Elizabeth's_Speech_at_Tilbury

Elizabeth’s Speech to the Troops at Tilbury With the sky still pitch black, we rose from our beds early on the ninth of August in preparation for Queen Elizabeth I. Her expected approach gained mixed responses from the Tilbury soldiers. While seeing a monarch first hand produced entertainment, we expected not a Queen appreciative of the perils of our impending battles. Daily, our camp’s morale sank lower as our troops feared doom from the approaching Spanish forces. Will our Queen, only a woman, help us in defeating such a huge obstacle' Will she exemplify the kingly qualities necessary in our drastic conflict' If she commands, will we accept her military leadership' If accepted, will her reign as a successful ruler influence our view of future monarchs' With the wisdom of a monarch, our Good Queen Bess knew her troops craved an infusion of courage in the fight to secure our island nation. That year, 1588, a great naval conflict long brewed between England and Spain over supremacy of the seas. King Philip of Spain, in an effort to gain control, waged war against our tiny island. The Spanish Armada, carrying 30,000 soldiers bore down upon us. Though fire-ships, sent by our navy, destroyed a major portion of the Armada, the threat continued. Would they strike again' Severely wounded, the Spanish still posed an insuperable threat to our nation’s security. King Philip continued to send threats of torture and death to all men, women, and children of England, striking fear into our hearts. England needed more than physical strength to prevent a possible invasion. Our Queen’s arrival needed to bring fortitude to a disparaged and depressed camp of soldiers. Along with my fellow soldiers, I anxiously fell into rank in preparation for the arrival of our Queen Elizabeth. While the prospect of eyeing the monarch first-hand offered entertainment, hesitation built as the camp began to wonder if Her Majesty recognized the difficulties of our mission. As a woman, her understanding of war, most assuredly, consisted of little substance. We waited, stomping our legs to keep blood flowing to our tired limbs. Then, there she appeared in full battle array: a steel corset, a helmet with white plumes, a white war horse, a silver truncheon. We looked not on a mere queen but on our warrior monarch. Every word that dripped from Her Majesty’s tongue that day at Tilbury nourished nationalistic pride in our hearts. She provoked within our bowels the courage to face the forces of death itself to defend the future of our lovely England. Our Queen enumerated her trust in us with her gratefulness and devotion to the cause. I watched my fellow soldiers grow in pride as she referred to us as faithful, loving, and loyal. Our hopes once more mounted when, with pride she pronounced, “I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England, too.” On that day at Tilbury, our warrior Queen forever changed England. Although Spanish forces never engaged our troops, we knew we embodied a force, led by a warrior “prince”, capable of destroying any future threat to our sovereign soil. We Englishmen no longer questioned the leadership of this woman, our Queen. At Tilbury, Elizabeth exemplified every quality needed by a king to reign. She became both protector and nurturer to our fledgling land. At home here in England, as well as abroad among the strongest of nations, Elizabeth ruled. As our sovereign roused our courage at Tilbury, every future monarch, male or female, must prove his or her military might. The speech at Tilbury converted our Good Queen Bess into “Prince Elizabeth”, Monarch of the Realm. She not only helped our defense of the homeland but provided confidence and trust, imperative to our mission. Her leadership and understanding of our emotional weariness drew us closer to her and prompted a connection between monarch and vassal. We allowed a woman to command, and as a result found new strength with which to fight. Because of Elizabeth’s speech at Tilbury, future rulers of England must rise to an almost insuperably high standard. Not only must a monarch strike love and devotion into the hearts of servants, but also exemplify strength, confidence, and charisma, and so reigned, Elizabeth I, Warrior Queen.