that comes from emotion or trauma but I do think, disappointing as it might seem, that is the real reason Elizabeth never married.
I also want to recommend the 1971 BBC series 'Elizabeth R.' When the discussion of Francois, Duke of Anjou, came up, along with the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, I couldn't help but visualise the opening scene of the third episode, which deals with the Duke's courtship. It is after the massacre, and, as the French ambassador comes down the hall and into the English court, everyone is silent and turns their back to him. Quite the opening.
Apart from all this, I want to add that I think Elizabeth was sorely tempted by Robert Dudley and by Francois but ultimately realised it would never work for her. Her people would not accept a foreigner and her court would be torn apart by factions if she married an Englishman (especially Leicester).
I just signed up on Instagram to see History After Dark. Sounds like a hoot! Elizabeth I was absolutely resolute in the beginning. I think she liked the flirtations, the witty repartee, but when it came down to it she couldn’t bring herself to take the leap into the unknown.
I find it really sad to think of Elizabeth breaking things off with someone she appeared to be genuinely interested in because she hit menopause, that being Francois. It would also be tragic to me if she had changed her mind about never marrying a little later in her life, only for it never to come to fruition due to political complications.
This was an excellent review and I truly appreciate the perspectives brought to the discussion. So many insightful comments from viewers as well, especially the MBC promo, lol. For me, the fact that Elizabeth went from "Princess" to "Lady" and ultimately back up the roster to "Queen" provided a clear illustration of the challenges of her time. No good choices... uncertainty and intrigue to be found in every direction... remaining a single Queen (virgin or not) allowed her to become an even more stabilizing force for her country as the years passed. Thank you, Dr. Kat! 😊💖
She was very wise to be extremely selective.
I've long wondered if, as an adult, Elizabeth took any lesson from the woes of Mary, Queen of Scots? Would she want to run even the slightest risk that a male issue would be seen as a more legitimate ruler than herself?
Each video Dr Kat presents is enjoyable, interesting and well presented! Thank you!
The problem seems to be as much about her advisors not being able to make up their own mind about who they wish to sell their queen off to as what she felt about it herself.
I suspect she really would just as willingly not have married, but in the end she would have submitted to diplomatic necessity of her advisors had been able to decide where that diplomatic necessity actually lay.
Elisabeth was one of our greatest monarchs, but that greatness came not from her stubborn pig headedness but from her pragmatism and willingness to listen to advice she was given.
Your channel came up by chance because I watch history topics on TH-cam. It was a fortituous stumble onto your channel; all praise the algorithm. My Q as to why Elizabeth did not marry is, why would she. Given her tumultuous childhood, her path to queenhood, and her great intellect/political savy. I believe Elizabeth was the ultimate survivalist who wouldn't subject herself to losing her freedom in marriage. So sad that James suceeded her.
I watched a documentary that speculated that her last courtship was likely to have been her most serious one, given the affectionate letters that were exchanged. For the rest of her prospects, I imagine that there were a mix of good and bad intentions - 'bad' in this sense meaning that she started the negotiation with the full intention of stringing them along.
Are you aware of Lindsay Holiday's channel, History Tea Time with Lindsay Holiday? She started a series on this same topic this week
I've been interested in Tudor England since I was a teenager and I found queen Elisabeth one of the most fascinating historical fiigures. Of course my knowledge of the subject is not that of a historian, but I think I had enough logic and common sense to wonder why, on earth, so many people found her unmarried status such a mystery,, such a puzzle to solve.
Thank you for this excellent study of the matter, dr Kat. I believe it clarifies a lot if not all doubts sorrounding this "mystery". Personally, to me it seemed simply obvious that she could not marry. Not "ever marry". Just, at it was explained so clearly in this material, such an option for her didn't present itselt at any point of her life and reign.
I hope we all understand why she had not been betrothed or married before her accession to the throne, as would be a usual course of events for young royals.
At the age of 25 she was past her "best" period for coception and childbirth. The potential suitors and what they could offer England were not worth the risk. All the risks listed and discussed in this video. It doesn't mean that she didn't want to or did not try. But the llikelihood wasn't very high at the beginning of her reign and was decreasing with each passing year. It was the "great matter" of her reign, I believe. Which she approached and handled with much more talent, grace, dignity and skill than her father did.
I love your videos! You have great insight and delivery. I wish Elizabeth could have married Robert Dudley!! He knew her when she was younger before she was queen and he may be one of the only people who could understand her on that level. It's sad to think they may have been in love but couldn't actually be together. At least that's my take! She was pretty smart to use her marriage as a bargaining chip during her entire reign.
I think she was a woman ahead of her time . She had the ability to see what might lay ahead with each prospective suitor. She really didnt like to share. From what she experienced during childhood may have an influence
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Even if she had married and produced an heir it would still have been the end of the Tudors. The more recent arguments and debates around the family name after Philip married Elizabeth ll show that a husband taking the Tudor name would have been unthinkable. She was the last of the Tudors either married or unmarried.
