Inkathi Yokuchuma KweNdlovukazi U-Elizabeth I—Yinganekwane Noma Yiqiniso?

WAYEDUMILE ngesikhathi sakhe. Ababhali, izimbongi, ababhali bemidlalo nabenzi bamabhayisikobho banamuhla baye balwandisa udumo lwakhe. Kule minyaka yamuva kuye kwaba nezincwadi eziningi nemibukiso eyenziwe ngaye. Kuyinhlolo-vo eyenziwa waba phakathi kwabantu abayishumi ababhekwa umhlaba wonke njengabantu baseBrithani abavelele kakhulu. WayeyiNdlovukazi yaseNgilandi u-Elizabeth I.

Kungani le ndlovukazi yezwe, eyayaziwa ngokuthi iNdlovukazi EyiNcasakazi neNdlovukazi Elungile uBess, isalokhu ingundaba-mlonyeni? Ingabe inkathi yokubusa kwayo yaba inkathi yokuchuma ngempela?

Izithola Ibhekene Nezinkinga Eziningi

U-Elizabeth Tudor wazalwa ngo-1533—okwamdumaza kakhulu uyise uHenry VIII, owayefuna umfana ozoba yindlalifa. Unina, u-Anne Boleyn owayeyinkosikazi kaHenry yesibili, wahluleka ukuzala indodana. UHenry wathi akanqunywe ikhanda, okuyinto iningi elayibheka njengesahlulelo esingenabulungisa. U-Elizabeth wayeneminyaka emibili kuphela ubudala ngaleso sikhathi.

Ngaleso sikhathi uHenry wayesenze izivumelwano nopapa eRome futhi esezibeke njengenhloko ephakeme yeSonto LaseNgilandi. Ngemva kokufa kukaHenry ngo-1547, abeluleki abangokomoya bendodana yakhe encane, u-Edward VI, bamthonyela ukuba enze iNgilandi ibe eyamaProthestani. U-Edward wafa ngemva kokubusa iminyaka eyisithupha nje kuphela, futhi isizwe saphinde sabuyela enkolweni yamaRoma Katolika ngaphansi kokubusa kwesikhashana okunokuchitheka kwegazi kukaMary I, udadewabo ka-Elizabeth ngamzali-munye.a Ngesikhathi u-Elizabeth aqala ngaso ukubusa ngo-1558 eneminyaka engu-25, iNgilandi yayingahlukene nje ngenxa yemibango yenkolo kuphela kodwa futhi yayiwa ngokomnotho. Yayilahlekelwe ingxenye yokugcina yezindawo zaseFrance, kanti nezwe laseSpain laliwusongo olukhulu ngempela.

Lapho u-Elizabeth eqala ukubusa waba nabeluleki abaningi abahlakaniphile, abanye babo ababezoba naye ingxenye enkulu yeminyaka engu-44 yokubusa kwakhe. Inkinga yokuqala ayisingatha kwaba inkolo. Njengoba i-National Maritime Museum iphawula, wakhetha “ukwenza iziNguquko nokwakha kabusha iSonto LaseNgilandi elalingewona amaKatolika futhi lingewona amaProthestani ashisekayo.” Esikhundleni sokuba abe inhloko ephakeme, waba umphathi ophakeme ukuze athobise labo ababengeke babamukele ubunhloko bomuntu wesifazane esontweni. Ngemva kwalokho, iphalamende labeka uMthetho Wobunye owasungula izimfundiso namasiko eSonto LaseNgilandi, nakuba wayilondoloza imicikilisho ethile yamaKatolika. Le ndlela yokwenza izinto ayizange iwajabulise amaKatolika amaningi noma amaProtestani alukhuni, angamaPuritan.

Kunenye into eyayimkhathaza u-Elizabeth. Wayezokwazi kanjani ukwenza lesi sizwe simethembe futhi simhloniphe nakuba sasilinyazwe ukubusa kukaMary I okwaba yinhlekelele? Wanquma ukusebenzisa ukuba umuntu wesifazane njengethuluzi. Isazi-mlando uChristopher Haigh uyachaza: “Embusweni, u-Elizabeth wayeyiNdlovukazi EyiNcasakazi; eSontweni wayengumama, ezikhulwini zombuso wayengumamekazi, kubeluleki bakhe wayengumfazi obeleselayo, emadodeni ayizikhulu ayesebenza esigodlweni wayengumyengi.” Imfihlo yakhe kwakuwukuqhubeka eqinisekisa abantu bakhe ukuthi uyabathanda. Ngenxa yalokho, nabantu babemthanda, futhi njengoba ayebatshela lokhu njalo, ngokushesha bakukholelwa.

