Who was Queen Elizabeth the first?
Sometimes referred to as the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife, who was executed when Elizabeth was 2 1⁄2 years old.
Who was the favourite of Queen Elizabeth I?
English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Queen Elizabeth I. Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG, PC (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death.
How old was Mary Queen of Scots when she died?
1587-02-01 Queen Elizabeth I of England signs death warrant for her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots 1587-02-08 Mary, Queen of Scots, is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle aged 44 after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I in the Babington Plot
Who was the monarch of England from 1580 to 1589?
This timeline gives a chronological listing of the main events in English history for the years 1580 – 1589. The monarch for this period was Elizabeth I. 1580 (26th September) Francis Drake returned to England having circumnavigated the World.
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How is Queen Elizabeth 1 related to Queen Elizabeth 2?
Put another way, Queen Elizabeth II is related to Queen Elizabeth I through a common ancestor: King Henry VII. That means that Queen Elizabeth II is the first cousin of Elizabeth I, either 13 or 14 times removed, depending on whom you ask.
How old was Elizabeth when Anne Boleyn died?
two years and eight months oldElizabeth is two years and eight months old when her mother Anne Boleyn is accused of adultery and beheaded on the orders of Henry VIII.
At what age did Elizabeth 1 became queen?
25 years oldMary dies on November 17, 1558. Elizabeth is crowned queen of England. She is 25 years old. She has received a good education and is well prepared to rule.
How did Queen Elizabeth died in 1603?
Elizabeth I died on 24 March 1603 at the age of 69 after a reign of 45 years. Many now believe she died by blood poisoning, but a post-mortem at the time wasn't permitted.
Did Queen Elizabeth have lovers?
Elizabeth had many lovers - MYTH However, Elizabeth had many favourites and close friends who were men, including Robert Dudley, Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, and Robert Devereux, as well as many prominent suitors, including many of the crown rulers of Europe and their heirs.
How many pregnancies did Anne Boleyn have?
Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, became pregnant four times. She herself was born of parents who had a child “every year”, although only three lived to adulthood.
What did Elizabeth 1 look like?
In her Sixty-Fifth Year: “Her face is oblong, fair but wrinkled; her eyes small, yet black and pleasant; her nose a little hooked; her teeth black (a fault the English seem to suffer from because of their great use of sugar); she wore false hair, and that red.”
Why did Elizabeth become queen and not Mary?
Mary desperately wanted a child to secure England's future as a Catholic nation but, after a number of false pregnancies, realised she would die childless. Without ever mentioning Elizabeth by name, Mary reluctantly consented to the next successor according to the terms of Henry VIII's will.
Who succeeded Queen Elizabeth 1st?
James VI of ScotlandShe died at Richmond Palace on 24 March 1603, having become a legend in her lifetime. The date of her accession was a national holiday for two hundred years. James VI of Scotland was Elizabeth's successor and became James I of England.
How many queens has England had?
In all England / Britain's eight queens have reigned for a total of just under two hundred years with four of them producing seventeen heirs between them and four of them dying childless and without issue. QUEEN DOWAGER - A queen dowager is the widow of a former king and the mother of the present monarch.
Who is the next Queen of England?
After an historic 70 years on the throne as Britain's longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, at her home at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, on Sept. 8, 2022. Immediately upon her passing, her eldest son, Prince Charles, became the new king.
Who was the first queen in the world?
Mary I was the first Queen Regnant (that is, a queen reigning in her own right rather than a queen through marriage to a king). Courageous and stubborn, her character was moulded by her early years.
Did Elizabeth Boleyn have children?
Mary BoleynAnne BoleynGeorge Boleyn, 2nd Viscount R...Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire/Children
How is Anne Boleyn related to queen Elizabeth?
Anne Boleyn, Boleyn also spelled Bullen, (born 1507? —died May 19, 1536, London, England), second wife of King Henry VIII of England and mother of Queen Elizabeth I.
What did Elizabeth 1st look like?
“slender and straight; her hair was inclined to pale yellow, her forehead large and fair, her eyes lively and sweet, but short-sighted, her nose somewhat rising in the middle; her countenance was somewhat long, but yet of admirable beauty, in a most delightful composition of majesty and modesty”.
How is queen Elizabeth related to Mary Boleyn?
Yes-a 12th great granddaughter of “the infamous whore” Mary Boleyn, sits on the throne of England. Through her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of Mary Boleyn through her daughter Katherine Carey.