I think it may be possible that her reason for not marrying was a combo of all the reasons we think about today: her mother and Katherine Howard, the Thomas Seymour debacle, her sister’s marriage and then lack of safe options as youve said. I wonder about her childhood when at the time the idea of her becoming Queen wasn’t seen as a possibility, she might have then resigned herself not to bother with marriage. Then once she did become Queen that decision had to change. But I think you’re correct to ask instead about who it might have been since most of Catholic Europe saw her as an illegitimate usurper born by “The Great Whore” unfortunately. So it may just be that she went back and forth as her situation and the political/religious stage shifted around her
I’ve been rewatching Glenda Jackson’s portrayal in “Elizabeth R” on BritBox, and I think her attitude toward marriage in that series rings most true for me. Going from firmly against, to considering, to almost doing it, and then finally deciding against it. At every point in her life she had to weigh her options so no doubt this issue followed her for a long time and she had to be open to the possibility. That’s just my two cents though lol.
Thank you for another brilliant video! 😄
Another great video, thank you Dr. Kat, but sometimes I fear you are holding back on your feelings about Thomas Seymour.
😅
Although Elizabeth is said to have been pious and sincere in her faith, a faith which commands Christians to reproduce and for wives to submit to their husbands, I don't think she ever seriously considered marriage. After seeing her father's successions of marriages, she may have been a bit jaded (so much for the sanctity of marriage!) and also accutely aware of the potential dangers a marriage could pose. As you've eloquently outlined, hers was a very complex position from the get-go; I think that, for Elizabeth to ever seriously consider a marriage, it would need to be Perfect, with a capital 'p', in every way. A match made in heaven, that would satisfy every political concern, not leave Elizabeth more vulnerable to criticism than she already was, and the man would need to be of a temperament that would not impinge upon her own ego and dignity as regnant monarch. A tall order, indeed!
Talking about the role of the Regnant Queen's husband, it would be interesting to know more about when the concept of Prince Consort arose. Was is Queen Anne's husband? How was that decision made?
My guess is that having few positive experiences and a number of poor to horrific experiences with men when she was a child and teenager, she was torn between knowing she didn't need the hassle and providing an heir. Perhaps taking her time to "study" each potential candidate was her way of toying with men without sullying her name and biding her time until providing an heir was a moot point. So, on the surface, she had done her due diligence--keeping those who felt an heir important, happy; but underneath, had contentedly avoided the burden of a husband. All while proving that a woman could rule a kingdom as well as any man. 🤷♀
Very astute consideration of Elizabeth’s options! Since she does seem to have been pragmatic in her approach to power, ruling, politics, the expectations of the marital relationship, and the ramifications of providing an heir for her country, I think that she would have looked seriously at all of these considerations when marriage was at issue. She also had a number of grim examples to give her pause about the possible outcome of any of the marriages contemplated. She does seem, from the way she responded from the beginning of her reign to the urgent appeals of her council and parliament to marry, to have decided against the idea. Was she then wasting time with any subsequent marriage negotiations? Elizabeth was noted for her reluctance to make decisions on many issues. While she may have been pretty firm about what she wanted in her own mind, the current political situation may have made her think that she ought to at least consider the option before her to see if there was any compelling reason to change her mind. The final negotiations with Francois, Duc D’Alencon, may have been the last wish of a woman who was running out of time and who had a yearning for a relationship that might save her from years of loneliness to come. I have heard that she actually agreed to marry him but changed her mind the next day. If she did that, she apparently had a strong desire to marry, but it ultimately was overruled by her long held reasons to avoid such a potentially dangerous alliance.
Thanks so much for a well-reasoned analysis!
Dr. Kat, as always, you've opened new avenues of thought. However, I still believe it was the traumatic events that surrounded her formative years that determined early on her resoluteness to remain single. As for acting in bad faith, I don't think she did. Like in all patriarchal societies, there was a certain amount of performative art that women (even a queen) had to act out to appease the men.
Like nearly all steps she took in her life- Elizabeth I was very clever but more importantly, very wise (beyond her years).
She had some excellent teachers and learned from their mistakes.
Dr. Kat.
I enjoyed this excellent and thorough video!
Elizabeth's life is the ultimate, survival and resilience story!
Thank you.❤
I don't ask why didn't she? I say why should she marry anyone? Great talk! 👍👍👍
This is a real scholarly mind. Change the question slightly. You will get a completely different viewpoint. It's all in the questions you ask. Love it.
