Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1558-1603)

During a tumultuous period in English history, a young leader overcame great obstacles and widespread public speculation to unify a nation and bring harmony to a regal people. Fittingly known as ‘Gloriana’, the first Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth I) is remembered as one of England’s most influential monarchs. A descendant of the Tudor line, Elizabeth’s 45-year reign was colorized by great successes and a jubilant Elizabethan Age. But unlike previous sovereigns, receipt of the crown would not come as a simple birthright for Elizabeth.
The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth’s childhood was marred with uncertainty. When Elizabeth’s mother failed to give King Henry a son, she was executed on charges of adultery. Viewed as an illegitimate child, Elizabeth’s succession seemed ill-fated. Behind her half-sister, Mary, and upon the birth of her half-brother, Edward, in 1537, Elizabeth stood third in line for the crown. Despite these tribulations Elizabeth received an excellent education and inherited a prudent morale character from her parents. These favorable attributes would later serve Elizabeth well.
When Elizabeth finally ascended the throne in 1558 at just 25, England was a country in turmoil; torn apart by bitter religious conflict and mounting political tension. Gender aside, countrymen had little confidence that Elizabeth could provide the solid foundation and leadership that England so desperately needed. She would quickly prove otherwise. By gaining the support of her male constituents and leveraging the Tudor concept of firm rule, Elizabeth I was triumphant in preventing the outbreak of civil and religious war within the boundaries of England.

Elizabeth’s shrewd political tactics helped propel England into a prominent position of European power and greatly expanded the kingdom’s reach in the New World with the exploratory voyages of Sir Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh. The Elizabethan Age was also a peak in English Renaissance. Amid expressive art and poetry, literature blossomed with the fanciful works of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Edmund Spencer. Elizabeth inspired an exuberant national spirit.
Amongst her most notable victories, Queen Elizabeth I successfully restored England to the Protestant faith. Many plots to overtake Elizabeth and convert the country back to Catholicism were devised, but failed. Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, a devout Catholic and Elizabeth’s cousin, was at the heart of these schemes. The likely successor of Elizabeth, Mary was imprisoned for 19 years for her role in the rebellion. After Mary's role in yet another treasonous affair came to light, Elizabeth ordered her cousin's trial and execution. Mary Stuart died by the ax in 1587.
The execution of a Catholic princess by a Protestant queen enraged many of the "Pope's faithful" in Europe - among them, King Philip II of Spain, who had married Elizabeth's sister Mary, and who had unsuccessfully sought Elizabeth in marriage once Elizabeth became Queen. Relations between England and Spain had also been straining for other good reasons. Privateers secretly commissioned by Elizabeth raided rich Spanish vessels and ports, and English soldiers supported the Protestant Dutchmen rebelling against Catholic Spanish rule.
Encouraged by the Pope, Philip II in 1588 sent his Spanish Armada to raid England. It was during this famous segment of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1604) that Elizabeth stirringly addressed her troops: "...I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England, too!" It was a close struggle, but the round eventually went to Elizabeth. Philip's subsequently deployed armadas also failed, and England remained under Protestant rule.
Although she received many proposals and had many potential suitors, Elizabeth chose to never marry or have children. Elizabeth died in 1603, bringing an end to the remarkable Tudor dynasty. (The Catholic James I, son of Mary Stuart, was Elizabeth's royal successor.) Although her death would mark the passing of a glorious era, the legacy of Queen Elizabeth I would forever live on.