It is true that it would have strengthened her position to have had a child to succeed her; but it would have weakened her personal sway to have had a husband.

She wanted to rule as well as to reign.

Her many suitors were encouraged just sufficiently to flatter her vanity and to attain her diplomatic ends.

First, her brother-in-law Philip sought her hand, and was promptly rejected as a Spanish Catholic.

Then, there was Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, apparently her favorite in spite of his worthless character, but his rank was not high enough.