Very informative. So many things to consider. As so many have stated the trauma of watching what happened with her father and his wives. What happened to her mother. To her sisters. Just the whole theatre of being a Royal and all the intrigue and twists and turns of such, is mind boggling. What I had always thought, mostly because I do not know a lot of English history, is that she stayed single and in command to stay alive. Skewed way to look at it, but sometimes stations such as hers were not exactly the safest places to be. I am new to your channel and love all that you offer. Looking forward to visiting Great Britain this year.
Courtiers described Elizabeth when she was young as tomboyish. She looks tomboyish in her early portraits. Foreign dignitaries described her as particularly mannish. It is possible that she was just like Jodie Foster and marriage to a man was not something she could fathom. She was a very strong young girl and strong woman throughout her life. She didn't have the weaknesses that were attributed to women at that time. Also, she really liked the Duc d’Anjou who was bisexual. That is very common today.
Yes I agree it makes more sense that while she was cautious and aware of the various shorcomings of each match, she was also open to considering options
One of my favourite of Elizabeth's attributes that I hard-relate to is her infamous procrastination on big decisions.
On the plus it makes us insanely more considered and analytical.
Ofc the obvious detriment is that we often end up exacerbating a molehill into a mountain.
If only Catherine Di Medici's final son had been born ten years earlier...
As always, great video 😊
dr kat! i’d love if you’d do a video on what exactly the consequences of failing to provide an heir are. what happened after a monarch would die with no heirs, what was the immediate and long term impact on such events historically? love your stuff
Great video. Look forward to your next video xx
Love your videos!
As an American I am in awe just how old England is.
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great episode. Watching you explain her suitors I don't think she had good choices. Plus she was probably afraid to get married after seeing her mother's and sister's marriages. She was a smart woman knowing the wrong suitor could ruin her and her reign.
Thank you Dr. Kat.
Chris Skidmore wrote an interesting book about Amy's death "Death and the Virgin Queen"
Great food for thought. Thanks Dr Kat
Thank you Dr Kat. Another Friday another great video to enjoy
I think like most commenters here I think it was a combination of things. Both foreign political marriages and domestic marriages all had their advantages and disadvantages. Also she probably liked being single and able to be flirted with, not to mention being the centre of power and veneration. It would be something hard to give up, especially when you’ve spent so much of your early life being shunned and having no control over your life.
Many people have mentioned trauma, whether from her father’s treatment of women, or perhaps her experiences in the Seymour house. And finally I agree with a previous video I saw where time just ran out for her. One minute she probably thought she had plenty of time, and then she just finds herself at forty or so.
But anyway, she was a complex character and we’ll never really know for sure. I hope that she was at least more happy or content than sad.
Also, yeah, Thomas Seymour sounds like a creep.
So glad to find this channel!
What an interesting perspective! Never thought about this before. I find it hard to get my modern brain truly in the Tudor era & just thought she was better off. Especially having hindsight & knowing it basically worked out. I like the thought of her at least giving each suitor a shot.
Plain and simply, Robert Dudley was just too much of a heartbreak for her. She never loved another. Literally had her heart ripped out. 😔
Thank you
Elizabeth made the best decision. And I thank you again for your most informative videos. I look forward to them so very much.
As usual excellent, thank you.
I always enjoy your videos as they are so informative and very enjoyable. Thank you so much for all your research. Warmest regards and have a wonderful week.😁
Brilliant video. Cheers
Female king of Poland Jadwiga married a Lithuanian prince Jagiello. She died in childbirth as did her little daughter. Her husband remained the king of Poland and quite a good one.
Tip top as usual😊
I think one interesting point, besides all of the trauma in Elizabeth’s young life, is that she came to view marriage negotiations as a way to keep talking.
She was famously averse to war ( partly due to the tight-fistedness inherited from her grandfather Henry VII ) . With communication in those days being the long drawn affairs that they were, talking and dangling the prospect of marriage ( see Duc d’Alencon ) was extremely pragmatic.
Of course, this advantage diminished as Elizabeth grew older, but it was a well-played card for many years. And sort of had the advantage of keeping her anxious councilors, especially Burleigh, and Parliament at bay.
I have been subscribed to your channel for awhile now, but this is my very first comment. I just wanted to say “Thank You” for your amazing channel. I so enjoy your content. I love history, especially Royal History! Your channel is my favorite. Best Wishes!
Thank you 😊
A very thoughtful and thought provoking discourse, thank you.
Excellent as ever.
Great video, always sad they get uploaded while I’m at work because I’m always so impatient to watch them!
I think ending the house of Tudor was revenge for her father having her mother beheaded. A dish best served cold.
I think this is my favorite video you've done.
Thanks
Always a pleasure to have your company over my tea Friday evening 😊
⚘VERY ENLIGHTENING. How you shredded the common narrative to just the facts is a take I have not heard before. My previous choosing for the cause of no marriage was her angst over the horrific beheading of her mother, etc., maybe a lifelong deterrent. However, you have shed new, very possible causation here. Thank you.