Iphalamende lalishisekela ukuba u-Elizabeth ashade ukuze azale indlalifa engumProthestani. Kweza isesheli sokuqala sasebukhosini ngemva kwaso kwalandela esinye. U-Elizabeth wayenza sengathi unesithakazelo, kube nezingxoxo zomshado ezidonsa izinyanga, ngezinye izikhathi zithathe iminyaka, ngaphambi kokuba amale uma ebona ukuthi lokho kuzomzuzisa ngokwezombangazwe.

Njengoba u-Elizabeth ayephishekela indlela yenkolo “elinganiselayo,” waboshelwa uzungu. Owayesemi ngomumo kwakungumzala wakhe okungumKatolika uMary Stuart, owayebhekwa amaKatolika aseYurophu njengofanelekela ukuba indlalifa kaMary I. Usongo lwaba lukhulu kakhulu ngo-1568 lapho uMary ephoqwa ukuba asuke esihlalweni sobukhosi saseScotland wayesebalekela eNgilandi. Nakuba ayeboshelwe ekhaya, ngokushesha waba yithuluzi elikhulu lamaKatolika lokuketula indlovukazi engumProthestani, kodwa u-Elizabeth wala waphetha ukubulala elinye ilungu lasebukhosini. Ngo-1570 uPapa Pius V wakhipha umyalo wokuba kuthathwe isinqumo sokuxosha u-Elizabeth esontweni okwakuzokwenza abantu bakhe bangabe besamlalela. Upapa owalandela uGregory XIII, waqhubekela phambili, ememezela ukuthi kwakungeke kube isono ukuhlasela iNgilandi nokususa indlovukazi ngenkani. Izinto zaba zimbi nakakhulu lapho icebo lika-Anthony Babington lokubulala u-Elizabeth litholakala futhi noMary ekulo leli tulo. Ekugcineni, u-Elizabeth waphoqeleka ukuba athathele uMary isinyathelo, futhi ekhuthazwa iphalamende, wavuma ukuba uMary abulawe ngo-1587. AmaKatolika aseYurophu ayethukuthele—ikakhulukazi uPhilip II waseSpain.

Isu Elihilela Isibindi LomKatolika UPhilip

Ngaleso sikhathi owayengumbusi onamandla kakhulu eYurophu uPhilip, wazama ukuba amaKatolika aseNgilandi abe ngakuye lapho ecela umshado ku-Elizabeth ngenkathi eba yindlovukazi, kodwa wenqaba. Kwaphela iminyaka imikhumbi yaseNgilandi iphanga imikhumbi yaseSpain namachweba akhona futhi ibekela umbuso wakhona inselele. Okwamthukuthelisa nakakhulu uPhilip ukuthi, u-Elizabeth wasekela ukulwela kwamaDashi inkululeko ngaphansi kokubuswa yiSpain. Ukubulawa kukaMary kwaba isizathu sokugcina sokuba athathe isinyathelo. Esekelwa ngupapa, wahlela ukusebenzisa iSpanish Armada, iviyo lemikhumbi yezempi engaphezu kuka-130, eyayizokuya eNetherlands, ithathe ibutho elikhulu lezempi bese inqamula i-English Channel ukuze ihlasele iNgilandi. Ngaphambi kokuba lolu zungu luphumelele ngokugcwele, izinhloli zaseNgilandi zalwazi. U-Elizabeth wathumela uSir Francis Drake nemikhumbi engu-30 esikhumulweni semikhumbi saseSpain eCádiz, lapho bacekela khona phansi imikhumbi eminingi ebizayo, okwabambezela i-Armada ngesikhathi esingangonyaka.

Lapho i-Armada ekugcineni ihamba kuleli chweba ngo-1588, amabutho asemanzini aseNgilandi ayeseyilindele. Nakuba yayihlaselwa, imikhumbi yaseSpain yadabula phakathi kwe-English Channel ingalimele kakhulu futhi yakanisa echwebeni laseFrance eCalais. Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNgilandi yathumela imikhumbi eneziqhumane engu-8.b Ngenxa yokwesaba, imikhumbi yaseSpain yahlakazeka, futhi ngemva kwempi eshubile, umoya ovela eningizimu-ntshonalanga wayiphephulela kude neNgilandi yaya enyakatho eScotland. Iziphepho ezindaweni ezizungeze iScotland nogu olungasentshonalanga ye-Ireland zakhukhula ingxenye yemikhumbi yaseSpain, kuyilapho eminye eyayilimele yabuyela eSpain.

