Monarchs and presidents are no strangers to conspiracy theories. Perhaps one of the wildest conspiracy theories involved Elizabeth I, the Renaissance queen of England. There is a once-believed story that the woman who ruled over England and its colonies was not the
Monarchs and presidents are no strangers to conspiracy theories. Perhaps one of the wildest conspiracy theories involved Elizabeth I, the Renaissance queen of England. There is a once-believed story that the woman who ruled over England and its colonies was not the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. According to the story, Elizabeth I was a man in disguise (now known as the Bisley Boy).
Background for the story
At the age of 10, Elizabeth was sent away to a village called Bisley to avoid an outbreak of the Bubonic Plague in London. The belief was that by leaving the metropolis, where people were dying left and right, it would ensure she did not succumb to the disease.
Unfortunately, an unknown illness soon caught Elizabeth in its clutches, and she died. Soon after, an announcement came that stated King Henry VIII would arrive in Bisley and visit his daughter.
Elizabeth’s nurse panicked. Would the king blame her for his daughter’s death? If so, would she be punished? Would she lose her head? The nurse came up with a bold plan: bury Elizabeth secretly and find a local girl who closely resembled Elizabeth and present the imposter to the king as his daughter.
She quickly searched Bisley for a ten-year-old girl with fair complexion and, most importantly, red hair similar to Elizabeth’s. The search was unsuccessful.
However, the nurse did find an effeminate young boy who looked somewhat like the dead royal. The nurse had no other choice. She dressed the boy in Elizabeth’s clothing and added a wig and prayed that the king wouldn’t notice any difference.
If this theory is correct, the king did not notice the deception, and the young boy would grow to manhood and eventually rule the kingdom.
Arguments Suggesting the Story is True
It sounds farcical, but some historians believe this story is true. They based their conclusion on a variety of facts:
- The grown Elizabeth never consented to the marriage, despite legitimate offers.
- A perceived stark difference in the form and content of letters she wrote before and after her stay in Bisley.
- She wore wigs at any occasion while in public.
- Only carefully selected doctors could see her. Thus, she suffered from illnesses for long periods until one of her few trusted physicians attended her.
- A nobleman had once written regarding Elizabeth that “for a certain reason which they have recently given me, I understand that she will not bear