The Orphan who ruled England for 44 years
A true story
On Jan 14th, 1559, when 25 year old Elizabeth Tudor became Queen Elizabeth I, everyone expected her to fail.
Bright eyed and charming as she was, it was hard not to see her as a young and inexperienced woman who was suddenly called to lead an empire. Elizabeth’s mother was executed when she was less than three years old. She was shunned by her stepmothers and thrown into the Tower of London on false charges of conspiring against the crown. Even her cousin plotted to murder her so she could become the queen. Her chief advisor’s main goal was to get her married off quickly so she could produce a male heir, leave the administration to the men, and be forgotten.
What really happened however, is a different story…
Queen Elizabeth I went on to rule for 44 years, revered by her subjects as “Her Sacred Majesty”. From the very first day of her ascension to the throne, she won the favour of her subjects by mingling with them freely, and listening attentively to their hopes and fears. She worked late into the night, learnt all the major European languages and their nuances to lead all diplomatic discussions.
She created an elaborate spy system in Europe to have the upper hand against the enemies who were plotting invasion. In 1588, King Philip II of Spain sent ‘la felicissima armada’ consisting of 150 ships and 18,000 men to invade England. Since the queen had already pre-empted this, she invested in faster, resilient ships just months before the attack. In the end, England staved off the attack though the Spanish had 50% more available firepower than the English.
This victory put the queen on the global stage where she established herself as a formidable European leader. Pope Sixtus V went as far as to say, “Just look how well she governs! She is only a woman, a mistress of half an island, and yet she makes herself feared by Spain, by France, by the Empire, by all!”
How did she pull it off?
Elizabeth knew the fragility of her position and the odds that were against her. But instead of letting circumstances overwhelm her, she chose to use her hardship to become a better leader.
While other rulers during her time were chasing lovers and tyrannizing the subjects, she used her time to learn about strategy, administration and diplomacy. She used her gender as a force to make herself more appealing and approachable to the masses even though it was initially seen as a weakness that she could never overcome. Where outright wars would mean certain defeat, she recognized her limitations and thought of other ways to secure victory through meticulous pre-planning and diplomacy. She never grew complacent because her difficult life had taught her to always stay three steps ahead of her rivals. She learnt how to relentlessly take whatever life threw at her and use it as raw material to forge an unforgettable legacy.
It’s unlikely that you and I will be called upon to lead an army or escape murder anytime soon, but we will inevitably face ups and downs which can make us lose our nerve.
Is there a way to use our failures and disappointments as a foundation that sets us up for success rather than holds us back from our full potential?
Try this activity to get started…
Look back on a difficult phase of your life – a tough exam, a devastating break up or an unpleasant work situation. Identify one specific story from your life and zoom in on it. Once you have all the facts to hand, ask yourself the question, “How can I use this?”
How can I use this?
For example, if you’ve gone through a breakup and are questioning your self-worth, the first few thoughts that will come to you will be anxiety, frustration and despair. Dig deeper.
What is the upside?
Maybe it’s no more time spent on someone who isn’t right for you = more time for yourself to do things you want to do without worrying about your former partner’s preferences = more energy, more resources, more vitality for yourself. This breakup may also help you see who your true friends are and how much they care about you. Now that you’re single, it leaves the possibility of a much better outcome open to you.
Often, in fiction and reality, some of the greatest characters become far more endearing after they’ve suffered and overcome some spectacularly devastating blows.
This is not an intuitive exercise to complete – but I invite you to stay with it and try to think deeply about what you can ‘use’ from every situation of your life, especially the ones that don’t go according to plan. We are rarely impressed by people (or even fictional characters) that have predictable, linear lives. Often, in fiction and reality, some of the greatest characters become far more endearing after they’ve suffered and overcome some spectacularly devastating blows.
Who’s to say you’re not in your own story’s ‘character development arc’ before you grow into your most powerful self?
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