Could women lead armies? This was a question that was difficult to answer during the medieval age. During the Tudor queens, female monarchs were viewed with much skepticism, and women rulers were seen as incompetent and unfit to rule. This led to tension between monarchy and womanhood that was finally answered during the reigns of other monarchs, notably Margaret of Denmark, Isabella of Castile, Jadwiga of Poland, and possibly most significantly, the queens of Scotland, particularly Margaret (d. 1290), who was acknowledged as the queen of Scotland not only by the Scots but also by Edward I of England.[1]. This paper discusses Castor's analysis of female monarchs through the eyes of Henry VIII’s two daughters.

Mary I, the first female queen of England, faced a lot of hostility because of her Catholic beliefs and controversial marriage to the Spanish prince, Philip II. Even though her methods were usually ruthless and unpopular, Castor believes Mary's endeavors to strengthen the monarchy and restore Catholicism during her reign were important. Mary murdered over 300 Protestants, garnering her the moniker "Bloody Mary," which Castor argues was an attempt to squash resistance and expand her control.[2]. Despite her best efforts, Mary's reign ultimately failed, and her death in 1558 allowed her half-sister Elizabeth to succeed to the throne.

Mary, I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, who reigned from 1553 to 1558. Mary experienced pressure to get married and have children throughout her rule because she was the last Tudor king or queen, and there was no obvious replacement. Mary wed Philip II of Spain in 1554, a decision that did not go well with her English subjects, who feared Spanish control over England. Her status was further hampered by the marriage's failure to produce an heir, which further contributed to her unpopularity.

There was also pressure on Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558 to 1603, to get married and have children. However, she was more cautious than her half-sister Mary and refrained from entering a hasty marriage that may have jeopardized her position or England's freedom. Instead, Elizabeth negotiated with potential suitors using the prospect of marriage as a diplomatic instrument to further England's interests. She was commonly known as the "Virgin Queen," and despite much conjecture and discussion, she ultimately chose not to be married.

Bibliography

COSTUME, MACEDONIAN FUNERARY. "CHAPTER FOUR GRAVE GARB: ARCHAIC AND CLASSICAL MACEDONIAN FUNERARY COSTUME ALEXIS Q. CASTOR." Reading a Dynamic Canvas: Adornment in the Ancient Mediterranean World (2021): 115.

Zayniddinovna, Tasheva Nafisa. "The Image of the Eastern Ruler in the Works of Christopher Marlowe." Central Asian Journal Of Social Sciences And History 2, no. 10 (2021): 10-14.

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