Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I would become the longest reigning English monarch in the nearly two centuries and the first woman to successfully occupy the English throne. Elizabeth’s reign would be historically revered as a golden age, when England began to rise to the position of a strong world power. The country, however, would differ greatly from the time when Elizabeth became queen to the time she died. Elizabeth enjoyed much popularity during her life and became an even greater legend even after her death. Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was a remarkable monarch; her reign was characterized by her effective use of Parliament to improve the economy, her firm establishment of Protestantism England, her powerful defence against the Spanish Armada, and her notable strengths as a female ruler. Elizabeth I was born on September 7, 1533. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Due to her father’s continuing search for a male heir, Elizabeth’s childhood was dangerously lacking in security or stability. Elizabeth’s mother, Anne was charged with treason and of having love affairs and of conspiring to kill Henry.
