Were Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great Effective Rulers?

Collin Greenwood

Mrs. Canavan

CPI English

January 7, 2001

Elizabeth I

Were Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great effective rulers? Were their reign’s characterized as good or not so well? Disregarding the opinion of those who reigned concurrently or historians today, these two ruled their country in a time of turmoil and uncertainty! The world and the people within it were undergoing a major transition. New lands were being discovered as well as major role-playing continents and countries were changing status. Some losing power while others gained it. Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great ruled their country to the extent in which they were able and their subjects allowed them to. Queen Elizabeth I of England was a remarkable ruler.

Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Henry VIII of England and took the throne in 1588 at the age of twenty-five and reigned until 1603 when she passed away (Time.com, 1). Elizabeth was the last of the Tudor Dynasty (Funk & Wagnalls vol. 9, 193).

Due to her father’s uncontrollable haphazardous rule, Elizabeth, at only the age of twenty-five, was already faced with dilemma within England. Henry VIII wanted a male to take over his throne so when he felt his time was running out, Henry VIII needed to divorce his Queen at that time but the Catholic Church wouldn’t allow this. He separated from the church and brought England with him. He turned England into a Protestant nation. Needless to say people were confused and had to make huge adjustments. At the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign there was confusion.

She was a firm Catholic however she makes compromise between the two religions. Queen Elizabeth’s decision was due largely from the consent of her people (Funk & Wagnalls vol. 9, 193). However, Elizabeth knew that two religions would cause problems. “As reestablished, the Anglican Church was Protestant in it’s Theology, but much of it’s ritual and ecclesiastical organization remained Catholic in form” (ddtmedia.com, 1). Elizabeth believed that loyalty of her people would bring them together as well as the country. The people were not forced by the state but by their own consciences.

The people of England saw Queen Elizabeth as compassionate as well as decisive. By allowing the people to decide, Queen Elizabeth gained their trust and loyalty unlike her father before her. Queen Elizabeth did not force the people but allowed them to decide on their own and for their voices to be the deciding factor. In fact, “The greatest achievement in English history, the “breaking the bonds of Rome”, and the establishment of spiritual independence, was completed without bloodshed under Elizabeth’s auspices, and Elizabeth may have the glory of the work” (Time.com, 2). The people of England were in no need of a government that was more concerned about it more than it was for the people.

Elizabeth was Queen but she established good ties with parliament. England did not need the rule of a monarchy that controlled strictly, took the people’s wealth, and taxed. By taxing the people parliament could control the people (Funk & Wagnalls vol. 9, 193). However, this was the exact opposite of what Queen Elizabeth did. She was wealthy, however, she allowed the people of England to have the opportunity to gain wealth. Without alienating public opinion, Queen Elizabeth gained what she wanted. Queen Elizabeth’s policies coincided with the interests of the people.

Queen Elizabeth was active in foreign policy. The people of England, her subjects, began to see new materials due to her intervention in foreign policy. Furthermore, they began to obtain wealth. Elizabeth began trade with