On This Day in Elizabethan History: The Coronation of Elizabeth I

The Coronation Portrait of Elizabeth I. Image public domain through Creative Commons licensing, NPG, London.

On this day in Elizabethan history in 1559, Elizabeth Tudor was crowned at Westminster Abbey at the age of twenty-five. Elizabeth had officially succeeded to the throne of England on November 17th of the previous year, upon the death of her sister, Mary I, who had left no issue. Elizabeth consulted her astrologer, Master John Dee, to determine the ideal date for her coronation (Resh Thomas, 77).

The ceremonies that took place in the weeks leading up to the coronation were planned by Elizabeth's childhood friend and Master of the Horse, Robert Dudley. As was customary, Elizabeth stayed for several nights in the Tower of London before she was crowned. With her entourage in tow, Elizabeth processed through the decorated streets of London, stopping periodically to enjoy elaborate entertainments, and to receive gifts and praises from her subjects. One gift that we know Elizabeth accepted was a bouquet of rosemary, given to her by a poor woman. She kept the sprigs of the sweet-smelling herb at her side all day (Resh Thomas, 78). 

The coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth I, circa 1559. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Elizabeth's gratitude towards her subjects was genuine; she understood that she owed her preservation throughout the reign of her sister to the people of England. The weeks that proceeded Elizabeth's coronation were the first of many instances during her reign in which she she spent time with the common people. An observer documented Elizabeth's natural ability to attend to her subjects, writing,

"If ever any person had either the gift or the style to win the hearts of the people, it was their Queen. All her faculties were in motion and every motion seemed well guided action: her eye was set upon one, her ear listened to another, her judgement ran upon a third, to a fourth she addressed her speech; her spirit seemed to be everywhere and yet so entire in herself, as it seemed to be nowhere else."

Indeed, we have many charming accounts from Elizabeth's progress through London. In one, we learn that Elizabeth spied the brother of her late stepmother, Queen Katherine Parr, watching her  from a window; the Marquess of Northampton was sick and therefore indisposed. Elizabeth immediately stopped her palfrey to talk with the Marquess about his health, a conversation which lasted for quite some time (Neale, 58). 

A sketch of William Parr, Marquess of Northampton. By Hans Holbein the Younger. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

It had been very difficult to secure a bishop to perform the coronation ceremony due to an incident that had transpired in December in Elizabeth's private chapel; the bishop performing the service had defied Elizabeth's request by raising the host for adoration, which was a Catholic practice. Elizabeth, as a Protestant, rejected the belief of transubstantiation, in which the sacrament was literally transformed into the blood and body of Christ. For Elizabeth and other Protestants, the act was symbolic, not literal. Enraged, Elizabeth had stormed out of the service. Her rash action greatly angered the Catholic clergy (Resh Thomas, 79). Owen Oglethorpe, Bishop of Carlisle, was the only bishop who would (reluctantly) agree to officiate the ceremony.

On January 15th, Elizabeth was crowned wearing a cloth-of-gold gown*, immortalized in The Coronation Portrait, and a cape made of crimson velvet, which was lined with ermine, the fur of royalty. To emphasize her virginity and purity, Elizabeth wore her auburn hair loose around her shoulders, like all other English queens before her had at their coronations. 

A detail of The Coronation Portrait of Elizabeth I, showing her free-flowing hair. Image public domain through Creative Commons licensing, NPG, London.

The Bishop of Carlisle recited the rites in Latin. Thus, Elizabeth refused to take the sacrament, and she insisted that the bishop read the oath from a Bible written in English, which was held by William Cecil. Reportedly, when the bishop anointed Elizabeth's forehead with holy oil, she sneered, "thy ointment stinks". 

After the tense ceremony, the Queen left Westminster, and her adoring subjects cut up seven hundred yards of blue carpet, on which the Queen of England had walked, to keep as souvenirs (Resh Thomas, 80). Despite England's grim financial state upon the death of Queen Mary, more than sixteen thousand pounds were spent on Queen Elizabeth's coronation; it was critical that she demonstrate power and majesty to those who questioned her legitimacy and right to rule.

Though Elizabeth had caught a cold during her travels through London, she attended her coronation banquet at Westminster Hall before retiring late in the evening (Neale, 63). After she left, the banquet continued until one o'clock in the morning.

Queen Elizabeth I would go on to arguably become the greatest monarch in English history.

*Recently, I have noticed an alarming amount of pins on Pinterest claiming that a replica movie dress from a costume website is the original coronation dress of Elizabeth I, ( I assume the pinners didn't actually read the website the image is from) so I find it necessary to set the record straight here that Queen Elizabeth I's coronation dress, unfortunately, does not survive.

