Aware of the power of appearances, Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603 CE) carefully controlled her image throughout her reign and through costume, hair, jewellery, and art, she presented herself as the great Virgin Queen. Like a goddess of antiquity, Elizabeth announced that she had sacrificed her own personal inclinations to rule for the good of her people. The cult of the queen was further fuelled by the literature of the period, and for those who could not witness the marvellous spectacle of the queen's great dresses, jewels, and wigs, there were official royal portraits which were packed with symbolic meaning. Elizabeth I is still venerated today as one of the great rulers of English history, and this is thanks not only to her achievements as a monarch but also to the memorable invention of herself as a legend in her own lifetime.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1562/elizabeth-i--the-power-of-image/.