Who was the last Queen of England?
Signature. Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Sometimes called the Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor . Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife, ...
Who was Elizabeth the second child of Henry VIII?
Elizabeth was born at Greenwich Palace and was named after her grandmothers, Elizabeth of York and Eliza beth Howard. She was the second child of Henry VIII of England born in wedlock to survive infancy. Her mother was Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn. At birth, Elizabeth was the heir presumptive to the throne of England. Her older half-sister, Mary, had lost her position as a legitimate heir when Henry annulled his marriage to Mary's mother, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne, with the intent to sire a male heir and ensure the Tudor succession. She was baptised on 10 September 1533; Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the Marquess of Exeter, the Duchess of Norfolk, and the Dowager Marchioness of Dorset stood as her godparents. A canopy was carried at the ceremony over the three-day old child by her uncle Viscount Rochford, Lord Hussey, Lord Thomas Howard, and Lord Howard of Effingham.
What was Elizabeth's first policy toward Scotland?
Elizabeth's first policy toward Scotland was to oppose the French presence there. She feared that the French planned to invade England and put her Catholic cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne. Mary was considered by many to be the heir to the English crown, being the granddaughter of Henry VIII's elder sister, Margaret. Mary boasted being "the nearest kinswoman she hath". Elizabeth was persuaded to send a force into Scotland to aid the Protestant rebels, and though the campaign was inept, the resulting Treaty of Edinburgh of July 1560 removed the French threat in the north. When Mary returned to Scotland in 1561 to take up the reins of power, the country had an established Protestant church and was run by a council of Protestant nobles supported by Elizabeth. Mary refused to ratify the treaty.
How long did Elizabeth and Leicester's friendship last?
Pair of miniatures of Elizabeth and Leicester, c. 1575, by Nicholas Hilliard. Their friendship lasted for over thirty years, until his death.
What is the meaning of Elizabeth's virginity?
Elizabeth's unmarried status inspired a cult of virginity related to that of the Virgin Mary. In poetry and portraiture, she was depicted as a virgin or a goddess or both, not as a normal woman. At first, only Elizabeth made a virtue of her ostensible virginity: in 1559, she told the Commons, "And, in the end, 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". Later on, poets and writers took up the theme and developed an iconography that exalted Elizabeth. Public tributes to the Virgin by 1578 acted as a coded assertion of opposition to the queen's marriage negotiations with the Duke of Alençon.
Why did Elizabeth I never marry?
From the start of Elizabeth's reign, it was expected that she would marry and the question arose to whom. Although she received many offers, she never married and was childless; the reasons for this are not clear. Historians have speculated that Thomas Seymour had put her off sexual relationships. She considered several suitors until she was about fifty. Her last courtship was with Francis, Duke of Anjou, 22 years her junior. While risking possible loss of power like her sister, who played into the hands of King Philip II of Spain, marriage offered the chance of an heir. However, the choice of a husband might also provoke political instability or even insurrection.
How old was Elizabeth when her mother was beheaded?
Elizabeth was two years and eight months old when her mother was beheaded on 19 May 1536, four months after Catherine of Aragon's death from natural causes.
What did Pius V do to the Queen?
1570-02-25 Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England for heresy and persecution of English Catholics during her reign. Also absolves her subjects from allegiance to the crown. 1571-01-23 Queen Elizabeth I of England opens Royal Exchange in London. 1575-01-22 English Queen Elizabeth I grants Thomas Tallis & William Byrd music press monopoly.
Why is Elizabeth I so famous?
The so called Elizabethan era was famous for its playwrights ( William Shakespeare) and exploration ( Francis Drake ).
How many wives did Henry VIII have?
Henry VIII, who became King of England on this day in history, disposed of two wives in his quest for a son and heir – and was to marry four others. April 21, 1509.
When was the first lottery?
Lotteries have been around for centuries but on this day the world’s first national state lottery was played out – with fabulous and surprising prizes. January 11, 1569.
Who was the Queen of England in 1587?
1587-02-01 Queen Elizabeth I of England signs death warrant for her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. 1587-02-08 Mary, Queen of Scots, is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle aged 44 after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I in the Babington Plot.
Who was beheaded in 1587?
1587-02-08 Mary, Queen of Scots, is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle aged 44 after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I in the Babington Plot
Who wrote the note on the passing of Queen Elizabeth I?
