History Main / ElizabethI

* Series/ElizabethI2005, the 2005 miniseries.

Did you mean:
* [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI the English Queen?]]
* the [[Series/ElizabethI 2005 miniseries?]]

* [[TheVirginQueen the English Queen?]]

Did you mean the [[Series/ElizabethI 2005 miniseries?]]

Did you mean the [[Series/ElizabethI 2005 miniseries?]]

->''One thing I found hard to get scripted was the size of her ego.'' \\
-- Helen Mirren

A 2005 miniseries about the last few decades of the reign of Elizabeth I. The series deals with her personal and political life, spotlighting her relationships with the Earl of Leicester and the Earl of Essex. The main-actors were lauded for their performances and this series went on to win several prestigious awards.

This show provides examples of:

* BatmanGambit: Elizabeth knew the Earl of Essex was going to betray her, so she relaxed the guard on him and did not prosecute him. The Earl duly goes on a mad scheme to ride to court and take her hostage, for which she is well prepared. The Earl is captured, while the Queen's earlier leniancy made it clear to everyone she was the wronged party, despite his claims to the contrary.
* BetterAsFriends: She tries this with Leicester at some point, but it's never very convincing; come on, if she COULD have made him King, slept with him and had heirs by him, then she would have done so.
* BritishSeries
* CelibateHero: Elizabeth is one of the most famous in history.
* TheCharmer: The Earl of Leicester.
* ErmineCapeEffect
* AFatherToHisMen: Elizabeth insists on going to Tilbury to show her support for the soldiers.
* FriendshipMoment: Several little scenes with Lord Burghley.
* GoOutWithASmile: Leicester.
* GoryDiscretionShot: Averted. Quite a lot is shown of gory executions.
* TheHeretic: Elizabeth and most of the people at the English court. One of the main reasons Spain tried to invade.
* HeroesWantRedheads: Slightly subverted, since it's not clear whether the men courting Elizabeth are in it for her or for the power.
* KnightInShiningArmor: The Earl of Essex clearly aspired to be this, but forgot that behaving honorably includes obedience to a sovereign; see OffWithHisHead.
* LoveRuinsTheRealm: Why she can not marry the duke of Anjou.
* OffWithHisHead: Subverted. Elizabeth is very reluctant to have Mary killed. This is later played to full by the execution of, you guessed it, [[spoiler: The Earl of Essex - when he is executed, millions of people cheer happily.]]
* OlderSidekick: Lord Burghley.
* OneLiner: Many.
* PimpedOutDress: Elizabeth of course wears several.
* RedHeadedHero: Obviously.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: In between romantic interludes with different men, Elizabeth also rules England effectively.
* SecretRelationship: Leicester and Lady Essex, later The Earl of Essex and Frances Walsingham - Elizabeth, rightfully enough, is ''realllllllllllllllllllllly'' not happy about this.
* SourSupporter: Sir Francis Walsingham.
* StandardRoyalCourt
* SuccessionCrisis: Her councillors are afraid this will happen after Elizabeth dies.
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask.

<<|BritishSeries|>>

* GuiltTrip: After Mary Stuart's execution.

* BatmanGambit: Elizabeth knew the Earl of Essex was going to betray her, so she relaxed the guard on him and did not prosecute him. The Earl duly goes on a mad scheme to ride to court and take her hostage, for which she is well prepared. The Earl is captured, while the Queen's earlier leniancy made it clear to everyone she was the wrong party, despite his claims to the contrary.

* SecretRelationship: Leicester and Lady Essex, later The Earl of Essex and Francis Walsingham - Elizabeth, rightfully enough, is ''realllllllllllllllllllllly'' not happy about this.

* BetterAsFriends: She tries this with Leicester at some point, but it's never very convincing.

* KnightInShiningArmor: The Earl of Essex clearly aspired to be this, but forgot that behaving honorably includes obedience to a sovereign.

* OffWithHisHead: Subverted. Elizabeth is very reluctant to have Mary killed.

* SecretRelationship: Leicester and Lady Essex.

* OlderSidekick: Lord Burghley.

*CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Her Tilbury speech.
*CrowningMomentOfFunny: Elizabeth knocking at Leicester's part of the table in the council room and talking to 'him'.

*ValuesDissonance: It is shown that Elizabeth, though often quite tolerant, was capable of being very cruel to traitors.