There is a lot of speculation that she wasn’t really a virgin. I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure. There is also speculation that she had androgynous features, but I can’t remember what book I read that in (something about a chromosomal genetic disorder. Her contemporary doctors, however, said that nothing physically should prevent her from having children. But honestly, who would want to tell the Queen [and then publicly acknowledge] that God’s anointed had a flaw??).

Anyway, my favorite quotation about Elizabeth is from her contemporary, Pope Sixtus V: “She is only a woman, only mistress of half an island, and yet she makes herself feared by Spain, by France, by the Empire, by all”. Hellz yeah.

Ren Faires are actually pretty cool. I have a degree in history and we have attended a few. Most of the people are really knowledgeable in various areas of history and craft. Once, a kind young man told my unhappy son stories about Henry VIII and Mary and Elizabeth (leaving out the very grim parts) and then made him a wooden sword like one of Henry VIII’s. The people are all very kind, and accepting.

There are two theories about this skirt, one that it ws embroidered, the other that it was “stained”. “Staining” was a process in which colored dyes were painted onto the backing of white silk velvet, so that the color wicked up into the velvet’s pile.

Plumcake, if you’d like a picture of a stunning replica of this skirt, and possibly an email contact for the person who made it, contact me.

I do wish, though, that you could bring yourself to look past the “Ren fest nonsense” and “homely girls in corsets” to the dedicated and talented people who strive for historical accuracy in their characterization, costumes, and background knowledge. There are more of them at some faires than others, but every faire has at least a few, and if you find the right one, you can argue Anglican politics, the Oxfordian/Marlovian/Baconian controversy, or cartridge pleats versus rolled pleats till the cows come home.

Plumcake, if you’d like a picture of a stunning replica of this skirt, and possibly an email contact for the person who made it, contact me. My hope is that you’ll take another look at renn faires and hopefully see that there’s more to it than “homely girls in corsets”. Some faires are more about historical accuracy than others, and some of them have cast members who are dedicated scholars and historians, and are actively working to reproduce the craft of the times. Some of us have even chosen to make doing so our life’s work.

Twistie, bring it on, short stuff. She may be your favorite historical character of all time (and well-chosen there!) but she’s MY Defender of the Faith! So THERE.

And have I ever mentioned to you that Gloriana is quite possibly my favorite historical character of all time? Well, when I’m not convinced it’s Abigail Adams…or Elizabeth Cady Stanton…or…look, she’s one of the biggies in my personal pantheon. You can blame Glenda Jackson. I saw her in Elizabeth R when I was a kid, and then grew up to meet my beloved at Renaissance Faire.

PS: yes, there are some not-so-pretty women in those corsets, but there are also some gorgeous women who can rock a farthingale like nobody’s business. So there.