Date of Birth: September 7, 1533
Died: March 24, 1603 Reigned: 1558-1603 Parents: Henry VIII (1491-1547) & Anne Boleyn (1501-1536) Spouse: None Religion: Anglican Nickname: Good Queen Bess, The Virgin Queen, The Faerie Queen Children: None Buried: Westminster Abbey Successor: James I Elizabeth was born to Henry and Anne in 1553 and would be the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Anne, her mother, was executed two years after she was born and so Elizabeth was made illegitimate. She grew up with a passion for learning and spent most of her time reading. After her father died in 1547, she was sent to live with his widow Catherine Parr, who remarried with Thomas Seymour. Seymour, a forty year old man, sexually molested 14 year old Elizabeth and Parr would often help her husband in his 'horseplay.' However, after Catherine discovered them wrapped in an embrace, she sent Elizabeth away in 1548. Later, after Catherine's demise, Seymour would try to marry Elizabeth and her abuse became public information. Her brother Edward VI, who was king at this time, had hated Seymour's ambition and used this an excuse to execute him in 1549. Soon after, her sister Mary took the throne. Since Elizabeth had been raised as a Protestant and Mary was a Catholic, they did not get along. Mary soon put Elizabeth in a tower to try and suppress the Protestant power, even though she had done nothing wrong. Mary tried to keep Elizabeth from taking the throne after her death, but her attempts failed and after her death in 1558 Elizabeth took the throne. When Elizabeth took the throne, she brought a reign of stability to England. She brought religious support for Protestants. She wrote the 39 Articles, adding onto what Henry VIII had done and making a middle ground between the two religions. She said that "... there is only one Jesus Christ and all the rest is a dispute over trifles." Not only did she promote religious tolerance, but the arts flourished under her rule. Shakespeare wrote many plays and the Queen often attended and encouraged his work. She was also able to keep peace even through the constant threat of war. Mary, Queen of Scots, was the Queen's rival and was thought by some to be the 'real heir' to the throne. After Mary was thought to have tried to kill the Queen, she was executed in 1587. Elizabeth continued to rule in peace for the rest of her life and was worshiped by her subjects. She gave a speech in 1601, later named as the Golden Speech, where she said "There is no jewel, be it of never so high a price, which I set before this jewel; I mean your love," which shows just how close she was to her people. Her demise on March 24, 1603 was a national holiday for over 200 years. After her death, she was immortalized as a hero. This is because her successor, James I took away the religious tolerance that she had advocated for. People began to reminiscence for what they dubbed 'The Golden Age." |
1500s |
Elizabeth I |