The Golden Speech was delivered by Queen

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

in the Palace Council Chamber to 141 Members of the Commons (including the Speaker), on 30 November 1601. It was a speech that was expected to address some pricing concerns, based on the recent economic issues facing the country. Ultimately, it proved to be her final address to Parliament and turned the mode of the speech to addressing the love and respect she had for the country, her position, and the Members themselves. It is reminiscent of her

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury was delivered on 9 August Old Style (19 August New Style) 1588 by Queen Elizabeth I of England to the land forces earlier assembled at Tilbury in Essex in preparation for repelling the expected invasion by th ...

, which was given to English forces in preparation for the

Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, ) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by Alonso de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aristocrat without previous naval ...

's expected invasion. The Golden Speech has been taken to mark a symbolic end of Elizabeth's reign. Elizabeth died 16 months later in March 1603 and was succeeded by her first cousin twice removed, James I.

Origin of the name

The 'Golden' label was first coined in 'a version of the speech printed near the end of the Puritan interregnum' which bore a header beginning 'This speech ought to be set in letters of gold'. It was to be reprinted time and time again up to the eighteenth century, whenever England was in danger, as the Golden Speech of Queen Elizabeth. Several versions survive, including a printed pamphlet which is thought to have been checked and corrected by Elizabeth herself.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Speech, The Speeches by heads of state 1601 in England Elizabeth I 1601 works Farewell addresses 17th-century speeches

Origin of the name

See also

References