“…with all her varied self-presentations, she was still an unmarried woman instead of a king. She could not overcome either her sex or the decision she made not to provide England with a king-consort and an heir of her body or to name any other successor.” p. 90
This quote hit the reality of Queen Elizabeth’s situation pretty hard while I was writing my paper. Carol Levin showed many of Elizabeth’s various strengths during her rule. Yet her status as an unmarried woman was still a huge shadow that she couldn’t get out of.
I agree that issue did stay with Elizabeth for her entire reign. Not one moment went by where she wasn’t pressured from her advisors or enemies alike to get hitched: not just to affirm the continuation of the royal line, but also wrangle power out of her hands as well. So, despite the achievements linked to her name: like stabilizing religious tensions, passing social reforms, and deterring Spanish forces/ the fact she died heirless could arguably be her greatest legacy, for it brought irreversible change to the throne of England ( like leading to events such as the English Civil Wars and the Interregnum).