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Elizabeth I - Part 1 of 2: The Road to the Throne

© Katie Anne Gustafsson

When Queen Anne Boleyn placed her head on the executioner's block at the Tower of London in 1536, I wonder if she could have imagined that far into the future her only child, Elizabeth, would wear the crown of her father, Henry VIII.

Motherless and banished from the Palace at 3 years old, the young Elizabeth grew up with a constant awareness of the scheming and plotting that went on beneath the dignity and ceremony of the Tudor court. With a quick mind, encouraged by her beloved governess, she applied herself to her books studying languages and the Classics. When Henry married his sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr, Elizabeth spent long periods of time at Whitehall Palace where she charmed her father with her skill in the Arts, particularly the virginals. Despite the loss of her mother at Henry's hands, Elizabeth loved her father.

Upon Henry's death, the Act of Succession passed the crown first to Edward who reigned for a mere 6 years under the guardianship of his uncle, Thomas Seymour, who made England a Protestant State. Following her brothers death from consumption, Mary took the throne next, having first ousted Lady Jane Grey who Edward, hoping to secure the protestant hold on the country, had named his successor. With Catholic Mary reigning, England was once again thrown into religious turmoil.

During these periods, Elizabeth showed some of her greatest strengths - diplomacy and patience. She outwardly courted no claim to the throne for herself, and supported Mary in taking the crown from Lady Grey. Keeping clear of the intrigues and treasonous talk, Elizabeth knew that with Mary on the throne, she was still the heir apparent.

However, as Mary grew ever more unpopular with the people of England, Mary's advisors were quick to accuse her younger sister of creating discontent amongst the people. Elizabeth, aware that she could easily be snared in a trap, wisely continued to keep out of any plots to remove Mary from the throne.

Although innocent of wrongdoing against Mary, Elizabeth was ordered to the Tower of London. Taken there under the cloak of night so as to avoid public knowledge of the imprisonment of their favourite princess, she arrived at the Tower via the much-feared Traitor's Gate. Being wrongfully accused of treason, she tried to persuade the warders to take her into the Tower by another entrance, but the orders were clear, she was taken through the watery entrance that spoke of death to all who entered by it. She remained imprisoned at the Tower, for eight weeks until Mary, upon finding no evidence against her half-sister, moved her to Woodstock in Oxfordshire where she continued to be watched carefully for any conspiracy against the throne.

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