How did Queen Elizabeth die?

Question

I mean the QE who ruled before King James came to power, in the early 1600's.

I don't want to know how she lived, Sergeant151. I need to know how she died.

Answer 1

To grow old was a curse to her, she remarked; 'I am not sick, I feel no pain, yet I pine away.' To have a young mind in an old body was another common lament. She felt the loss of her youth keenly and did what she could to create a timeless role for herself. She wore wigs and heavy make-up and still dressed in the opulent gowns of a maid, a fetching style when she was younger but now merely a reminder of her lack of marriage and family.

By the late winter of 1602/3 Elizabeth was feeling unwell. She had caught a chill after walking out in the cold winter air, and complained of a sore throat as well as aches and pains.

Her death was preceded by physical weakness and mental depression, but there were no overt causes. She was almost seventy years old, ancient for her time. She rested in a low chair by the fire, refusing to let doctors examine her. As the days passed, her condition slowly worsened. She stood for hours on end until, finally, she was persuaded to lay upon cushions on the floor. She rested there for two days, not speaking. A doctor ventured close and asked how she could bear the endless silence. She replied simply, 'I meditate.' For the third and fourth day, she continued to rest in silence, with a finger often in her mouth. Her attendants were terrified; they must move her but she refused. The younger Cecil visited and said, 'Your Majesty, to content the people, you must go to bed.' Elizabeth replied, with some of her old spirit, 'Little man, little man, the word must is not used to princes.'

Finally, she grew so weak that they could carry her to bed. She asked for music and, for a time, it brought some comfort. Her councilors assembled; did she have any instructions regarding the succession? She made a sign when Cecil mentioned the king of Scotland. It was enough. He returned to his office to begin the paperwork for a new ruler.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Whitgift, whom she once called her 'little black husband', arrived to pray. He was old and his knees ached terribly, but he knelt at the royal bedside until she finally slept. She slept on into the early hours of 24 March until, at last, as the courtiers watched and waited, the steady breathing stopped. 'Her Majesty departed this life, mildly like a lamb, easily like a ripe apple from the tree,' John Manningham was told.

There was no post mortem, but she is variously believed to have died from blood poisoning, cancer or simply old age.

Answer 2

Elizabeth I (current Queen is Elizabeth II) died basically of the effect of old age.

In those days medicine was not very advanced and at nearly 70 she was anciwent for her time (most people were lucky to live until their 50s back then). Diet was not so good, hygiene was non existant (people bathed once a year if they were particualrly fastidious), people could die from simple infections that today would be treated from antibiotics. If Elizabeth was already frail and had caught a case of influenza or pneumonia then at 70 years old in those days it would have spelt death for her. There would have been no way of treating the infection or its symptoms, no life support, no advanced medical care that perhaps could keep someone alive today.

Medical treatments back then involved "bleeding" people, putting leeches on them, making them ingest various mixtures of herbs and spices, all pretty ineffectual and often made things worse.

I'm not sure anyone knows exactly what killed Elizabeth, it could have been any manner of things - perhaps a terminal illness like cancer or a slow degenerative illness - back then they did not have the same names for illnesses and understanding of them that we have today. But she did not die in a any spectacular way, basically she died in her bed of "old age".

Answer 3

Because she wasn't of the royal line. She was 'only' Queen Consort. The next in line was the daughter of King George (in the absence of a son, which will all change next time in any case as it's going to be the first-born, whether that be male, or female), the current Queen Elizabeth II The late Queen Mother was so named on the death of King George her husband, because Queen Mary was still alive. It was to distinguish her from Queen Mary who was at that time, also a Queen Consort being the wife of King George V.

Answer 4

Elizabeth I fell ill in February 1603, suffering from frailty and insomnia. After a period of distressing reflection, she died on March 24 at Richmond Palace, aged sixty-nine, the oldest English sovereign ever to have reigned.

Answer 5

Armada Portrait 1588
Buy this print at Allposters.com
Elizabeth was dedicated to her country in a way few monarchs had been or have been since. Elizabeth had the mind of a political genius and nurtured her country through careful leadership and by choosing capable men to assist her, such as Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham. Elizabeth was a determined woman, but she was not obstinate. She listened to the advice of those around her, and would change a policy if it was unpopular. In appearance she was extravagant, in behavior sometimes flippant and frivolous, but her approach to politics was serious, conservative, and cautious. When she ascended the throne in 1558, England was an impoverished country torn apart by religious squabbles. When she died at Richmond Palace on the 24th March 1603, England was one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world

Answer 6

Well medicine was in its infancy in those days and as the below link states QE1 didnt want a post mortem so we will never know 100%.

But that site states that she caught a chill and had a sore throat. So that would suggest influenza or pneumonia (consumption). Plus she was relatively pretty old.

hope that helps!

Answer 7

The makeup that Elizabeth wore had a lead base which leached into the skin and probably helped cause her frailness in later years.

Answer 8

Yes, we know which QE you mean, the other one is still alive, bless her! I agree with N - she wore lead-based make up.

Answer 9

Old age.

Answer 10

She, like Catherine the Great of Russia were into bestiality (this was a common, mentally ill past time of the elitist at the time.) The horse broke its hold and did her to hard causing internal injuries. She, like Catherine died of her injuries some days later.