THE LIFE AND REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I
INTRODUCTION
Elizabeth I is one of England's greatest monarchs. Her forces defeated the Spanish Armada and
saved England from invasion, she reinstated Protestantism and forged an England that was a
strong and independent nation. But she had a very difficult childhood and was fortunate to make
it to the throne at all.
Who was Elizabeth I?
Elizabeth I is one of England's greatest monarchs from 17th November 1558 to 24th March
1603.
Born 7th September 1533, Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne
Boleyn.
Elizabeth had a pretty tough upbringing. When she was just two years old, her father had her
mother beheaded and Elizabeth removed from the line of succession. Her title is downgraded
from 'Princess’ to 'Lady’. Elizabeth is neglected for a number of years until Henry's final wife
Catherine Parr takes charge and makes sure she is educated to the highest standards.
When Henry VIII died, he left his nine-year-old son, King Edward VI, to rule England. But after
Edward’s untimely death, Henry’s eldest daughter, Mary I, reigned until she died in 1558.
Finally, it was Elizabeth’s turn to inherit the throne on 15th January 1559.
Imprisoned in the Tower of London (1554)
After Edward’s early death in 1553 Elizabeth’s older sister Mary I becomes queen.
Mary returns the country to Catholicism and begins a series of bloody purges of Protestants.
Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London before being put under house arrest in
Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
Elizabeth becomes Queen (1558)
Following the death of her half-sister Mary, Elizabeth succeeds to the throne. She is 25.
Elizabeth has inherited a country wracked by religious strife and knows she needs public support
to remain queen.
Her coronation on 15th January 1559 was an impressive, expensive celebration. Elizabeth gladly
received flowers and congratulations from ordinary people in the street.
Becoming Queen Elizabeth I
During Elizabeth’s reign, she sought to return the country from Catholicism to Protestantism,
Elizabeth was more tolerant ruler.
She removes the Pope as head of the English church and instead becomes its Supreme Governor.
She introduces a new Book of Common Prayer and republishes an English translation of the
Bible.
Elizabeth was a very clever, quick-witted ruler and is famed for her great skills of persuasion. She
surrounded herself with carefully-chosen ministers who would help her rule.
Exploration and the beginnings of Empire(1580-1585)
Elizabeth looks beyond Europe for opportunities to expand trade and increase the nation’s
wealth. Her reign sees many voyages of discovery.
In 1580 Francis Drake becomes the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. In 1585 Sir
Walter Raleigh sets up a colony of about 100 men on the east coast of North America, which he
names Virginia after Elizabeth I, ‘the Virgin Queen’.
Executes Mary, Queen of Scots (1587)
Elizabeth's Catholic cousin Mary was Queen of Scotland from 1543 until 1567, when she became
very unpopular and was forced to abdicate (give up the throne). She came to England, hoping to
be welcomed by Elizabeth.
Mary was a Catholic, and many Catholics thought she should be Queen of England. Elizabeth,
aware that she could be a threat to her throne, she builds up an extensive network of spies
headed by Francis Walsingham to help protect her. He implicates Mary in a plot to depose
Elizabeth and she is convicted of treason.
Mary spent 19 years as Elizabeth's prisoner for assassination plots, such as the Babington Plot of
1586. When Francis Walsingham discovered that Mary was sending messages to Catholic
plotters. Mary was found guilty of treason and beheaded in 1587.
After the death of Mary, Queen of Scots the Pope urges Philip of Spain to invade England,
remove Elizabeth and make the country Catholic again.
The defeat of the Spanish Armada(1588)
England and Spain have long been bitter rivals and Philip launches a great fleet of ships, known
as the Spanish Armada. Elizabeth addresses the troops encamped at Tilbury saying she will fight
by their side. The Armada is engaged by the Royal Fleet in the channel and then driven to the
North Sea by a terrible storm wrecked many of the ships off Scotland and Ireland – a storm that
King Philip II would later refer to as the ‘Protestant wind‘. Only half of the 130 ships make it back
to Spain.
Conclusion:
Elizabeth I dies aged 69. Known forever as 'the Virgin Queen', she remains unmarried and childless until
the end. As Elizabeth leaves no direct Tudor heir, James VI of Scotland – the son of Mary, Queen of Scots
– is named king. The Tudor dynasty that has ruled England for 118 years comes to an end.
