by Lucy E. Zahnle

Created on: September 18, 2009

Tales of Tudor Treasure: The Jewels of Queen Elizabeth I

When one looks at any portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England, one notices that jewelry played an important role in her dress and bearing. From the pearls and jewels sprinkled in her headdress to the jeweled collar and strands of pearls around her neck to her jeweled belt, pearl-encrusted fan, and be-ringed fingers, she glittered with wealth, elegance, and power. Even her gowns were dotted all over with jewels.

Some of the gems in her collection have stories to tell. For instance, many of the pearls sewn on Elizabeth's gowns were fake. She bought them by the hundreds for a penny a piece. Although not as dear as real pearls, they were still expensive for that era. By mixing faux jewels with real jewels, she could present a spectacular appearance and still save a little money.

Elizabeth's jewels often passed through many owners before they came into her possession. The Hanoverian Pearls, so called because the pearls passed into Hanoverian hands with the succession of George I to the English throne in the eighteenth century, are an excellent example. The necklace is described as six knee-length rows of pearls with twenty-five pearl drops, some as big as nutmegs. These pearls are considered to be some of the largest and most beautiful in the world.

Catherine de Medici's uncle, Pope Clement VII, originally gave the pearls to her as a wedding gift on her marriage to the Dauphin of France. The necklace passed to Mary, Queen of Scots, upon her marriage to Francis II, Catherine's son. Although Catherine tried to get the pearls back after Elizabeth executed Mary, she was unsuccessful and Elizabeth bought all of Mary's jewels, including the pearls, from Mary's son, James VI (later James I of England), who was desperate for money to fill the bankrupt Scottish treasury. Elizabeth paid him a measly three hundred pounds for the magnificent Hanoverian Pearls. Many believe that the only reason he let them go for so little was because he believed that he would get them back when he assumed the English throne.

Elizabeth had a passion for crown jewels. During her lifetime, in addition to the crown jewels of England, she managed to acquire the crown jewels of Scotland, Burgundy, Navarre, and Portugal. Having accepted the Portuguese crown jewels as collateral for a loan, she refused to return them to Henry IV of Portugal until the day she died.

Not all of Elizabeth's baubles were worn for vanity's sake alone. She also possessed

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