Sources:

Neale, J.E. Queen Elizabeth I. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 2001. Print.

Resh Thomas, Jane. Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I. New York: Clarion Books, 1998. Print.

On This Day in Elizabethan History: The Accession of Elizabeth Tudor to the Throne

On this day in Elizabethan history in 1558, Queen Mary I died and Elizabeth Tudor was declared the new Queen of England. The last of the Tudor dynasty, Queen Elizabeth I would also become the most successful Tudor monarch. Her coronation would take place on January 15th, 1559.

A coronation portrait miniature of Queen Elizabeth I, possibly by Levina Teerlinc. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Accession Day, also called Coronation Day or Queen's Day, is the anniversary of Elizabeth I's accession to the throne in 1558. Historically, the day was always celebrated by the ringing of bells and the lighting of bonfires. People celebrated in the streets for the continued health of their Queen and the prosperity of their country, England. 

Starting in 1570, after the suppression of the Northern Rebellion, the Accession Day celebrations became more elaborate, now including tournaments held before thousands of spectators at the Westminster tilt-yard. These royally-sponsored tournaments were attended by both the noble and the lower classes; the tournaments promoted a feeling of unity and nationalism.

A miniature portrait of by Nicholas Hilliard of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland. The Earl of Cumberland was one of Queen Elizabeth I's tournament champions; Clifford is shown wearing the Queen's favor, an elaborate glove, in his hat. National Maritime Museum, London.

After 1585, when tensions with Spain were reaching a fever-pitch, the Accession tournament became a patriotic expression of a free Protestant country. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth I's successor, James I, continued the November 17th Accession Day celebrations during his reign. Elizabeth I's Accession Day was observed well into the 18th century, a testament to her legacy and its impact on England's national identity.

On This Day in Elizabethan History: The Coronation of Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey

On this day in Elizabethan history in 1559, Elizabeth Tudor was crowned Queen Elizabeth I of England at Westminster Abbey.

The Western facade of Westminster Abbey. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

 To celebrate one of the most significant days in Queen Elizabeth's life, I thought I would share with you what transpired in the busy weeks between Elizabeth learning at Hatfield that her sister had died, and that glorious ceremony in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth had to do a lot of preparation before she could enjoy her coronation!

Even though Elizabeth Tudor officially succeeded to the throne on November 17^th, 1558, the preparations for a royal coronation understandably took a considerable amount of time. While a ceremony was being organized for January 15^th, a date that astrologer Master John Dee had determined would bring good luck to the new queen and her reign, Elizabeth made good use of her time. Immediately following her sister’s death, Elizabeth had been flooded with visitors from all corners of the realm and abroad, paying her tribute and hoping to gain positions in her new regime. Elizabeth’s ability to read people and their true intentions, a skill honed in her tumultuous childhood, served her well; She was able to discern who was genuine toward her and who was merely looking to profit. 

The Old Palace at Hatfield. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of Pam Fry. Image public domain.

On November 20^th, The Privy Council and members of the peerage gathered at Hatfield to hear Elizabeth’s first public speech, and to discover whom she would appoint to her government. One of first positions to be filled was Secretary of State; this position was bestowed upon the wise William Cecil, who had given Elizabeth good council in the past few years, when she had been in grave danger. The familiarity these two shared gave them a shorthand, which was to be essential for developing the productive government Elizabeth is now so famous for. She publicly addressed Cecil, saying,

            “I give you this charge that you shall be of my Privy Council and content to take pains for me and my realm. This judgment I have made of you: that you will not be corrupted with any manner of gifts, and that you will be faithful to the state; and that without respect of my private will, you will give me that council which you think best, and if you shall know anything necessary to be declared to me of secrecy, you shall show it to myself only. And assure yourself, I will not fail to keep taciturnity therein.”

            While these expectations were stated first to Cecil, it was understood that Elizabeth expected all of her ministers to adhere to the same code of honor, and, for the most part, they complied. Elizabeth would soon earn the genuine respect and admiration of her council; unlike her father, King Henry VIII, she would suffer no sycophancy.

William Cecil, First Baron Burghly, Lord High Treasurer of England c. 1570. Bodleian Library, Oxford. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.



