Overview

Queen Elizabeth was a remarkable queen of her time. She never married, which was unheard of back then, but she wanted the crown for herself. This decision was frowned upon by many, but she didn't care because it was the right strategic decision for her. She had no children, but that didn't keep her from a full life. While on the throne, she enjoyed music and dancing, ruling fairly and her Protestant background. Though she didn't have the best childhood, she received a good education. Three of her achievements included reestablishing the Protestant church in England, changing England from a poverty-stricken country to one of the most powerful in the world, and fixing all of her stepsister's mistakes.

Childhood

Queen Elizabeth had a rough childhood. Her father, King Edward VIII married her mother, Anne Boleyn, after a divorce from his first wife, Catherine. He divorced her after she failed to provide him with a male heir. Instead, she gave birth to a daughter, later to be named Mary. Mary and Elizabeth, though half-sisters, didn't get along very well. They mostly stayed out of each other's way. When Elizabeth was two years old, her mother was executed on false charges of adultery and incest. Elizabeth and Mary were declared illegitimate and would not be allowed to be in line for the crown. Later, Elizabeth would gain eight stepmothers including Jane Seymour, who died of childbirth for the king's son, Edward, Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (beheaded), and Katherine Parr. Later, King Henry reinstated his daughter's for succession to the throne. After his death, Edward became king at only nine years old. His uncle became his advisor and the protector of England. His name was Edward Seymour, and his brother, Thomas Seymour, was jealous and wanted his position. When his plans were discovered, he was executed. Before that could happen, however, he shouted his wishes to marry Elizabeth, her being only at age fifteen. She convinced her interrogators of her innocence after she was implicated, but rumors still spread about her "affair". After Edward died in 1553, Mary became queen. She was a Roman Catholic, and she wasn't very popular. She wanted to bring the Catholic Church back to its former glory. However, Protestant subjects found hope in Elizabeth because of her Protestant beliefs. A man named Thomas Wyatt devised a rebellion against Queen Mary I, hoping Elizabeth would take the crown. His plot was found out, and Elizabeth was imprisoned for treason, again. Elizabeth was quickly released, but her life still depended on Mary's actions.

Education

Queen Elizabeth had an impressive education considering her gender in her era. Women rarely received an education, but since she was royalty, her tutors were considerably famous. Her stepmother, Catherine Parr, took over handling her education after her father died in 1547. Parr hired tutors William Grindal and Roger Ascham. She excelled in languages and music, and could speak five languages fluently.

Acheivement 1: Reestablishing the Protestant Church

When Queen Elizabeth I ascended to the throne in 1558 after her stepsister's death, she heard many objections from the Roman Catholics in the country. However, there were also fans of her because of her Protestant religion. Her sister, Mary, had tried to make connections back with the pope, undoing everything their father had done during his reign. Mary was a devote Catholic, and believed she could bring the glory back to her religion by making it the only religion in England. However, Elizabeth was a Protestant, and wished to bring one religion in to England, instead of fighting about two. Though some Catholics were executed under her reign, she tried her best to publish one prayer book. She stated, "There is only one Jesus Christ". Though this worked overall, some Roman Catholics hated the arrangement and excommunicated her in 1570.

Acheivement 2: Restoring England's Money

Queen Elizabeth I entered the throne when her country was at war with itself, and they were very poor. Elizabeth was determined to save England, so she was extra careful with her political decisions. This paid off greatly when choosing advisors, Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham. She was focused but not stubborn, and she paid attention to the opinions around her. She took advice, ignored advice, and was patient with everyone. When she died on March 24, 1603, England was one of the most powerful countries in the world, despite their problems with religion.

Achievement 3: She Solved Her Sister's Problems

Queen Mary I was a Roman Catholic queen, and she wanted everyone to believe what she did. She executed hundreds of protestants, went to war with France, and was constantly suspicious of her halfsister. When faced with these problem, Elizabeth handled them calmay and efficiently. With the help of her advisors, she managed to stop the war with France and stop any forseeable issues with Spain. She reestablished the Church of England by passing the Act of Supremacy, and she peacefully combined religions into a unified country. All of her sister's problems were erased, and England was back to its former glory.

Review

Queen Elizabeth I's life was a difficult one, but it was extraordinary. She did unheard of things as a woman, like get educated and wear a crown without a king. She had many achievements, including but not limited to restoring the Protestant church, regaining England's wealth, and fixing all the problems her half sister, Queen Mary, caused.

The information told from this assignment was from the websites, biography.com and elizabethi.org.