1Y8 History

Elizabeth the FirstElizabeth the First

Year 8 History

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Good Queen BessGood Queen Bess

• By the end of this lesson:

• You will know some facts about Elizabeth I‘s early life

• You will know why Elizabeth I had portraits painted of herself

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PortraitsPortraits

• You will have an idea of what Elizabeth may have looked like 

• You will realise that Elizabeth's portraits were a form of propaganda - designed to give her subjects a message about her personality

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Her StoryHer Story

• Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

• Born in September 1533, she did not have a happy or stable childhood.

• Her mother was beheaded when she was two and a half years old and she was declared illegitimate.

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Jane SeymourJane Seymour

• Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife was kind to her but she died when Elizabeth was six years old.

• After her father's death in 1547, Elizabeth had been taken in by Henry's sixth wife, Katherine Parr and her new husband Thomas Seymour.

• However, she had to leave their house when Katherine got jealous because Thomas was paying Elizabeth too much attention. 

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Jane Seymour

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• Elizabeth's half-brother Edward VI had become king when Henry VIII died and had changed the religion of England to Protestantism

• But when he died the throne went to her half-sister, Mary, who was a Catholic.

• She was known as Bloody Mary as it was believed she caused the death of many of her subjects

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An asideAn asideAny idea as to what this might be about?Any idea as to what this might be about?

• Mary Mary quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells and cockle shellsAnd pretty maids all in a row.

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• Mary saw Elizabeth, a Protestant, as a threat to her position and had her imprisoned in the Tower of London.

• Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558 after her sister, Mary I, died.

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• This was painted by William Scrots in about 1546 and it was for the young king, her half brother

• This was painted when Elizabeth was 12 years old and no one expected her to become Queen.

• Does this make the portrait more or less reliable?

• When Elizabeth was born she was brought up in near poverty.

• How can you tell from this portrait that she is no longer living in disgrace or poverty?

The Royal Collection © 2005 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

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What happened next?What happened next?

•  When Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558 after the death of her sister, Mary she needed to win the support of all her people:

• Catholics • Protestants • Those who believed that a woman could not run a

country by herself. • One of the best ways for a monarch to win support

was by making a tour of the country and showing themselves to the people. In Tudor times this was called a 'progress'.

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• This was not an option for Elizabeth because she had many Catholic enemies and it was not safe for her to travel around the country.

• She chose, instead, to use portraits to show herself to her people. 

• It was, therefore, essential that the portraits showed an image of Elizabeth that would impress her subjects. 

• Portraits of Queen Elizabeth I abound, particularly from the later years of her reign. 

• Elizabeth was perhaps the first monarch to understand the importance of public relations and she carefully prepared her image for public consumption.

• There is certainly little warmth in any of her portraits, but there is much majesty. 

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Why did this work?Why did this work?

• Images that had meanings that were widely understood were used a lot.

• Churches used them to explain stories from the bible

• Many paintings were much more than a mere recording of time or place

• Why was this a useful way, as that time, to explain ideas to most people?

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•  The coronation Portrait c1559

•Elizabeth is lavishly dressed and holds the traditional orb and sceptre. 

•Her hair is loose, as befits her unmarried state, and its colour is particularly striking against the white of her skin. 

•Elizabeth's much-admired hands are prominently displayed as they rest upon the symbols of her authority

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• c1560, unknown artist. 

• Early years of her reign,

• She is dressed quite plainly but this is nonetheless a lovely portrait. 

• It focuses on the young queen's features rather than those of her surroundings.

• Her gaze is wary and she seems almost self-conscious in her finery.

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• The Pelican Portrait so called because of the pelican pendant

• There is a closed imperial crown over each shoulder. 

• The crown is on top of both a rose (England on the left) and a fleur-de-lys (France on the right.) 

• These represent her claims to both thrones. 

• According to legend, the pelican pricked its own breast to feed its children with the blood.

• What is this meant to show about Elizabeth?

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• The Rainbow Portrait, • Elizabeth's gown is embroidered with

English wildflowers, to show she was pure.

• Her cloak is decorated with eyes and ears, implying that she sees and hears all. 

• Her headdress is decorated with pearls and rubies and supports her royal crown. 

