The Remarkable Reign of Queen Elizabeth i

Queen Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen, stands tall in English history as one of its most iconic figures. Her time ruling, called the Elizabethan Era, was a huge time of change for England, in culture, politics, and money. Born in 1533 to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth’s early life was rough, all mixed up with her dad’s fighting and changes in religion. When she became queen in 1558, it was the start of a really big time for England and for the whole world.

Getting to be queen was no easy ride for Elizabeth. After her mom, Anne Boleyn, got killed, people said Elizabeth wasn’t the king’s real kid and kicked her out of being next in line. Her half-brother, Edward VI, and her half-sister, Mary I, took turns ruling before her. They had really different ideas about religion, and that shaped how Elizabeth ran things. Mary’s time as queen was tough, with lots of fighting between people who were for and against the new religion. When Elizabeth took over, she had to put the country back together.

One of the big things Elizabeth did was make rules about religion in 1559. It was called the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, and it tried to make peace between Catholics and Protestants in England. Her plan was to keep things calm by not going too far one way or the other, like her family before her. She called herself the “Supreme Governor” of the Church of England, showing she wanted everyone to work together, even if they had different ideas about God.

The time Elizabeth was queen was also a time of really great art and exploring new lands. The Elizabethan Era is known as a golden time for English culture, with tons of great books, plays, and music coming out. Writers like William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe made works that people still love today. Queen Elizabeth herself loved the arts and knew they were a big deal for making England strong and proud.

Exploring and trading got really big during Elizabeth’s time too. Guys like Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh went on big trips that made England a big deal on the sea. Drake went all the way around the world, and Raleigh went to places like America. These trips didn’t just bring money to England—they also made people see England as a powerful country.

Elizabeth was smart with how she dealt with other countries too. She didn’t marry, even though lots of guys wanted to marry her. Instead, she used talks about marriage to make deals with other countries and keep England safe. This way of dealing with other countries helped her keep a balance of power in Europe. Her best move was helping the Dutch fight against Spain, which made Spain less powerful.

The best win of Elizabeth’s time was when England beat Spain’s big navy, called the Spanish Armada, in 1588. Everyone thought Spain would win, but England’s navy, with help from bad weather and good plans, stopped Spain. This win made sure England stayed free and showed off its navy as the best in the world. People still think of Elizabeth standing strong in armor and talking to her soldiers at Tilbury as a sign of how strong and sure she was.

Even though she had a lot of wins, Elizabeth’s time as queen wasn’t easy. Later on, there were money problems with crops not growing well and prices going up. Plus, her decisions about Ireland and how she dealt with Mary, Queen of Scots, are still talked about and argued over today. And when she died in 1603, people didn’t know what would happen next for England.

Elizabeth’s almost 45 years as queen changed England a lot. It became a big deal in Europe with a strong sense of who it was. When James I became king after her, it was a change, but what Elizabeth started stayed strong.

Queen Elizabeth I is remembered for bringing England together, making great art, and making England proud. She knew how to deal with tough politics and how to make England a place where people could be creative and smart. Her story still matters today as a sign of how strong and smart leaders can change a country for the better.

Did you like this example?

232

12