The 48 Laws Of Power

eralvisitsto

England,

kissedElizabeth

in

public,

even

calledher

bypet

names;
she

appeared

to

requite

hisaffections.

Meanwhile,

assheflirted

withthe two
brothers,

a

treaty

was

signed

thatsealed

peace

between

France and

England. By

1582 Elizabethfelt she could breakoffthe

courtship.

Inthecaseofthedukeof

Anjou

in

particular,

shedidsowith

great

relief:For the

sakeof

diplomacy

she had

allowed

herselftobe

courted

by

amanwhose

presence

shecouldnotstandandwhomshe

found

physicallyrepulsive.

Once

peace

betweenFranceand

England

was

secure,

she

dropped

theunctuousdukeas

politely

asshecould.

By

thistime

Elizabethwastoooldtobearchildren.Shewasaccord-

ingly

abletolivetherestofherlifeasshe

desired,

and

shediedthe

Virgin

Queen.

Sheleftnodirect

heir,

butruled

through

a

period

of

incomparable

peace

andcultural

fertility.

“

Interpretation

Elizabethhad

good

reasonnotto

marry:

Shehad

witnessedthe

mistakesof

MaryQueen

of

Scots,

hercousin.

Resisting

theideaof

being

ruled

by

a

woman,

theScots

expectedMary

to

many

and

marrywisely.

Towedafor-

eigner

wouldbe

unpopular;

tofavor

anyparticular

noblehousewould

openup

terrible

rivalries.Intheend

Mary

choseLord

Damley,

aCatholic.

In

doing

sosheincurredthewrathofScotland’s

Protestants,

andendless

turmoilensued.

Elizabethknewthat

marriage

canoftenleadtoafemaleru1er’sundo-

ing:Bymarrying

and

committing

toanalliancewithone

party

or

nation,

the

queen

becomesembroiledinconflictsthatarenotofher

choosing,

con~

flicts

which

mayeventually

overwhelmherorleadherintoafutilewar.

Also,

thehusbandbecomesthedefacto

ruler,

andoftentriestodo

away

withhiswifethe

queen,

as

Darnley

triedto

get

ridof

Mary.

Elizabeth

learnedthelessonwell.Shehadtwo

goals

asaruler:toa‘‘old

marriage

and

toavoidwar.She

managed

tocombinethese

goalsbyLnngling

the

possi-

bility

of

marriage

inorderto

forge

alliances.Themomentshecommitted

to

anysingle

suitorwouldhavebeenthe

moment

shelost

her

power.

She

hadto emanate

mystery

and

desirability,

never

discouraginganyone’s

hopes

butnever

yielding.

Through

this

lifelonggame

of

flirting

and

withdrawing,

Elizabeth

dominated

the

country

and

every

manwho

sought

to

conquer

her.Asthe

centerof

attention,

shewasincontrol.

Keeping

her

independence

above

all,

Elizabeth

protected

her

power

andmadeherselfan

object

of

worship.

Iwouldratherbea

beggar

and

single

thana

queen

andmarried.

Queen

l‘?l1':alzzth

I,

15 33-161]?

KEYS'l‘(..)POWER

Since

powerdependsgreatly

on

appearances,you

mustlearnthetricks

thatwillenhance

yourimage.Refusing

tocommittoa

person

or

group

is

oneofthese,When

you

hold

yourself

back,

you

incurnot

anger

buta

kind

LAW 20 § 147