One of the most recognizable monarchs in England's history, Elizabeth I is remembered as a hero to her people, someone who was able to restore order to the chaos of those who came before her, mainly her father Henry VIII, her half brother Edward and her half sister Mary.
Elizabeth's Early Years
Born on September 7, 1533, Elizabeth was the only daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and upon her birth was immediately considered the heir to the English throne. Two months before her third birthday, Anne was executed to make way for Henry's third wife Jane Seymour, and Elizabeth was considered a bastard, although she was still raised as a princess.
During the reign of her half brother Edward VI, Elizabeth stayed at the home of Thomas Seymour and Catherine Parr. She and Thomas established an intimate relationship and when Catherine found out she sent Elizabeth away. The details of the affair came out later and Seymour was arrested for plotting to marry her and overthrow Edward Seymour (the regent of England). He was later beheaded.
Edward died in 1553 and was succeeded by Henry's first daughter. Mary, who earned the name Bloody Mary, was a relentless purger of the Protestant faith, which Elizabeth was a member. These religious reforms left Mary with a lot of opposition, most of whom looked to Elizabeth. Several uprisings erupted in Elizabeth's name and she was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London, more because of her popularity than for her actual guilt. She was called to court on April 17, 1555 in the final stages of Mary's pregnancy, although she was never actually pregnant and probably suffered from an ovarian cyst.
Elizabeth's Accession
Mary died of her illness on November 17, 1558 and Elizabeth took the throne at the age of 25. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on January 15,1559. Her coronation was an elaborate and expensive affair in an attempt to win over her people. One of her first actions was to appoint Sir William Cecil as her chief secretary, he would be her closest advisor for the rest of her reign.
The Return to Protestantism
In Eliabeth's first Parliament in 1559 she was forced to set in place the religious policy in England. She needed to unite the nation under a single religion and she became head of the Protestant Church. But she did not want to force people to worship in a way they didn't believe in and so she only demanded outward obedience. Although after her excommunication by the Pope, the Jesuit missionary campaign and several plots to kill her, she became more harsh on Catholics in England.
England's Virgin Queen
In a time when Queens were meant to marry a suitable king, Elizabeth, despite being the object of several suitors' desires, never married. No one really knows why she didn't take a husband but there are several theories that suggest that it was because of the way her father treated his wives, or that she didn't want to relenquish her power, or even that she wouldn't marry as long as she couldn't marry the man she really loved, Robert Dudley. However, this didn't stop her from playing her many suitors off of each other, which gained her both wealth (from gifts) and precious allies. The most prominent suitor was Francis, Duke of Alencon from France although others include Sir Robert Bell, Philip II of Spain, Archduke Charles of Austria, Henri, Duke of Anjou and Francois, Duke of Anjou.
Victory Against The Spanish Armada
Philip II of Spain had grown increasingly impatient with Elizabeth's treatment of Catholics and plotted ways to overthrow her in favor of Mary, Queen of Scots. It was for one of these plots that Mary was behaeded. For this and for Elizabeth's cooperation with William of Orange's 1572 revolt, Philip sailed his Great Armada for England. On July 12, 1588 the Spanish Armada reached the southeast shores of England. Due to miscalculation, misfortune and an attack of English fire ships, it was defeated. Afterwards she made her way to Tilbury in Essex where she inspected her waiting army and made the most memorable speech of her career.
Elizabeth's Later Years
After her favorite courtier, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, betrayed her trust and staged an uprising, she had no choice but to have him beheaded. As her world turned on her, she fell into depression. When it became apperant that she could no longer bear an heir of her own, the constant stream of suitors stopped and Parliament's main concern became naming her heir. On her deathbed she named James VI of Scotland, the son of Mary Queen of Scots as her heir. After losing several close friends she grew even more depressed and fell ill. She died on March 24, 1603, bringing an end to her 44 year reign.
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