John Manningham Notes the Passing of Queen Elizabeth I. John Manningham was an English lawyer and diarist who wrote this especially moving entry on the passing of Queen Elizabeth I. March 24, 1603.
Who was the Queen of England's half sister?
This broke with the policy of her predecessor and half-sister, Queen Mary I , a Catholic monarch who ruthlessly tried to eliminate Protestantism from English society. Elizabeth undertook her own campaign to suppress Catholicism in England, although hers was more moderate and less bloody than the one enacted by Mary.
Who was Henry VIII's second wife?
She was born at Greenwich Palace, the daughter of the Tudor king Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Henry had defied the pope and broken England from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in order to dissolve his marriage with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, who had borne him a daughter, Mary.
What were the biggest issues facing England during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign?
Queen Elizabeth I inherited several issues from the reign of her predecessor, Queen Mary I, including an unpopular war with France and the religious divisions that Mary’s campaign against Protestantism had left behind .
What was Queen Elizabeth I’s relationship to religion in England?
Upon assuming the throne, Queen Elizabeth I restored England to Protestantism . This broke with the policy of her predecessor and half-sister, Queen Mary I, a Catholic monarch who ruthlessly tried to eliminate Protestantism from English society. Elizabeth undertook her own campaign to suppress Catholicism in England, although hers was more moderate and less bloody than the one enacted by Mary. In fact, Elizabeth’s religious moderateness earned her the ire of some of the more radical Protestants, who were convinced that her reforms were inadequate for cleansing English society of what they saw as the vestiges of Catholicism. In reality, Elizabeth wasn’t interested in catering to either Protestantism or Catholicism, the zeal of both having the potential to disrupt the kind of law and order she was trying to establish. Her religious policies, such as the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity, went a lot further to consolidate the power of the church under her and to regularize the practice of the faith.
What was Queen Elizabeth I’s personal life like?
Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was three years old, Henry had Anne beheaded and their marriage declared invalid, thus rendering Elizabeth an illegitimate child and removing her from the line of succession (to which Parliament would later restore her). Two of Elizabeth’s half-siblings sat on the throne after Henry’s death in 1547: Edward VI, who acceded at the age of nine and died six years later; and Mary I, who operated under the belief that Elizabeth was trying to seize power from her for the entirety of her own five-year reign. When Elizabeth was crowned monarch in 1558, her lack of a husband and heir became one of the defining issues for the remainder of her rule. As the end of her life approached, she forestalled the successional crisis that might otherwise have arisen by designating King James VI of Scotland as the next in line to the throne. The rule of the Tudor dynasty ended with the death of Elizabeth.
How did Elizabeth respond to the War of Religion?
The threat posed by the former subsided with the 1562 outbreak of the War of Religion in France, and Elizabeth responded to the latter by returning England to Protestantism and having Parliament formalize certain aspects of the Church of England ’s doctrine.
How did Elizabeth manage to keep her inward convictions to herself?
There is with Elizabeth a continual gap between a dazzling surface and an interior that she kept carefully concealed. 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. Everything in Elizabeth’s early life taught her to pay careful attention to how she represented herself and how she was represented by others. She learned her lesson well.
What treaty did Elizabeth I and James VI sign?
1 July - Treaty of Berwick, in which Elizabeth I and James VI form a league of amity.
When did Elizabeth sign the death warrant?
1 February - Elizabeth signs the death warrant of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Why did Francis come to England?
Francis, Duke of Alencon, comes to England to further the negotioations for Queen Elizabeth's hand in marriage.
Why was Francis Throgmorton executed?
10 July - Francis Throgmorton is executed for conspiring a Spanish invasion of England.
What happened to Sir Philip Sidney?
17 October - Sir Philip Sidney dies of wounds received in the Battle of Zutphen.
Who led a campaign to Portugal in 13 April?
13 April - Francis Drake and Sir John Norris lead a campaign to Portugal.
Who accepts the sovereignty of the Northern Netherlands?
William of Orange accepts the sovereignty of the northern Netherlands.
What was the most important thing that happened in the 1584 expedition?
Perhaps the most important outcome of the 1584 expedition was the return to England with two Algonquian on board, Manteo of the Croatoan tribe and Wanchese of the Roanoacs. The two Algonquian were the subject of much fascination upon their arrival in England and likely boosted Raleigh’s efforts to enlist more investors in the potential colony. In addition, Manteo and Wanchese provided the English with detailed descriptions of Algonquian culture and social structure.
