She ruled England for over 60 years, bringing far-sweeping changes to the country during her reign. She was a student of Machiavelli, who advocated strong leadership skills in his book "The Prince," (Adair 169). Historian Adair writes of her, "Her restless and calculating mind was always at work, plotting a course forwards through a tangled maze of possibilities and dangers. She observed men closely and played upon their emotions as if they were the keys of her harpsichord" (Adair 172). Thus, she was a good planner and could view problems dispassionately and with expectation, which helped her anticipate problems, such as the invasion of the Spanish Armada that threatened England but she managed to overcome with planning and foresight. When visiting her men personally on the battlefield she said, "I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not ffor my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat off the battle, to live or die amongst you all, to lay down ffor my God, and ffor my kingdom and ffor...

Thus, she gained the trust and loyalty of her subjects, another important, even vital, leadership quality. Elizabeth never married, and some people believe this is because she did not want to be dominated by a man in any way (Adair 282). This is speculation, but considering her strong leadership skills, it may be the reason she remained England's beloved "Virgin Queen" throughout her reign.
In conclusion, both of these women were strong and vital leaders at a time when men ruled the world. They were well educated, they both came from strong leadership backgrounds, and they gained the loyalty of their people to gain their support and trust.

References

Adair, John. Inspiring Leadership: Learning from Great Leaders. London: Thorogood, 2002.

Gonos, Ann. "Class Notes on Cleopatra." Seton Hall University. 2000. 20 Feb. 2008. http://pirate.shu.edu/~gonosann/assignments/classnotesoncleopatra, queenofegypt.doc