Succeeding to the English throne in 1558, she was the third woman monarch in the nation's history. The role of English monarch--which involved being commander in chief, head of the English Church, and ruler of the royal court, with all its intrigues--was intended for a man ruling among men, and women rulers before Elizabeth had bestowed their power on husbands. Resisting this pattern, Elizabeth not only endured a monarch but flourished as a leader...