Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

   Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn , she was declared illegitimate just before the execution of her mother in 1536, but in 1544 Parliament reestablished her in the succession after her half brother, Edward (later Edward VI), and her half sister, Mary (later Mary I ). Elizabeth was well educated by a series of tutors, most notably Roger Ascham. In the period between her father's death and her accession to the throne Elizabeth faced many difficulties and underwent many severe trials, which obviously influenced her character. During the reign of her brother Edward VI she was involved into the plot of Lord Seymour. Full of envy at his brother Edward Seymour, Earl of Somerset, the protector of the royalty during young years of Edward VI he commited certain wrong steps and finally was taken into custody.
   During the reign of her sister Maria Stuart (Maria I) Elizabeth was threatened with more serious danger. Maria was of conscious age when her father divorced with her mother to feel deeply the disgrace of it. Maria became the fanatical catholic with pro-Hispanic ideas, suspicious and full of indignity towards the daughter of Anne Boleyn. After her accession to the throne Maria married Phillip, heir of the Spanish throne. It caused number of plots and the most important of them was the revolt of Thomas Wyatt. Though Elizabeth seemingly resigned herself to the newly introduced Catholic Religion, protestants placed hopes to her for the success of their undertaking and thus the single existence of Elizabeth was dangerous for Maria I. After the revolt of Thomas Wyatt Elizabeth was took under arrest and put to Tower where she spent 2 months and after she was kept under the strong control in Woodstock.
    Being 25 years old Elizabeth succeeded the throne. She was self-confident and smart enough. Her education was impressing but not unique, rather typical for the queens. Her sister Maria was said to be better educated.
    The major shortcoming of Elizabeth while accessing the throne was lack of experience to govern a country. That is why she, like the others predecessor trusted the Council. She was able to select and work well with the most competent of counselors. Sir William Cecil (Lord Burghley) was appointed immediately, and Sir Francis Walsingham in 1573. One of Elizabeth's first acts was to reestablish Protestantism through the acts of Supremacy and Uniformity. The measures against Roman Catholics grew harsher over the course of her reign, particularly after the rebellion of the Catholic earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, Elizabeth's excommunication by the pope, and the coming of the Jesuit missionaries. But the persecution of the Catholics was due to a series of plots to murder Elizabeth and seat the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots on the throne. English Puritans, like the Catholics, objected to the Established Church, and a severe law against conventicles (unauthorized religious assemblies) in 1593 kept the separatist movement underground for the time.
    At the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth's government enacted needed currency reforms and took steps to mend English credit abroad. Other legislation of the reign dealt with new social and economic developments-the Statute of Apprentices to stabilize labor conditions; the poor laws to attempt some remedy of widespread poverty; and various acts to encourage agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing. Elizabeth had many suitors, including King Philip II of Spain; Francis, duke of Alencon and Anjou; and her own favorite, Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. For a combination of personal and political reasons, she was reluctant to choose a husband and remained unmarried, although she often used the lure of marriage as a weapon of diplomacy. Elizabeth engaged in a long series of diplomatic maneuvers against England's old enemy, France, and the new enemy, Spain, but for 30 years she managed to keep the country at peace.
    In 1559 she concluded a treaty ending her sister's unfortunate war with France and refused the marriage offer of Philip of Spain. The next year the Treaty of Edinburgh initiated a policy toward Scotland, successful in the long run, of supporting the Protestant lords against the Catholic party. By lending unofficial aid to French Huguenots she managed for some time to harass France and Spain without involving England in an actual war. As part of her marriage negotiations she later supported the duke of Alencon's participation in the Dutch war against Spain.
    The major problem posed by Elizabeth's refusal to marry was that of the succession. The chief claimant was Mary Queen of Scots, but her Catholicism made her a threat to Elizabeth. In 1568 after Mary's forced abdication from the Scottish throne, Elizabeth gave her refuge but then kept her prisoner for nearly 19 years. Despite the numerous plots, both real and alleged, on Mary's behalf, Elizabeth resisted until 1587 her counselors' advice that Mary be executed.
   By that time Spain had emerged as England's main enemy. English sailors had been unofficially encouraged to encroach on Spanish monopolies and raid Spanish shipping. In 1588, Philip launched the long-planned expedition of the Spanish Armada as a great Catholic crusade against Protestant England. The Armada was defeated by the skill of such leaders as John Hawkins and Francis Drake and by storms, rather than planning on Elizabeth's part, but the victory strengthened English national pride and lowered the prestige of Spain. An indecisive war with Spain dragged on until Elizabeth's death. From the beginning of the reign Ireland had been the scene of civil wars and severe rebellions, culminating with that of the earl of Tyrone , which was suppressed by the campaigns of Lord Mountjoy from 1600 to 1603.
    After the Armada, Elizabeth's popularity began to wane. Parliament became less tractable and began to object to the abuse of royally granted monopolies. The rash uprising of Elizabeth's favorite, Robert Devereux, 2d earl of Essex, darkened her last years. She refused until on her deathbed to name her successor-the son of Mary Queen of Scots, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England.
   Ministers of the Queen: No single monarch before and after Elizabeth's reign displayed such devotion to the retainers as Elizabeth did. Every minister of Elizabeth was chosen by Elizabeth herself. Despite the fact that all her ministers were remarkable and outstanding persons the Queen was the dominant and sovereign. Beside the ministers Elizabeth had number of courtiers, the queen appreciated their capacities and knowledge but kept them still aside as she did not trust their human features.
    The reign of the Queen Elizabeth was the most dynamic period in the history of England.