This essay aims to analyze two historical primary sources in relation to Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the “Virgin Queen”; the essay will attempt to use the source in order to understand what it is able to reveal about the past and its influence during his reign. The first source analyzed consists of a portrait of the queen in her late sixties, apparently painted by the French artist Isaac Oliver in the 1600s. In his portrait of the queen, the artist, despite her age, presents Elizabeth I as a young woman in good health and still fit to lead her country; it maintains the idea that the Queen is an iconic figure to be admired. The second source that will be analyzed in order to understand the past is a written documentation of a speech given by the queen in order to motivate her army against the Spanish Armada in 1855. Thanks to this, Elizabeth in this source is presented as a dedicated . and authoritative leader. During her reign, Elizabeth I faced disadvantages that many believed would hinder her potential as an effective ruler. For example, the mere fact that she was a woman automatically meant that she was "weak" and "weak" in the eyes of her subjects. However, a common solution to this problem was created: she had to marry in order to have a male guide to help her on her throne. Despite the many proposals she made, the queen did not marry, choosing to devote her life to her kingdom, thus proving her abilities as a ruler. After analyzing the sources, it is clear that they both offer similar ideas regarding the characteristics of Elizabeth I as a queen. . The most notable quality highlighted by both sources would be that Elizabeth seemed to have God-like abilities. For example, the Rainbow Portra...... middle of paper...... both sources taken together, it is clear that the reign of Queen Elizabeth I was effective; it offered stability, control, order and commitment. The portrait and the speech at Tilbury clearly demonstrate the authority the Queen possessed despite the many uncertainties in her life. Both sources reveal much about the queen's characteristics, including her devotion to her "kingdom and my people" and to God. This also highlights that his reign was focused on religious conflict. Works Cited Elizabeth I, A Message to Her Army at Tilbury on the Eve of the Spanish Armada, (1855) Graziani René, “The “Rainbow Portrait” of Queen Elizabeth I and her monks. symbolism, Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 35, (1972) Havelin Kate, Queen Elizabeth I, (US: Minneapolis 2002) Oliver Isaac, Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I, (1602)