Elizabeth I: Ascended the throne at the age of 25, wore a wig and smeared lead powder to preserve her youth, only looking for a lover and not marrying
Elizabeth I was born in 1533 at the Royal Palace of London, the daughter of King Henry VIII of England and the second queen, Anne Boleyn. However, her early life was not happy, as she was born at a time when Britain was in the midst of religious upheaval. Henry VIII longed for a male heir, but Anne Boleyn bore him only a daughter, Elizabeth.
Under Anne Boleyn, English religion underwent drastic transformations that had a profound impact on Elizabeth's upbringing.
Henry VIII's marriage to the first queen ended in divorce, which triggered a radical change in English religious circles. The royal family's marriage became a point of contention between the state and the church. And Anne Boleyn's depravity, as well as her free thoughts, angered Henry VIII. Thus, in 1536, Anne Boleyn was accused of adultery and betrayal, convicted of "rotting meat", and sentenced to death shortly after.
This sudden event was like a nightmare for 3-year-old Elizabeth. Her mother was ruthlessly deprived of her right to live, and her childhood happiness collapsed in an instant. Elizabeth, however, showed amazing strength and inner strength.
Despite such a huge blow, Elizabeth did not seem to have suffered much. She didn't cry or complain about fate. Instead, she deeply adored her father, Henry VIII, even though she had witnessed him put her mother to death. Perhaps because she was too young to understand the complexity of family and religious strife, she saw her father as her safe haven, even though it collapsed again and again before her eyes.
Henry VIII soon married a third queen and gave birth to his son, Edward.
Edward's birth brought new hope to Elizabeth and her sister Mary. However, Edward's life did not last long, and he died of illness after only 6 years on the throne.
Before his death, he appointed Elizabeth's cousin Jane Grey as heir to the throne. However, this arrangement did not last long, as Jane Grey was soon replaced by Mary and England entered the era of Mary I.
In order to win the trust of her sister Mary I, Elizabeth converted to Catholicism, but Mary I did not believe that Elizabeth had truly converted and was not friendly to her.
Elizabeth was involved in a rebellion and was imprisoned by Mary I. However, Elizabeth stood firm in this dilemma and dispelled suspicions about her. A few months later, she was released, but remained under house arrest on the estate until more than a year later.
Elizabeth lived in an era when religion was an important part of the political contest. Although Elizabeth was originally a Protestant, in order to win the trust of her sister Mary I, she decided to show herself to convert to Catholicism.
So, in public, Elizabeth put on the cross worn by Catholics, participated in religious services, and strongly emphasized that she would be subject to the jurisdiction of the Pope. To outsiders, Elizabeth seemed to have followed Catholicism through and through, while faith in Protestantism seemed to be history.
However, Mary I did not believe that Elizabeth had really converted.
As the eldest sister, Mary experienced a complicated political relationship with Elizabeth, and when she heard that Elizabeth was accused of involvement in the anti-Mary rebellion, she immediately found an opportunity to protect her position and position. So Mary I ordered Elizabeth to be imprisoned.
But Elizabeth did not give up, however, in the hands of Mary I, Elizabeth could not be truly free. She was forced to stay in seclusion on the estate until she was freed more than a year later.
In 1558, Mary I died and Elizabeth succeeded to the throne as Queen of England at the age of 25. She can finally take control of her life. Elizabeth was a wise and wise monarch who brought LinkedIn to prominence and became the overlord of the seas.
When Elizabeth was young, she also yearned for love and marriage, hoping to spend the rest of her life with the person she loved. But as she came to understand that the antagonism between Protestantism and Catholicism was very serious at the time, she understood that if she looked for a marriage partner in her own country, it was likely to lead to religious conflict and even shake the country's political stability. Therefore, she began to consider finding marriage partners from among the kings and princes of Europe.
However, in that era, marriage between states was both a political tool and a tool for the struggle for power. Elizabeth I understood that choosing a spouse too early could weaken her royal power and deprive her of independent political control. She didn't want anyone to be able to easily dictate her decisions, knowing that it would greatly affect the future of the entire country. So, she made the decision not to marry for life.
In addition, Elizabeth was well aware of the importance of image to female rulers, so she paid great attention to her appearance. She always maintained a noble and perfect image, which was the basis for her to earn respect and trust in political and social life.
Young Elizabeth, with unparalleled wisdom and beauty. Her skin is like snow, her eyes are bright, and her thick hair is enviable.
However, maintaining youth is not an easy task. In order to maintain her image, she resorted to extreme beauty methods, she wore wigs, which were made of wool and horsehair, which were very troublesome to maintain. To keep the wig curly, she applies lard on it and then removes the lard with flour, which keeps her hair fluffy and perfect at all times.
In order to maintain her youthful appearance, Elizabeth not only wore wigs, but also used lead powder and toxic cosmetics. Her lips were smeared with cinnabar, a cosmetic substance containing poisonous substances. Her skin was coated with lead powder to make her complexion look fairer. However, these cosmetic techniques are all potentially dangerous. Lead is harmful to the skin and health, and cinnabar also contains toxic substances.
In addition, her costumes are gorgeous and cumbersome, and the mountains of jewelry become her hallmark. She likes to decorate herself with expensive and scarce natural saltwater pearls, which are embellished on her head and clothes.
In 1603, Elizabeth I died, and the cause of her death remains a mystery. There is speculation that she may have died as a consequence of prolonged use of toxic cosmetics. #头条创作挑战赛#
