On This Day: Elizabeth I Is Crowned Queen of England

On Nov. 17, 1558, Elizabeth was reportedly sitting in the park at the Royal Palace of Hatfield when she received word of the death of her half sister, Queen Mary. Elizabeth seemed at peace when told that she would succeed to the throne, and reportedly said, “It is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”—a quote from the 118th Psalm. She was crowned on Jan. 15, 1559 at Westminster Abbey in an elaborate and expensive coronation. According to TudorHistory.org, the new queen “knew the importance of a good show,” particularly in reaffirming “her right to the crown” after years of uncertainty.

Initially, it had seemed unlikely that Elizabeth would become queen. After her half brother Edward was born, Elizabeth became third in line for the throne. She was prepared, though: Fluent in six languages and displaying the “intelligence, determination and shrewdness” of her parents, she quickly took control of her position, according to the British Monarchy Web site.

There were various factors working against Elizabeth’s ascent to the throne. The marriage of her parents, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was invalidated by Parliament in 1536, enabling Henry’s third marriage to Jane Seymour, and deeming Elizabeth illegitimate. In Henry’s list of heirs to his throne, Elizabeth was named last. Furthermore, Elizabeth was Protestant, while her sister Mary was “a devout Roman Catholic.” Elizabeth’s religion, coupled with her threat to Mary’s throne, led to her imprisonment on false charges related to a revolt against Mary, but she was released after appeasing Mary on the issue of her religion, according to the History Channel.

Despite the controversy and strife surrounding her, Elizabeth is considered to have led “one of the greatest reigns in English history.” When she first assumed the throne, the country was entrenched in difficulties: religious conflicts, war with France and economic insecurity. But Elizabeth’s diplomatic skills, “colorful personality,” and smart choice of advisors, combined with her education and upbringing enabled her to lift England and move the nation forward, the History Channel recounts.

Apparently, Henry was quite worried “about a woman occupying the throne,” but Elizabeth proved his fears to be unfounded. She is known for having redefined “the expectations of women in power,” according to the Brooklyn Museum, and “quickly and consistently proved herself to be a powerful and intelligent ruler and an inimitable symbol of female strength.”

In her 2003 essay, “An Imperial Intellect: Elizabeth’s Legacy 400 Years Later,” Lisa Rogers examines the queen’s approach to rule, and the challenges and contradictions she faced as a woman monarch. Rogers’ essay quotes one of Queen Elizabeth’s teachers, who said of her royal pupil, “Her mind has no womanly weakness. Her perseverance is equal to that of a man, and her memory long keeps what it quickly picks up.”

Observing her father’s strengths and weaknesses helped Elizabeth craft her own diplomatic strategy, experts say. Clark Hulse, a University of Illinois at Chicago professor, told Rogers that Elizabeth “was brilliant at spotting when people were playing games,” and was famous for never allowing herself to be underestimated.