Who was Queen Elizabeth, and why did a certain author speculate that she was a man?
I figured that I would eventually get to talk about Elizabeth. She is one of the most well-known queens in history, and many have detailed her life. Rather than give you a drawn-out anecdote of her legacy, I’d like to address how some have speculated that she was a man.
A woman who ruled with a flawless mask and did it alone.
I figured that I would eventually get to talk about Elizabeth. She is one of the most well-known queens in history, and many have detailed her life. Rather than give you a drawn-out anecdote of her legacy, I’d like to address how some have speculated that she was a man.
The Bisley Boy
The first person to popularize this theory was none other than Bram Stoker, author of the notorious 1897 novel Dracula. Stoker came up with this story called “The Bisley Boy,” which details the story of a boy from Bisley who closely resembled Elizabeth replacing a ten-year-old princess after her unfortunate death.
In Stoker’s mind, this was the reason why Elizabeth was able to:
- remain unmarried for the entirety of her life
- effectively rule a kingdom for almost 45 years
- wear a full face of make-up at all times
- wear a wig to hide her receding hairline, possibly
This idea sounds utterly ridiculous (if it doesn’t, then you should reevaluate your priorities). We already know the misogynistic history against women, so I won’t step onto my soapbox this time. I want to explore the other reasons why Stoker believed in this theory.
The Swap
According to his legend, Elizabeth contracted a fever and died while staying in Bisley. Her father, King Henry VIII, sent her there due to the Bubonic Plague outbreak. Then, her governess and other guardians, scared of the repercussions, scrambled to conceal her death by selecting a boy from the town who matched the princess’s looks.
Afterward, when King Henry VIII brings his daughter back to court, he couldn’t tell the difference between his child and the boy dressed as his child. The rest is, well, history.
May Day
Stoker claims that he witnessed a boy dressed up in Elizabeth’s gown at the May Day celebration in Bisley. That, my friends, is the sole basis for his tale. Modern-day historians thankfully believe this to be just a conspiracy. They acknowledge that Elizabeth, a woman, ruled England with grace and honor.
The Body
According to Stoker, someone uncovered the body of a young girl dressed in Elizabethan clothing. He was convinced that the imposter of Elizabeth was the one that ruled England for all those years and that this was the body of the true Princess Elizabeth.
My Final Word
In my opinion, a man dressed up in feminine clothing wasn’t the problem with this theory. The problem was that intellect, pragmatism, and grace were attributed to one gender over the others. These qualities come from the person, not the gender.