Elizabeth I never married primarily because she believed marriage would limit her freedom and political power as queen. She grew up witnessing the dangers and disadvantages women close to the throne faced through marriage, including her own mother's execution and her half-sister Mary's unhappy marriage. Marriage in her time legally placed women under the authority of their husbands, which Elizabeth, ruling in a male-dominated society, wanted to avoid to retain full control over England. She also feared the political risks of foreign influence and internal court divisions that marriage could bring. Elizabeth crafted the image of the "Virgin Queen," devoted solely to her kingdom, which strengthened her authority and popularity, and she valued her personal freedom over the potential security that marriage might offer. Additionally, she reportedly feared childbirth, having seen the suffering wives of Henry VIII endured. Despite her close attachments, such as to Robert Dudley, political considerations and risks prevented her from marrying him or anyone else.