Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

“Speech to the Troops at Tilbury” (1588) is a renowned speech given by England’s Queen Elizabeth I to her troops in preparation for battle against the Spanish Armada. The Spanish hoped to invade England, overthrow Elizabeth, and return the country to Catholicism. England was unexpectedly victorious in battle, ushering in a long period of English power and nationalism. Elizabeth’s oration was likewise a triumph for the then inexperienced and untested 25-year-old ruler. In the speech, Queen Elizabeth I depicts herself as a strong, courageous ruler who, despite her gender, holds a legitimate claim to the throne during a time of tremendous political turmoil. This guide follows an edition of the speech available through the Royal Museums Greenwich and contains brief mentions of sexual assault in the “Themes” section.

Elizabeth begins by noting the potential dangers she is exposing herself to in appearing before “armed multitudes.” Nevertheless, she says, she trusts in the loyalty of her people; she is not a “tyrant” who should justifiably fear retaliation but a ruler who has joined her subjects on the battlefield to share in their fate, even if it results in her death. Though she recognizes that her female body is “weak,” she assures her subjects that she has the “heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too” (Paragraph 4). Consequently, the attempts of a foreign power to invade her country anger her to the extent that she would rather “take up arms” herself than tolerate the “dishonour” (Paragraph 4).

Noting that her forces have already proven worthy of reward, Elizabeth promises to repay them for their services on the battlefield. Finally, she commends the troops to her lieutenant general, expressing faith in his leadership and in the course the coming battle will take: “[W]e shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people” (Paragraph 5).