ELIZABETH I aka “The virgin queen” and “Gloriana”
Jan 01, 2016
She was considered a bastard most of
her life but she excelled at her studies
and was said to be very clever and
intelligent
Probably believed, due to her fathers
infamy, that women where disposable
once married to a man
When her father died, her brother
Edward became king for a short time
until his death 6 years later from illness
EARLY YEARS
BLOODY MARY TUDORBecame queen in 1553
Devoutly catholic and saw her
protestant sister Elisabeth as a
threat
Imprisoned her sister briefly
for plotting against her
Burned around 300 “heretics”
in her four year reign
Died of stomach cancer in 1558
ACCESSION
Elizabeth became
queen regent at age 25,
and relied heavily on
trusted advisors, such as
William Cecil
Was popular with the
people, especially
protestants
RELIGION
Headed the English Protestant church and was
more tolerant of other religious believes than her
sister Mary
Thought Catholicism would die out eventually on
its own
Made church attendance and reading of the bible
mandatory
THE ARTS
She was herself a poet and
writer
Theater, painting, and
architecture thrived under
her reign
She attended Shakespeare
first showing of a
midsummer nights dream
SUITORS
Was expected and pressured to marry by common
and noble alike
Although she had many suitors, she never married.
Her husband would have been made king, and she
would have no longer been ruler of her country
Some speculated she was infertile, sick, or
psychologically averse to a sexual relationship
She never had an heir and was the last Tudor to
rule England
LOVE
Elizabeth and her
childhood friend, Robert
Dudley were said to be
very close and probably in
love
When Roberts wife Amy
died suspiciously,
scandalous gossip made
the match unfavorable in
the eyes of the people
LOVE
Robert secretly married
Lady Lettice Knollys in 1578
and is banished from court
After her death, a letter
from Robert was found in
her jewel box, with “his last
letter” written in her hand
VOYAGES AND TRADE
Elizabeth sanctioned voyages to the Americans,
often benefiting from the pirating of Spanish ships
Established the East India trading company
She herself never stepped outside of England
Advocated the slave trade and sent Captains to
acquire them
MARY STUART: QUEEN OF SCOTTS
Mary, Elizabeth's cousin,
was seen by many as true
catholic queen and rightful
heir to the English crown
Queen Mary had a son,
James VI, King of Scotland,
She fled to England in
1568 only to be imprisoned
by Elizabeth for 19 years
Letters written by Mary associated
her with a plot to kill Elizabeth
Although originally apposed to it,
Elizabeth agreed to have Mary
executed in1587
People of noble blood were usually
executed by beheading, whereas
commoners were hanged
MARY'S EXECUTION
WAR
There were many unsuccessful plots to over
through and assassinate the queen
War with Spain and dissension throughout France,
Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands
Northern England was in rebellion
Poverty and sickness were prevalent at times,
especially in the country
SPANISH ARMADA
England was weak militarily and needed the heir
and alliance that a marriage would provide
Instead of fleeing for safety when the Spanish
sailed to defeat England and kill her, she addressed
her troops on the front lines
The Spanish Armada of 132 ships was defeated by
the English fleet of 34 ships and 163 armed
merchant vessels in 1588
POOR LAWS
In 1601 the queen established poor laws that
charges parishes for providing for the deserving
poor (widows, orphans, disabled, blind, and elderly)
The undeserving poor (beggars, stealers, vagrants)
could be whipped or forced into a workhouse