On that same day, the lawyer Sir Nicholas Bacon was sworn in as Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was made Chamberlain of the Exchequer. Sir Francis Knollys, related to the queen by his marriage to her cousin, Katherine Carey, was made Vice Chamberlain of the Household, and also a Privy Councilor. And William Parr, the brother of the late Queen Katherine Parr, Elizabeth’s beloved stepmother, was restored as Marquess of Northampton. Parr has suffered during Queen Mary’s reign, but Elizabeth held him in high esteem. While Parr would prove a good subject of the Queen, his personal life would be wrought with controversy.

 

A sketch by Hans Holbein of William Parr, Marquess of Northampton. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.



            Seated on her dais, under the canopy of state, Elizabeth addressed those assembled around her:

            “The law of nature moves me to sorrow for my sister. The burthen that us fallen upon me maketh me amazed; and yet, considering that I am God’s creature, ordained to obey His appointment, I will yield thereto, desiring from the bottom of my heart that I may have assistance of His grace to be the minister of His heavenly will in this office now committed to me. And as I am but one body, so I shall require you all, my lords, to be assistant to me, that I with my ruling, and you all with your service, may make a good account to Almighty God, and leave some comfort to our posterity on Earth. I mean to direct all mine actions by good advice and counsel. My meaning is to require of you all nothing more but faithful hearts, and of my good will you shall have no doubt, using yourselves as good and loving subjects.”

 

            Elizabeth may not have been officially crowned yet, but life had prepared her for this moment, and she was already conducting herself as queen.

            In the days ahead, Elizabeth rewarded those servants who had lovingly cared for her as a child and adolescent, and promoted her maternal relatives. Kat Ashley was made Mistress of Robes, (this would be a daunting job, considering that Elizabeth would own over 3,000 dresses by the time she died!) as well as being given the prestigious post of First Lady of the Bedchamber. This put Mistress Ashley in charge of the Queen's maids of honor, delegating their tasks and cultivating their moral character. Kat’s husband John Ashley was made Master of the Jewel House, and Thomas Parry, Elizabeth’s former treasurer, was knighted and made Comptroller of the Household. Blanche Parry, Elizabeth’s former cradle-rocker, was promoted to Keeper of the Queen’s Books.

Detail from a portrait in the collection of Lord Hastings, purported to be of Katherine Champernowne-Ashley. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

A sketch by Hans Holbein of Sir Thomas Parry, c. 1538-40. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.



            Lettice Knollys, daughter of Francis and Katherine (Carey) Knollys, joined Queen Elizabeth's household. This is the same Lettice who would one day become infamous for her secret marriage to Elizabeth’s beloved, the Earl of Leicester. And Henry Carey, a beloved cousin,  (and brother to Katherine Carey-Knollys) was raised to the peerage as Baron Hunsdon.

Portrait of Henry Carey, First Baron Hunsdon c. 1561-63. By Steven van Herwijck. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.



            Soon thereafter, Elizabeth and her retinue of over 1000 departed from Hatfield to London. Throngs of people lined the roads, cheering for their new queen. After being received into the city, Elizabeth, as was customary, took up residence in the royal apartments at the Tower of London, in preparation for her coronation. Clad all in purple, the color of royalty, Elizabeth stopped frequently during her progress to the Tower to greet both the commoners and well-to-do alike. In fact, many contemporaries were startled at how often she was “…stately stooping to the meanest sort.” 

The coronation procession of Elizabeth I, circa 1559. From a document in the College of Arms. Image public domain.

     Elizabeth was already demonstrating what was to be a lifelong fondness for the “true English”-the common people. The low-born had raised her when her own father had rejected her, preserved her in trying times, and invested in her their hopes and dreams for the future of the kingdom, after they had experienced so much strife; Elizabeth would reward them for their love ever-after. On the annual progresses she would come to enjoy as queen, Elizabeth would frequently stop to interact with the country folk, particularly children. 

            Sir John Hayward wrote of the triumphant Elizabeth:

            “If ever any person had either the gift or the style to win the hearts of the people, it was this queen. All her faculties were in motion, and every motion seemed a well-guided action; her eye was set upon one, her ear listened to another, her judgment ran upon a third, to a fourth she addressed her speech; her spirit seemed to be everywhere. Some she pitied, others she commended, some she thanked, at others she pleasantly and wittily jested, condemning no person, neglecting no office, and distributing her smiles, looks and graces so artfully that thereupon the people again redoubled the testimony of their joys, and afterwards, raising everything to the highest strain filled the ears of all men with the immoderate extolling of their prince.”

The Coronation Portrait of Elizabeth I. The National Portrait Gallery dates the painting c.1600, though it is probably a copy after an earlier painting that has since been lost.Image public domain through Creative Commons licensing, NPG, London.

