Elizabethan Quote of the Day: Ambassador de Feria on Queen Elizabeth I

A detail of a crowned Tudor rose from a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. Image via BeingBess Facebook page.

The Count de Feria, the Spanish Ambassador at the English court early in Queen Elizabeth I's reign, was not the queen's biggest fan. In one of his first reports of her to King Philip II of Spain, de Feria wrote that he found the queen to be:

'sharp, without prudence. She is a very vain and clever woman. She must have been thoroughly schooled in the manner in which her father conducted his affairs. She is determined to be governed by no one.'

Of course, the qualities that de Feria found so distasteful in Elizabeth were perfectly acceptable in this time period if they belonged to a man. Ambassador de Feria was clearly intimidated by this new, impressive queen.

Important BeingBess Update

 

The author of BeingBess in front of the Old Palace at Hatfield, what remains of the primary childhood residence of Queen Elizabeth I. Photo © A.Jensen/BeingBess.

Dear BeingBess fans,
 
     As you've probably noticed, there has been a shortage of BeingBess blog posts recently. This is because I am currently finishing my master's degree in European History, and the final project, my thesis, is taking up all of my time (as you can imagine)! You can be assured that as soon as the thesis is completed, original BeingBess articles will resume on the blog on a regular basis. In the meantime, I invite you to follow the BeingBess Facebook page, which is updated daily, and/or follow BeingBess on Twitter and Pinterest to stay connected. I'm so thankful to have you all celebrating Elizabeth I and her legacy along with me!

     I'm looking forward to having my graduate degree in hand and letting it lead the way to new and exciting opportunities in my field, and I am equally excited to getting back to writing for the blog!

SEMPER EADEM,

A.Jensen

"Tales of the Royal Wardrobe": A Review

     

Dr. Lucy Worsley dressed in a replica of the Armada Portrait Dress for the documentary "Tales of the Royal Wardrobe". Picture Historic Royal Palaces/PBS.

     Yesterday I finally got to see the Historic Royal Palaces documentary "Tales of the Royal Wardrobe". It aired much earlier in the U.K., and I wasn't sure if it would ever make its way to the United States (some of these wonderful British documentaries I read about do, and some don't), but thankfully this one did! I tuned in, of course for three reasons: first and foremost, because I read that a portion of the program focused on the wardrobe of Queen Elizabeth I, a master of image control as a political asset. Second, because Historic Royal Palaces was behind the project, a non-profit I trust and admire, and third, because Dr. Lucy Worsley was hosting, a historian and curator whose career I respect and not-so-secretly covet! 

     The portion on Queen Elizabeth I did not disappoint. Dr. Worsley highlighted Elizabeth I's aptitude for crafting and utilizing her clothing to create her powerful image as Gloriana, the Virgin Queen, adored, beloved, and worshiped by her subjects. Indeed, as Worsley said, her image very much contributed to the longevity of her 44-year reign.While Queen Elizabeth I was no doubt the best of the Tudors at marketing a personal political brand, it was an art form practiced by the dynasty as a whole. As Worsley pointed out, their successors, the Stuarts, failed by comparison in that respect. Where the Tudors had kept their court artists on a tight reign, the satirical pamphlets mass-produced by the printing press in the 17th century opened the royal court (and their lavish, outlandish fashion choices) up to unprecedented criticism. While this mockery did not cause the English Civil War itself, of course, it contributed to the dissent that ended in rebellion.

     Here are some interesting facts from the Queen Elizabeth I portion of the program:

-Queen Elizabeth I had many staff responsible for her elaborate wardrobe. She had one man who looked after just her muffs!

-Contrary to the many myths perpetuated on Pinterest, not a single dress of Queen Elizabeth I's survives.

Worsley "queened up" as Elizabeth I in Armada Portrait attire in "Tales of the Royal Wardrobe". Picture by A.Jensen. Documentary Historic Royal Palaces/PBS.

-It took Queen Elizabeth I probably about 2 hours to get dressed on a typical day (with the assistance of her ladies, of course). Dr. Worsley wore a reproduction of the Armada gown and its accurate underpinnings when she got "queened up" (as she put it). The original Armada gown had 800 hand-sewn freshwater pearls on the dress alone, not to mention all the additional ropes of pearls and other jewels and trinkets worn by the queen on top of that!

-Queen Elizabeth was very concerned with Sumptuary Laws, and in order to ensure that everyone dressed according to their station, she passed no less than 10 Statutes of Apparel.

I highly recommend "Tales of the Royal Wardrobe". I am posting a few small video clips over on the BeingBess Facebook page about the effigy bodies/stays of Queen Elizabeth I. You can also read all about them in our BeingBess article here. 

On This Day in Elizabethan History: Sir Walter Ralegh Receives a Patent

A map of Ralegh's colony in Virginia, founded in 1585. British Library. Image from Lara E. Eakins.

On this day in Elizabethan history in 1584, Sir Walter Ralegh (modern spelling 'Raleigh') was granted a patent by Queen Elizabeth I to colonize land in the New World. This settlement would become known as Virginia, in honor of Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen.

View and follow our Sir Walter Ralegh and Sir Francis Drake Pinterest board here.

On This Day in Elizabethan History: Queen Elizabeth Falls Ill

The Gatehouse at Hampton Court Palace. Picture shared for public use on Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

On this day in Elizabethan history in 1562, the twenty-nine year-old Queen Elizabeth I fell ill at Hampton Court Palace; her physicians determined that she had contracted *smallpox.

Elizabeth, the last of the Tudors, had only been on the throne a for a mere four years before she was struck with the illness that had proven fatal to so many of her subjects. The health of the Queen was an issue of national security; should the young, unmarried Protestant Queen die without issue or without naming an heir, England would be plunged into chaos once again, with rival claimants battling for the throne.

Queen Elizabeth, much to the dismay of her Councillors, named her favorite, Robert Dudley, as Protector of the realm. Elizabeth understood that her subjects and Councillors could view this appointment as proof of her perceived illicit relationship with Dudley, so she declared that, "as God was her witness, nothing improper had ever passed between them". Would Queen Elizabeth, preparing to possibly meet her maker, have lied about the nature of her relationship with Robert Dudley? I would argue, given its timing, that this statement was genuine and void of a political agenda.

A dashing portrait of Robert Dudley. Attributed to Steven van der Muelen, 1560-65. The Wallace Collection. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Mary Dudley, Lady Sidney was the sister of Robert Dudley and a close, trusted friend of the Queen. She personally attended to the Queen during her battle with smallpox, and because of the exposure,  she herself became afflicted. Like her Queen, Mary survived, but her body was badly scarred as a result of the pock-marks, and she retired from court life soon after. In gratitude, Queen Elizabeth provided Lady Sidney with a pension.

A portrait of Mary Dudley, Lady Sidney. Attributed to Hans Eworth, circa 1550-1555. Petworth House, The National Trust. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

Queen Elizabeth dealt with the pock-marks in her own way, applying white, lead-laden makeup to cover the scars and give her already pale skin a youthful, virginal appearance. This makeup became part of her iconography as "The Virgin Queen".

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I in a frame sporting her white face makeup, c.1589. By an unknown artist.

(*Smallpox has a long and tragic history; it has destroyed entire populations, and it has been used as a weapon, particularly by conquering Europeans against indigenous populations in the Americas. Smallpox still exists today, largely in the third world.)