• The pearls symbolize her virginity; the crown, of course, symbolizes her royalty. 

• A serpent is entwined along her left arm, and holds a heart-shaped ruby.  The serpent symbolizes wisdom; it has captured the ruby, which in turn symbolizes the queen's heart.  What might that mean?

• Elizabeth's right hand holds a rainbow that symbolizes peace.

• Elizabeth was in her late sixties when this portrait was made, but she is portrayed as young and beautiful;

• she is more than mortal, after all.  In this portrait, she is ageless.

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Gorgeous!Gorgeous!

• Elizabeth was short about 5'3 or 5'5 with brown eyes and red curly hair.

• She was afraid of mice.

• She had a bad temper and would throw things or threaten to send courtiers to the Tower if they upset her.

• She swore and spat when she was angry.

• Elizabeth's teeth were black with tooth decay

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• Her speech was sometimes difficult to understand because of missing teeth.

• Elizabeth was very superstitious and was afraid of black magic.

• She only bathed once every few weeks.

One missing tooth!

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PortraitPortrait

• This famous picture of Elizabeth was painted to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy in 1588

• Have a good look at the painting, then see if you can answer the questions below

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• The Armada Portrait

Symbolism is very important in this portrait which was painted after the English defeat of the Spanish armada in 1588

Image used with the kind permission of the National Portrait Gallery

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• Next to her right arm is an imperial crown and her right hand rests upon a globe - specifically, her fingers rest upon the Americas. 

• The crown and globe tell us that Elizabeth is mistress of land and sea.

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• In the background of the painting are scenes from the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.  It was a great triumph for the English

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Pearls decorate the Queen’s head and gown and are a symbol of purity.

She is also wearing a pearl necklace given to her by the earl of Leicester; it was Robert Dudley's last gift to the queen.

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• How does this portrait help to say that Elizabeth was a great Queen?

27Y8 History

What did Elizabeth What did Elizabeth really really look look like?like?

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• Her mouth was little more than a slit and her lips were compressed. A vermilion ‘fucus’ made from red crystalline mercuric sulphide was used to redden the lips. It ate cruelly into the flesh and cracked the lips.

• Most of her teeth were black and rotten . They were cleaned with a frayed end of a stick dipped in honey, salt, pumice and brick dust. This removed the stains and in time most of the teeth as well.

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• Belladonna made from deadly night shade was dropped into her eyes with a quill pen. It dilated her pupils, made her eyes large and shining, but fogged her vision.

• Her eyes were too close together an sunken in hollow sockets and her nose was long and beak like.

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• Elizabeth was completely bald and she wore a red wig mounted on a wire frame and curled with hot irons.

• The wig was scented and decorated with pearls and was crawling with lice.

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• Her most beautiful features were her long and elegant hands which all painters were instructed to include in their portraits

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• Her face was washed in the evening with Asses’ milk and rose water. She only had a bath 3 times a year and the smell of B.O. was drowned with a lavish use of perfume.

• Small pox scars were treated with sublimate of mercury, which burnt off the top layer of her skin

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• If I tell you the branch she is holding comes from an olive tree and at her feet is a sword in its sheath, what is this portrait saying?

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• Known as the sieve portrait (for that is what she is holding in her hand),

• The sieve is a symbol of chastity and purity. In the story, a Roman Vestal Virgin proves her purity by carrying water in a sieve and not spilling one drop.

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• Called the ermine portrait (the animal on her arm) to show she is royal. Even the ermine has a crown around its neck.

• The sword of state rests on the table beside the queen and symbolizes justice; she again holds an olive branch to symbolize peace.

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• A poem celebrates Elizabeth's divine powers; a jewelled celestial sphere hangs from the queen's left ear, signifying her command over nature itself.

• The background of this portrait appears odd - it is split between blue and sunny sky on the left, and black and stormy sky on the right. This continues the theme of royal authority over nature.

• This was commissioned by an old favourite who had fallen out of favour and was trying make amends!

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Homework Homework

• The official one: a work sheet to read and a (very easy) crossword to complete based on the sheet.

• Extra for anyone with a sense of humour!!

• Take parent and after discussion with them, arrange around them items that might tell you what kind of person they would like themselves to be thought of (just like Elizabeth did) and take a photograph.