Through her reign Elizabeth dealt with many foreign affairs. To compensate for this, Elizabeth studied every night, to practice and learn as many languages so she could herself to communicate herself with foreign rulers (Thomas). Elizabeth valued the art of language. Language and the arts have relation to the flourishing of civilization, because civilization thrives when citizens value the arts and reading. During the early middle ages, sometimes referred to as the Dark Ages, many of these pieces of culture vanished from everyday life. Barbaric tribes invaded Europe, causing the pieces of culture, in which the barbaric tribes lacked, to be lost (Dawson). Civilization was at a downfall; Architecture was not irradiated, religion was not strictly followed, fine arts had no place, and no formation of government was established. In this instance it was not until the establishment of government was made that culture began to rise again. Elizabeth had a love for the arts, she herself composed sonnets; playwrights would, without her knowledge insert her into her plays, where she would act as if she had known all along (Queen Elizabeth I). In history, rulers always set a precedent for their residents, notable reasons for them to be referred as leaders of their nation. With Elizabeth’s setting a precedent of loving the arts, she further pushed her society away from barbaric ways of the century before …show more content…
In all reality Elizabeth was not a cruel ruler, she was a very kind one. Sir John Harrington is quoted saying “When she smiled, it was pure sunshine that everyone did choose to bask in if they could”. Elizabeth was full of kindness and every time she sent a subject to their death she actually felt guilty. It was not until Parliament pushed her, did she execute her sister Mary, who was believed to be conspiring to kill Elizabeth. Although her own safety was at stake, Elizabeth still felt guilty signing the death warrant (Abbott). Elizabeth had a very strong conscious and modern day mentality. Majority of people today would share the same philosophy, making Elizabeth a far more advanced ruler than her past and near future noble peers. Furthermore execution by decapitation was not the common way of execution during the renaissance. Decapitation was reserved for nobility and political prisoners, because it was quick and fairly painless. Elizabeth would not have said the phrase often because she did not sentence decapitation