In your opinion, why didn't Elizabeth I ever marry? nt

[raccoon]

[Matilda]

1. It's an intriguing question

that's kept scholars guessing for generations. I think she was a complex person, and so there are
probably many different reasons contributing.

I do think a very important part was that she knew that any man in those times was going to expect
to become the real ruler - that was the prevailing attitude. But the throne was hers by birthright,
and also she would have been well aware that her brain was as good as any of the men who were put
forward as marital candidates, and better than most. Why should she marry and take a step back?
Her sister Mary ceded her position to her husband Philip of Spain, and the result was devastating
for England, with his religious fervour leading to the burning of Protestants at the stake and the
consequent loss of Mary's popularity with the English people. He also wanted to involve England
in Spain's wars abroad. Elizabeth was far too smart to fall into the same trap that Mary did.

I also read once - I wish I could remember where and by whom it was written - a good theory
that brought in the psychological aspects from her childhood, tieing love and marriage with death.
Her mother married her father and had her head chopped off. Her mother's cousin married her father
and had her head chopped off. At thirteen she was madly infatuated with Thomas Seymour, and he had
his head cut off because of his relationship with her. It's possible that it had an influence on
her subconscious mind.

But I think the first theory probably had more to do with it. She was the best person for the job,
knew it, and wasn't about to share her throne with anybody else.

What are your own thoughts?

[raccoon]

2. I think it was mostly the way her mother was beheaded by her father.

Left her with a bad taste in her mouth about marriage.

It could also have been some of what you said, about a husband expecting to be the real ruler. Unless she could've found herself a man she could push around. There must have been some around at the time!

[smb5850]

3. In two words - sexual politics

Given the time frame under discussion it would have been political suicide for her to marry anyone that was not her peer, but if she married a peer she would have to surrender at least some of her authority. A cursory studied of Elizabeth would reveal that she was not very willing to share any of her power and because she could not, politically, marry beneath her status she was willing to forego marriage in favor of several daliances in which she was obviously the dominant, both sexually and in personality, person in the relationship. For her to marry would mean to surrender authority and this was not something she was ever willing to do.

[Odin2005]

4. Easy explaination, she would be expected to give power to her husband.