Queen Elizabeth I

I chose my hero to be Queen Elizabeth the First. I chose her because she is, in my opinion, a hero and a role model to all women. She was a great queen of England and Ireland. She is everything that symbolizes strength, loyalty, and bravery. Elizabeth was born on September the 7th, 1533 and passed away on the 24th of March, 1603. Her father was King Henry VII and her mother was Anne Boleyn. They called the era she reigned in, the Elizabethan era, for she ruled in such a great time and with great elegance.

Queen Elizabeth was a virgin queen. Her disapproval of marriage will always remain a mystery. But the most rumored fact was that her harsh childhood inflicted on her choices during her reign, including marriage. When she was only three years of age, her father had her mother beheaded. After her mother’s death, her half-sister Mary, who had been taking care of her, had treated her badly and eventually put her in exile. She was taken to Catherine Parr and Thomas Seymour’s household at the age of thirteen. Thomas Seymour has been sexually mistreating her, which had a strong impact on her, and might have been the reason of her disapproving marriage. And a very famous quote that she once said that definitely implicates her disapproval of marriage was, “Better beggar woman and single than Queen and married.”

Elizabeth became queen at the age of twenty five. England welcomed her whole-heartedly having a huge parade. I think it was mostly because they had a strong Protestant flavor and Elizabeth was also Protestant, although she also tolerated Catholicism. That is another reason why Queen Elizabeth is my hero. At her time, religion was so important, and many struggles occurred because of religious differences. But Queen Elizabeth stood strong and did not judge the people who chose another religion or aspect, it made her grasp tighter and love her religion even more.

Before Elizabeth was crowned queen, she declared to the people of England that she would rule fairly and that she would need the assistance of everyone who was willing to help, and she showed that she was just like everybody else, God’s creature. Her intentions were essentially pure.

"My lords, the law of nature moves me to sorrow for my sister; the burden that is fallen upon me makes me amazed, and yet, considering I am God's creature, ordained to obey His appointment, I will thereto yield, 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 naturally considered, though by His permission a body politic to govern, so shall I desire you all...to be assistant to me, that I with my ruling and you 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 my actions by good advice and counsel."

Queen Elizabeth did so much in her lifetime and during her reign, the people cherished her and they always will. She led the English Navy to the victory against the Spanish Armada with her excellent speech at Tilbury. She led England to an era of prosperity and peace, compared to the time King Henry VII ruled. So now you know why I chose Queen Elizabeth the First to be my hero, because she was a strong woman. Even without a man she managed to be a great queen who will always remain in history.