Ukuqala “Kwenkathi Yokuchuma”

Lapho u-Elizabeth eqala ukubusa, awekho amazwe angaphesheya ayengaphansi kweNgilandi. Kuyilapho iSpain yayinomcebo omningi eyayiwuthole ngokunqoba amazwe aseNyakatho, amazwe aPhakathi naseNingizimu yeMelika. INgilandi yafuna ukuba nengxenye kulokhu. Ngakho, izama ezinye izindlela, yanqamula izilwandle ifuna udumo, ingcebo nemizila emisha yokuhwebelana neChina neMpumalanga Ekude. USir Francis Drake waba ngukaputeni wokuqala owazungeza umhlaba ngomkhumbi wakhe, ephanga imikhumbi yengcebo yaseSpain njengoba ayegwedla enyusa ugu lwentshonalanga yeNingizimu neNyakatho yeMelika. Ehlasela igunya leSpain lokulawula iZwe Elisha ngamandla, uSir Walter Raleigh wasekela imizamo yokuthola ikoloni oGwini oluseMpumalanga yeNyakatho Melika. Indawo ayithola lapho wayiqamba ngokuthi iVirginia, ehlonipha iNdlovukazi eyiNcasakazi yaseNgilandi. Nakuba leyo mizamo yokuqala yokwenza amakoloni ingaphumelelanga, yavusa ilukuluku leNgilandi lezinhlelo zesikhathi esizayo. Lapho i-“Invincible Armada” (i-Armada engenakunqotshwa) inqotshwa, iNgilandi yaba nesibindi nakakhulu sokuhweba olwandle, no-Elizabeth wazisekela lezi zindlela ezintsha zokuhwebelana namanye amazwe omhlaba aseningizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia. Lokhu kwaba isisekelo sokuba uMbuso waseBrithani ekugcineni uhlanganise wonke umhlaba.c

ENgilandi kwakhuthazwa ukuba abantu bafunde. Kwavulwa izikole ezintsha ezavulela abafundi abaningi ithuba lemfundo. Isidingo esikhulu sezincwadi kanye nentuthuko yokunyathelisa, kwagcwala kulo lonke izwe. Leso kwakuyisikhathi sikaWilliam Shakespeare kanye nabanye abalobi bemidlalo yeshashalazi abadumile. Izihlwele zazigcwala ezinkundleni zemidlalo yaseshashalazini ukuze ziyobukela le midlalo. Izimbongi zazibhala izinkondlo ngobuciko, futhi abaqambi bezingoma besungula umculo omusha. Abadwebi abanekhono badweba izithombe zendlovukazi nezezikhonzi zayo. Izinguqulo ezintsha zeBhayibheli zanda emasontweni nasemakhaya. Kodwa le nkathi yokuchuma ayihlalanga isikhathi eside.

Inkathi Yokuchuma Iyaphela

Iminyaka yokugcina yokubusa kuka-Elizabeth yayigcwele izinkinga. Ukuphila kwakhe isikhathi eside kunabeluleki bakhe, kwabangela ukuba akhethe ukunikeza idlanzana amalungelo athile, okwavusa izingxabano ezimbi kakhulu esigodlweni ngisho nokuvukela okungazange kuphumelele. Umbuso wakhe waphinde wahlukana ngokwenkolo. AmaKatolika enqaba ukuya ezinkonzweni zamaProthestani futhi abhekana nokushushiswa okuqhubekayo. Ngasekupheleni kokubusa kwakhe, kwase kubulelwe abapristi nabantu abavamile abangaba ngu-200. AmaPuritan nawo aboshwa futhi abulawa. I-Ireland yavukela ukubuswa iNgilandi, nempi yaseSpain yaqhubeka. Ukuntuleka kwesivuno esihle izikhathi ezine zilandelana kwabangela ukwanda kokuntuleka kwemisebenzi nokungaqiniseki, futhi abantu babhikishela ukwenyuka kwentengo yokudla. U-Elizabeth waphila waze walahlekelwa udumo lwakhe. INgilandi yayingasayithandi iNdlovukazi yayo eyiNcasakazi.

Kancane kancane u-Elizabeth waphelelwa uthando lokuphila futhi njengombusi wokugcina kubabusi bakwaTudor, wafa ngo-March 24, 1603. Isizwe sashaqeka kakhulu lapho sizwa ngokufa kwakhe, kodwa ngabo lobo busuku sase sijabulela ukubekwa kwenkosi entsha ngezimbuthuma nemicimbi eyayenzelwa emigwaqweni. Ekugcineni sase sinenkosi—uJames VI waseScotland, indodana kaMary Stuart engumProtestani. Endimeni yakhe yokuba uJames I eNgilandi, wenza lokho u-Elizabeth ayehlulekile ukukwenza—wahlanganisa imibuso emibili ngaphansi kobukhosi obubodwa. Nokho, ngokushesha amathemba asekuqaleni, ashintsha aba indumalo futhi isizwe saqala ukukhumbula izinsuku zeNdlovukazi yaso Elungile uBess.