            At noon on January 15^th, 1559 Elizabeth was crowned in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth truly believed that God had preserved her through all the dangers of her young life in order to reach this moment. What relief, and what joy she must have felt as Owen Oglethorpe, the Bishop of Carlisle, anointed her as God’s representative on Earth. She understood that hard work lay ahead, but she knew that she was up to the task. After a 44 year reign, Good Queen Bess would be laid to rest in 1603 in the same place where she had started her journey as queen.

On this Day in Elizabethan History: The Death of Queen Mary I of England

The head of the funeral effigy of Queen Mary I of England. In the effigy collection at Westminster Abbey. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

On this day in Elizabethan History, Queen Mary I died at the age of 42 with no issue. The tragedy of the many years of Mary I's ill health and phantom pregnancies was juxtaposed by the joy Elizabeth undoubtedly felt when she was declared the new queen. 

A side-by-side 17th century engraving of Mary I and Elizabeth I, courtesy of Inor19 on Flickr. Image public domain.

History tells us that when Elizabeth received the ring of her deceased sister, a symbol of her accession, she quoted scripture, declaring, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in out eyes". While some have said this statement was apocryphal, I do not doubt that Elizabeth said something of this nature when she realized that the danger had passed and she now had the opportunity to fulfill her destiny and serve her country.

"This oak tree was planted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 22nd July 1985, on the site of the original oak tree under which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I heard of her succession to the throne." Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Elizabeth survived to inherit the throne through a combination of intelligence, charisma, bravery, a keen understanding of politics, loyal supporters, and even to a certain extent the intervention of Mary's husband, Philip of Spain.

Elizabeth's coronation would take place on January 15th 1559; This glorious event was the very beginning of an iconic reign that would stabilize England and begin it on its path to the empire it would become in the 18th and 19th century.

Queen Elizabeth I's Coronation Portrait. The National Portrait Galley estimates this painting was created c. 1600, after an earlier version. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Among her many accomplishments, Elizabeth revitalized England's navy, though she would keep no standing army. Her moderate religious stance was revolutionary, and kept England from the religious wars and other conflicts that would devastate the kingdoms of the continent, and claim thousands of lives. Elizabeth would welcome and support religious refugees, nurture England's tradesmen and women, and as a result, the economy improved so that 16th century England could operate almost independently, more so than ever before. It should come as no surprise that there was also a rise in the lower and middle classes as a result. And Queen Elizabeth famously supported the arts, theatre, literature and pageantry, bringing her country into the Golden Age.

Every year from the 1570's onward, Elizabeth's Accession Day, or Queen's Day, was celebrated with an opulent tilt and other festivities in her honor. The English nobility was already at court in November for the beginning of the Christmas season, so the Tournament was held with all the pomp and circumstance it required.

Usually the Accession Day celebrations had a theme: Arthurian, Pastoral, or even the Classical Gods and Goddesses. The Queen's special champions in the tilt were Sir Henry Lee, commissioner of the famous Ditchley portrait, and George Clifford, the 3rd Earl of Cumberland, whose tournament armor now resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland's stunning armor for the Tournament. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of Todd Hoogerland. Image public domain.

A German visitor to England, Lupold von Wedel, wrote that at 12 o'clock, on September 17th:

"...the queen and her ladies placed themselves at the windows in a long room at [Whitehall] palace, near Westminster, opposite the barrier where the tournament was to be held...Many thousand spectators, men, women and girls got places...

During the whole time of the tournament all those who wished to fight entered the list by pairs, the trumpets being blown at the time and other musical instruments.The combatants had their servants clad in different colours, they, however, did not enter the barrier, but arranged themselves on both sides. Some of the servants were disguised like savages, or like Irishmen, with their hair hanging down to the girdle like women, others had hoses equipped like elephants, some carriages were drawn by men,others appeared to move by themselves; altogether the carriages were very odd in appearance.Some had their horses with them and mounted in full armour directly from the carriage. There were some who showed very good horsemanship and were also in fine attire.The manner of the combat each had settled before entering the lists. The costs amounted to several thousand pounds each.

When a gentleman with his servants approached the barrier, on horseback or in a carriage, he stopped at the foot of the staircase leading to the queen's room, while one of his servant's in pompous attire of a special pattern mounted the steps and addressed the queen in well-composed verses or with a ludicrous speech, making her and her ladies laugh. When the speech was ended he in the name of his lord offered to the queen a costly present..."

von Wedel went on to record the excitement of the joust in his observations of this clearly spectacular event.