Queen Elizabeth I Essay

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Elizabeth was the unwanted daughter of King Henry VIII, the king who killed her

mother, because she did not bear a son. Elizabeth grew up in a country at war with it self

in the wake of King Henry’s religious reforms. Through no fault of her own, Elizabeth

was cast aside by her own father; resulting in a lonely childhood and adolescence. While

her half sister Mary I was queen, as a young women Elizabeth lived quietly, waiting for

her opportunity to succeed. On November. 17, 1558, Mary died and Elizabeth began her

reign. During her years as a queen, Elizabeth influenced England greatly, with

which to this day the Elizabethan age is most often associated.

Education was one of Elizabeth’s greatest influences on England. Perhaps her

influence on the importance of education as a young girl and her longed desire to learn

helped her strive for this particular goal. Children in those days began their studies really

early in the morning. They were expected to work long hours with out getting distracted.

Over the years her tutors wrote glowing reports on her excellent progress. At ten years

old, Elizabeth was excellent at Latin, and she could speak Italian pretty well. She was

also taught ancient and modern languages, religion, history, geography, mathematics,

science, and music. She kept up her studies even when she became queen.(Zamoyska

10-11) Queen Elizabeth introduced to her country the seeds of freedom, which English

men now took for granted. The growing number of printing presses made books more

readily available, because an increasing amount of people, both men and women began

to read. (Bush 93)

As a Protestant, Elizabeth influenced her country’s religious decisions.

According to Zamoyska: While Mary was still queen of England, Elizabeth did not want

to risk her greatest opportunity of being next in line. She had a difficult task of having to

conform openly to the Catholics, while still keeping support for the Protestants and the

younger generation that “looked up to her.” (19)

“Elizabeth’s first decisions bore on the religious issues. She turned the situation

back to the state of things during the last years of Edward VI, allowing the repatriation of

the Protestant leaders who had been driven out underMary.She didn’t, however

encourage further changes, and essentially supported the Church of England ...”

(Rachum 162)

Moderate Protestantism had been practiced under Henry VIII , and under Edward VI

even more radical Protestant programs were implemented.. Mary in the other hand, had

restored the Roman Catholic faith. Elizabeth herself was a moderate Protestant, and her

settlement excluded papal authority, and brought back the Book of Common Prayer. This

however did not recognize the demands of the extreme Puritans. During her reign a lot of

pressure continued, but she resisted. Eventually the Puritans were driven underground.

One of her greatest fears was that an alliance of Catholic powers might force her out of

the throne, and introduce again a Catholic monarch. Eventually Elizabeth send English

forces to fight on the Protestant side: In the war of religion in France and the revolt of the

Dutch against Spanish rule. (Academic American Encyclopedia 141)

The Spanish Armada was perhaps the greatest threat to Elizabeth. Intending this fleet

to secure the deposition of Elizabeth in favor of himself, Philip II of Spain-Thus restoring

Catholicism. The Naval battle in the English Channel devasted the Spanish flotilla.

The use of the fire ships, English seaman ship and the “Protestant Wind” as the

English call it, were responsible for the English victory that turned out to be so famous.

(Academic American Encyclopedia 142) Before the war, Queen Elizabeth made a

dramatic speech to her troops at Tulbury. She assured them that she had “...the heart and

stomach of a king” and she promised that “...we shall shortly have a famous victory over

these enemies of my God, my kingdom, and my people.” She wore a gleaming silver

armor and a white velvet dress. She was not about to barricade herself into one of her

castles in this time of danger, but she was intending to show her country what a queen

could be. The war was declared an English victory. Thus the defeat of the Armada

strengthened Elizabeth’s position as a figure of Protestantism. She was the one who in

spite of everything, seemed “invincible.” (Bush 87-90)

...

“Elizabeth I, Queen of England” Academic American Encyclopedia, 1987

Boyce,Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. New York: Charles Boyce & Roundtable Press
Inc. 1990

Bush,Catherine. Elizabeth I. New York: Chelsea House Educational communications,
Inc.1986

Rachum,Ilan. The Renaissance: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York City: May
Flower Books Inc. 1979

Zamoyska, Betka. Queen Elizabeth I: United States of America: Cameron & Tayleur
Books Ltd. 1981 You should cite this paper as follows:

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