She spent much of the time with her half brother Edward and, from her 10th year onward, profited from the loving attention of her stepmother, Catherine Parr, the king’s sixth and last wife. The Roman Catholic Church took a dim view of her actions, and in 1570, Pope Pius V excommunicated Elizabeth. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Their relationship was the subject of much gossip and speculation; both parties came under suspicion of the mysterious death of Dudley's wife. Equally, the Church of England wasn’t fully Calvinist. It was the result of a carefully crafted, brilliantly executed campaign in which the queen fashioned herself as the glittering symbol of the nation’s destiny. Elizabeth had an older half-sister, Mary Tudor, who was the king’s first child with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and the only to survive to adulthood. Writers paid tribute to the queen in many literary forms. In January 1549, shortly after the death of Catherine Parr, Thomas Seymour was arrested for treason and accused of plotting to marry Elizabeth in order to rule the kingdom. The Love Life of Queen Elizabeth I. by Scott Newport. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/elizabeth-i-of-england-6351.php Elizabeth I of England is best known as a Politician. Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland, 1558-1603. She gave one of her most famous speeches in 1601 to Parliament. My heart was never set on worldly goods but for my subjects' good.". She was also called Good Queen Bess or the Virgin Queen or Gloriana. She loved music and could play the lute. She refused. Protestants viewed the possibility of a Catholic monarch as a nightmarish threat that could best be averted if Elizabeth produced a Protestant heir. Elizabeth also had a younger half-brother, Edward, who was the king’s first and only legitimate son with his third wife, Jane Seymour. Despite her fading power, Elizabeth still showed her devotion to her people. Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533 – March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558, until her death. Elizabeth ruled for 44 years, from 1558 until her death in 1603. Instead, Essex returned to England and sought to start his own rebellion. The country was at war with France, which proved to be a tremendous drain on the royal coffers. England was in dire straits when she came to the throne and she was pressured on many fronts to marry to secure various alliances and produce an heir, yet Elizabeth, as we all know, remained steadfastly unwed while still maintaining good relations with the majority of Europe throughout her reign. … King Henry VIII (1491-1547) ruled England for 36 years, presiding over sweeping changes … Succession was a pressing issue for Elizabeth. Early Years . Elizabeth I, bynames the Virgin Queen and Good Queen Bess, (born September 7, 1533, Greenwich, near London, England—died March 24, 1603, Richmond, Surrey), queen of England (1558–1603) during a period, often called the Elizabethan Age, when England asserted itself vigorously as a major European power in politics, commerce, and the arts. She loved jewelry and beautiful clothing; her garments were often made with gold and silver. She is best known for her moral support to the British people during WWII and her longevity. Despite his capacity for monstrous cruelty, Henry VIII treated all his children with what contemporaries regarded as affection; Elizabeth was present at ceremonial occasions and was declared third in line to the throne. Her public image also suffered in the last decade of her reign, when England was pressed by issues including scant harvests, unemployment, and economic inflation. Actress Elizabeth Taylor starred in films like 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and 'Butterfield 8' but was just as famous for her violet eyes and scandalous love life. Equally, the Church of England wasn’t fully Calvinist. When in 1537 Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, gave birth to a son, Edward, Elizabeth receded still further into relative obscurity, but she was not neglected. Known also as ‘The Virgin Queen’ and ‘Good Queen Bess’, she belonged to the House of Tudor – a golden age in English history – and reigned for a total of 45 years. Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. In 1559, in a speech to parliament, Elizabeth I declared that ‘this shall be for me sufficient that a marble stone shall declare that a Queen, having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin.’. Charles I was a king of England, Scotland and Ireland, whose conflicts with parliament and his subjects led to civil war and his execution. She defied parliament and never married. Queen Elizabeth I’s right to the throne wasn’t always guaranteed. Mary was raised Catholic and was considered by many English Catholics to be the rightful monarch of England. