Editing The Faerie Queene (section)

=== Dedication ===

[[File:Faerie Queene Dedication Page.jpg|thumb|The dedicatory page of the 1590 edition of Spenser's ''Faerie Queene'', reading: "To the most mightie and magnificent Empresse Elizabeth, by the grace of god, Queene of England, France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c."]]

The poem is dedicated to [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], who is represented in the poem as the Faerie Queene Gloriana, as well as the character Belphoebe.{{sfn|Spenser|1984|p=16|ps=: "In that Faery Queene I meane glory in my generall person of our soueraine the Queene, and her kingdome in Faery land ... For considering she beareth two persons, the one of a most royall Queene or Empresse, the other of a most vertuous and beautifull Lady, this latter part in some places I doe expresse in Belphoebe"}} Spenser prefaces the poem with sonnets additionally dedicated to [[Christopher Hatton|Sir Christopher Hatton]], [[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|Lord Burleigh]], the [[Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford|Earl of Oxford]], the [[Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland|Earl of Northumberland]], the [[George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland|Earl of Cumberland]], the [[Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex]], the [[Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond|Earl of Ormond and Ossory]], [[Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham|High Admiral Charles Howard]], [[Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon|Lord Hunsdon]], [[Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton|Lord Grey of Wilton]], [[Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset|Lord Buckhurst]], [[Francis Walsingham|Sir Francis Walsingham]], [[John Norris (soldier)|Sir John Norris]], [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]], the [[Mary Sidney|Countess of Pembroke]] (on the subject of her brother [[Philip Sidney|Sir Philip Sidney]]), and [[Elizabeth Spencer, Baroness Hunsdon|Lady Carew]].