The 16th century saw a significant number of women ruling in their own right, a fact that is all the more remarkable when considering the Renaissance notions of nature and gender roles, especially in comparison to the contemporary, male-defined ideal of rulership. Taking Elizabeth I of England, perhaps the most famous reigning queen of the century, as an example, the specific conditions under which a woman exercised power are first analyzed. For gender-specific reasons, her upbringing was not only different from that of a prince, but the opportunities for public political engagement and the consequences of marriage were also distinct for a ruling woman compared to a male sovereign. If gender-specific differences were not to undermine her authority, she had to confront them in her reign.