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Elizabeth I was one of England’s most famous and powerful queens and an iconic figure in world history. Assistant Master and Professor of History, Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Elizabeth never married or had children; she seemed to have no interest in sharing power with a spouse. She became a leading public health activist during her lifetime. Elizabeth was raised much like any other royal child. It was a sustained lesson in survival through self-discipline and the tactful manipulation of appearances. | Credit: Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty. Even though Elizabeth supported Mary in her coup, she was not free from suspicion. Elizabeth I was undisputedly one of the greatest monarchs of England who ruled the country from 1558 to 1603. Queen Rania of Jordan is best known for her advocacy work in public health and education and as an outspoken opponent of the practice of "honor killings.". Elizabeth I of England erpreted Elizabeth's reign as a golden age of progress. “Her mind has no womanly weakness,” Ascham wrote with the unselfconscious sexism of the age, “her perseverance is equal to that of a man, and her memory long keeps what it quickly picks up.” In addition to Greek and Latin, she became fluent in French and Italian, attainments of which she was proud and which were in later years to serve her well in the conduct of diplomacy. Elizabeth kept Mary imprisoned for nearly 20 years before she had her cousin executed in 1587. The girls were later reinstated as potential heirs. The poet Edmund Spenser based his character of Gloriana in The Faerie Queen on Elizabeth, and she was sometimes referred to by this name. She had sent him to Ireland to quell a rebellion known as the Nine Years War led by Gaelic lord Hugh O'Neill. Eventually, upon her half-sister Mary Tudor’s death, she took the crown. In 1585, however, Elizabeth entered the fray to support the Protestant rebellion against Spain in the Netherlands. She was executed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1587. Elizabeth exalted in being the queen bee at court. Elizabeth I enjoyed hunting, dancing, and horseback riding well into her 60s. Elizabeth’s father Henry was formerly the Duke of York before being crowned King of England in 1509. Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603, at Richmond Palace in Surrey. Elizabeth also enjoyed dancing and watching plays. Elizabeth I was one of England’s most famous and powerful queens and an iconic figure in world history. After Henry’s death in 1547, two of Elizabeth’s half-siblings would sit on the throne: first the young Edward VI, who reigned for six years, and then Mary I (“Bloody Mary”), who reigned for five years. Elizabeth herself seemed to have some interest in a member of her court, Robert Dudley. Observers were repeatedly tantalized with what they thought was a glimpse of the interior, only to find that they had been shown another facet of the surface. The reigning period of Queen Elizabeth was known as the Golden Age in the English History as the people experienced peace and Prosperity in this era as well the art in different form flourished to its maximum. She learned her lesson well. Her power was tenuous thanks to her older half-sister, Mary I, and their father, Henry VIII . Many Protestants and Roman Catholics alike assumed that her self-presentation was deceptive, but Elizabeth managed to keep her inward convictions to herself, and in religion as in much else they have remained something of a mystery. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Elizabeth went to live with the Queen Dowager Katherine, but left her household after an incident with the Lord Admiral… Set during the last decades of her reign, we are in the aging queens head, feeling her hot flashes, her body steady decline, as well as the slow death of her glittering court. "The rest is a dispute over trifles.". The admiration Elizabeth I garnered had a lot to do with her skills as a rhetorician and an image-maker, which she used to style herself as a magnificent female authority figure devoted to the well-being of England and its subjects above all else. Omissions? Before Elizabeth reached her third birthday, her father had her mother beheaded on charges of adultery and treason. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. As years passed and she continued to reject suitors and to refuse to name her successor, many in England feared civil war; delegates from Parliament repeatedly asked her to find an appropriate husband. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Consultant editor for the, Spanish Armada: Opening of the naval conflict. In 1558, Elizabeth ascended to the throne upon Mary Tudor’s death. Queen Elizabeth I claimed the throne in 1558 at the age of 25 and held it until her death 44 years later. During her reign, she managed a number of suitors and potential royal matches. But, on September 7, 1533 in Greenwich Palace, Anne bore Elizabeth instead. The Elizabethan era is named for her. The need for circumspection, self-control, and political acumen became even greater after the death of the Protestant Edward in 1553 and the accession of Elizabeth’s older half sister Mary, a religious zealot set on returning England, by force if necessary, to the Roman Catholic faith. Still, she never married, perhaps because she preferred to keep power to herself. Elizabeth I, oil on panel by an unknown artist, 1550–99; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The puritans wanted far more reform and Elizabeth resisted that continually. While she worked hard at court, Elizabeth took time for leisurely pursuits. Henry VIII. She possessed a vast repertory of fantastically elaborate dresses and rich jewels. Corrections? Edward VI died just six years later, in 1553. L'habillement d'Elisabeth reine d'Angleterre comme protectrice des Etats del la Hollande (NYPL b14140320-1638214).tiff. Portret van Elisabeth I van Engeland, BK-NM-5063-2.jpg. Biography. This political symbolism, common to monarchies, had more substance than usual, for the queen was by no means a mere figurehead. There is with Elizabeth a continual gap between a dazzling surface and an interior that she kept carefully concealed. She was only 2 years old when her mother was beheaded on the orders of her father, based on questionable charges of adultery and conspiracy. