Elizabeth's dedication to the realm that she might have never truly wanted to inherit is the most fascinating aspect about her to me. As we discussed the ways in which she ruled with a firm, but just, hand I wondered if Queen Elizabeth ever considered it might be unjust to be persistent in not marrying and leaving her precious country without a safe choice for an heir. In class on Wednesday we talked some about her representation as "mother" to the people. Also, we talked about her as being the mouth of God on earth. Is it not a mother's job to bear children, as it is God's will that his chosen line of people take the throne? If Elizabeth was God on earth, that what does her "choosing" James as an heir say about God's confidence in the English people to continue their line of monarchs uninterrupted?
This whole point might be a waste of my time to think about, but it truly intrigues me that she could be so capable of always seeing and thinking one step ahead of everyone else and still choose not to ensure the continuation of the Tudor line that put her on her throne in the first place. Surely she knew what kind of turmoil her country would be put under to have to seek a non-English heir. I truly believe that had she married her wits and intelligence would have been so that she could have kept her place as head of the realm, even with a husband and child. I realize she didn't want to jeopardize her power. but I have a strong feeling she could have found a way around that. Maybe it's foolish, but it seems unfair that Mary of Scotland would produce England's heir to the throne when they could have a had a seed from one of the most brilliant women ever to walk this planet.
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