Ingabe Ngempela Kwakuyinkathi Yokuchuma?

Izazi-mlando zakuqala zamdumisa u-Elizabeth. Eminyakeni embalwa ngemva kokufa kwakhe, uWilliam Camden wachaza ukubusa kuka-Elizabeth njengenkathi yokuchuma okukhulu okwabangelwa indlovukazi. Sekungamakhulu eminyaka kungekho ophikisa lo mbono. Idumela lika-Elizabeth laqhubeka ngisho nangasekupheleni kwekhulu lesi-19 lapho enikezwa udumo ngokuzalwa koMbuso waseBrithani, ngaleso sikhathi owawusubusa ingxenye yomhlaba eyodwa kwezine.

Ezinye izazi-mlando zanamuhla azibheki ukubusa kuka-Elizabeth njengenkathi yokuchuma. I-Oxford Illustrated History of Britain ithi: “Ngemva kokufa kwakhe, u-Elizabeth wadunyiswa ngaphezu kwalokho ayekufezile. Kusobala ukuthi amanga akhe, . . . ukuphila kwakhe isikhathi eside okungatheni, nokuthuka kuqondana ukuba aphile ngesikhathi sikaShakespear nokuhlula kwakhe ngenhlanhla i-Armada kuye kwasiphuphuthekisa ekutheni nathi sihlanganyele ekumdumiseni, sakhohlwa iqiniso elisobala lokuthi ngomshoshaphansi wenza iNgilandi yangabuseka.” UHaigh, ocashunwe ekuqaleni, uyachaza ukuthi kungani ezinye izazi-mlando zabhala ngale ndlela, uthi: “Ngo-1603, u-Elizabeth wabonakala njengesalukazi esingenangqondo njengoba amadoda ayelindele lukhulu enkosini uStuart. Ngawo-1630, lapho amakhosi akwaStuart edumaza izwe, u-Elizabeth wayesebonakala ebe ngumbusi ongcono kunamanye amakhosi.”

Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Elizabeth waba owesifazane ophawulekayo emhlabeni wamadoda. Ngokuhlakanipha nangokuzimisela, wayehamba phambili ekusebenzelaneni nabantu ngosizo longqongqoshe bakhe ababehlela izinkulumo zakhe ngobuciko, indlela ayebukeka ngayo emphakathini, okokugqoka, nemidwebo ephakamisa ukuphila kwasebukhosini nezindaba zakhona zenkathi yokuchuma.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 22]

“Ngemva kokufa kwakhe u-Elizabeth uthole udumo olungaphezu kwalokho akufeza”

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 22]

UJOHN DEE NOMBUSO WASEBRITHANI

U-Elizabeth wathi uJohn Dee (1527-1608/9) uyisazi sakhe sefilosofi. Njengoba ayeyisazi esihlonishwayo sezibalo, esokuma komhlaba, nesezinkanyezi futhi enesithakazelo esijulile ekubhuleni ngezinkanyezi nasekusebenziseni imimoya. Weluleka indlovukazi ngosuku lwayo lwempumelelo olukhulu kunazo zonke lapho ibekwa esihlalweni futhi wenza imisebenzi yakhe yokubhula esigodlweni. Efuna ukwandisa “uMbuso waseBrithani,” wakhuthaza u-Elizabeth ukuba azibheke njengendlovukazi yombuso yesikhathi esizayo yombuso owawuyotholakala ngokulawula izilwandle futhi umise amakoloni emazweni amasha. Ukuze kwenzeke lokhu, uJohn Dee wafundisa abahloli bamazwe indlela yokuhamba ngemikhumbi, ikakhulukazi ekufuneni kwabo izintuba eziseNyakatho-mpumalanga naseNyakatho-ntshonalanga zokuya emazweni aseMpumalanga, futhi wasekela izinhlelo zokwenza izwekazi laseNyakatho Melika ikoloni.

[Umthombo]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum

[Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

A. Imikhumbi yamaNgisi yeziqhumane eyathunyelwa kuyi-Spanish Armada B. USir Francis Drake C. INdlovukazi u-Elizabeth D. I-Globe Theatre E. UWilliam Shakespeare

[Imithombo]

A: From the book The History of Protestantism (Vol. III); B: ORONOZ; C: From the book Heroes of the Reformation; D: From the book The Comprehensive History of England (Vol. II); E: Encyclopædia Britannica/11th Edition (1911)

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]

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