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This attempt, along with her unpopular marriage to the ardently Catholic king Philip II of Spain, aroused bitter Protestant opposition. When she was told that Seymour had been beheaded, she betrayed no emotion. While the end of her reign had been difficult, Elizabeth is largely remembered as a queen who supported her people. She is best known for her religious persecutions of Protestants and the executions of over 300 subjects. After Francis' death, Mary returned to Scotland in 1561. Suspicious that her half-sister would try to seize power, Mary placed Elizabeth under what amounted to constant surveillance, even jailing her in the Tower of London for a short period of time. Mary had earned herself the nickname Bloody Mary for ordering the execution of 300 Protestants as heretics. Elizabeth’s early years were not auspicious. Known also as ‘The Virgin Queen’ and ‘Good Queen Bess’, she belonged to the House of Tudor – a golden age in English history – and reigned for a total of 45 years. Elizabeth enjoyed music and theatre and in 1583 created Queen Elizabeth’s Men – a royal troupe that went on to entertain her court frequently. Habit of Elizabeth Queen of England as protectoress of the states of Holland. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Elizabeth may have died from blood poisoning caused by the toxins in the heavy makeup she wore. Her father, King Henry VIII, had Parliament annul his marriage to Elizabeth’s mother—his second wife, Anne Boleyn—thus making Elizabeth an illegitimate child and removing her from the line of succession (although a later parliamentary act would return her to it). With Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush, Jordi Mollà. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I circa 1588. The last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth I ruled from 1558 until 1603. Wyatt was executed, but he maintained that Elizabeth was not aware of the rebellion. Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Historians differ on the extent that Catholics suffered religious persecution and execution under Elizabeth’s reign. Edward’s elder half-sister Mary was a regular visitor to his nursery. Her reign proved to be very short: Mary gained the support of the English people and unseated Grey after only nine days on the throne. Edward had appointed Grey to be his successor. Biography. However, by the time Elizabeth gave her first speech to Parliament in early 1559 she declared that it would be ‘sufficient’ for her to ‘live and die a virgin.’ On 24th March 1603, Elizabeth did in fact die in this precise manner at the age of 69. King Henry married his brother’s widow, Katherine of Aragon in the same year. Elizabeth I was born on September 7, 1533, in Greenwich, England. "Of myself I must say this, I was never any greedy, scraping grasper, nor a strait, fast-holding prince, nor yet a waster. She wasn’t popular with everyone, however. She was often a check on her ministers, who wanted to go further. Meticulously researched book about the waning years of Elizabeth I, Margaret George has created a three dimensional picture of Elizabeth's court and all the players. For the most part, Elizabeth I was a popular queen, both during and after her lifetime. The difficulty of her situation eased somewhat, though she was never far from suspicious scrutiny. Found guilty, Seymour was executed. The young prince, who shared Elizabeth’s love of learning, gratefully enthused to his “most dear mother”: “I received so many benefits from you that my mind can hardly grasp them.” Mary and Elizabeth. (Apparently, the king was undeterred by the logical inconsistency of simultaneously invalidating the marriage and accusing his wife of adultery.) For Queen Elizabeth I, who took the throne of England in 1558 and ruled until 1603, her reign was a matter of life and death. Elizabeth eventually returned to Hatfield and continued with her studies. It’s believed that the cosmetic concoction Elizabeth used to cultivate her infamously pale look, called the "spirits of Saturn" — made by mixing white lead and vinegar — may have impacted her health. France, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Pone and others were also creating troubles for her. Elizabeth was concerned that her imprisonment in the countryside would remove her too much from the public eye and her ceaseless letter-writing was an attempt to reassert her position as princess of England. Queen Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 to 1901 — the second-longest reign of any British monarch. Everything in Elizabeth’s early life taught her to pay careful attention to how she represented herself and how she was represented by others. 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