Queen Elizabeth I was Queen regnant of England and Queen regnant of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The daughter of Henry VIII, she was born a princess, but her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed two and a half years after her birth, and Elizabeth was declared illegitimate. Her brother, Edward VI, bequeathed the crown to Lady Jane Grey, cutting his sisters out of the succession. His will was set aside, and in 1558 Elizabeth succeeded the Catholic Mary I, during whose reign she had been imprisoned for nearly a year on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels.

queen Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I was the fifth and final monarch of the Tudor dynasty, having succeeded her half-sister, Mary I. She reigned during a period of turmoil in English history. Elizabeth’s reign is referred to as the Elizabethan era or the Golden Age and was marked by increases in English power and influence worldwide. Elizabeth succeeded in furthering England’s interests in the face of foreign threats and religious unrest at home. Highlights of her reign include making the Church of England (a Protestant denomination) the state religion, while avoiding war with the powerful Roman Catholic nations of Europe. Domestically Queen Elizabeth established the Poor Laws – she achieved a new framework of support for the needy. Relying the wise advise of her counsel and the military and navigational skills of her sea dogs, the English navy defeated of the Spanish Armada. English merchant ships challenged Spanish preeminence on the high seas, as the reign of the Queen significantly expanded overseas. the first settlers were sent to America to open the way for a great colonial empire, and England’s economy flourished. The English court became a center for writers, musicians, and scholars. Her reign witnessed widespread increase in literacy and great achievements in the arts – great poets and playrights emerged during her era such as William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh. (more…)