What was the goal of the 1584 expedition?
The goal of England’s 1584 expedition was not to establish a colony but to scout potential locations along the eastern seaboard for future settlement. The sailors found a potential site at Roanoke Island, a small land mass resting between the mainland and the Outer Banks.
What would a colony do to the Spanish?
First, a colony would act as a buffer against Spanish control of the North and South American coasts. Second, a colony would act as a base for privateering, allowing English ships to attack Spanish vessels and gain control of Spanish treasure and trade routes in the region .
Where did the first English colony sail from?
On April 9, 1585, almost one year to the day of the first expedition’s departure, 600 English soldiers and sailors in seven ships (with Manteo and Wanchese on board) sailed from Plymouth, England in an attempt to establish the first English colony in North America. Last updated: May 10, 2021.
What was England's primary goal in North America in the late sixteenth-century?
In the late sixteenth-century, England’s primary goal in North America was to disrupt Spanish shipping. Catholic Spain, under the rule of Philip II, had dominated the coast of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida for the latter part of the 1500s.
Who said the earth brings forth all things in abundance?
The earth bringeth forth all things in abundance, as in the first creation, without toil or labor. Arthur Barlowe. John White's depiction of two Algonquian sitting down for a meal. British Museum.
Why was Mary Queen of Scots put on trial?
Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial for her part in the Babington Plot. She was found guilty and sentenced to death. However, Elizabeth, who feared reprisals from Europe, did not sign the death warrant.
What did the Spanish armada do?
Spanish Armada#N#The English sent fireships to attack the Spanish ships at Gravelines. Those ships that survived the attack fled to the North Sea where many were further damaged by a storm.
Why did Robert Dudley resign?
Robert Dudley resigned as commander of English troops in the Netherlands. He was annoyed with Elizabeth’s policy of duplicity and also her failure to adequately provide for the troops in terms of supplies and food.
What is the bond of association?
Bond of Association#N#This was a document drawn up by Walsingham that meant anyone attempting to take the throne from Elizabeth or make an attempt on her life would be executed.
What did Elizabeth wear in her speech?
She wore a silver armoured breastplate over her dress. Her famous speech includes the words “I now I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.”.
Why did FitzGerald lead the Irish revolt?
Gerald FitzGerald led a revolt against the English who had been ‘planted’ (sent to live in Ireland) to prevent foreign Catholic nations using the country as a base from which to attack England. In retaliation the English pushed the Irish rebels back, slaughtered people, and burned crops and homes which led to the death of around 30,000 Irish men ...
Who was the plotter for the Babington plot?
The Babington Plot#N#Francis Walsingham uncovered a new plot to replace Elizabeth with Mary Queen of Scots. Anthony Babington had sent secret coded letters to Mary Queen of Scots organising her escape from imprisonment and her overthrow of Elizabeth as Queen.
What caused the stop in Puerto Rico?
The stop in Puerto Rico had caused conflict between Grenville and Ralph Lane, an Irishman appointed governor of the new colony. Lane believed that Grenville’s delay in Puerto Rico, which involved privateering and trading as well as repairs to the damaged fleet, had cost valuable time for the colonists to prepare for winter. In addition to the hostilities between Grenville and Lane, one of the largest ships in the fleet, the Tiger, was too large to enter the sounds surrounding Roanoke Island. It, along with other larger English ships, were forced to anchor off the Atlantic coast, exposing themselves to more volatile weather and seas.
Why did Wingina call himself Pemisapan?
Wingina, now calling himself Pemisapan possibly to signify his new hostile stance on the English, attempted to cut off all food supplies to the colonists, forcing them to break up into small det achments in search of food, detachments that could easily be overwhelmed by a larger Secoton force.
Why did Ralph Lane build a jail?
This reliance may have led to an increasing paranoia in Ralph Lane; he began to exert strict control over the colonists, going so far as to construct a jail to maintain order and discipline.
What happened to the tiger in Roanoke?
The initial plan of making Roanoke Island a permanent colony and privateering base had been destroyed along with the Tiger’s cargo .
When did the first English colony sail to the Outer Banks?
The 1584 expedition having determined Roanoke Island to be a favorable location for the first English colony in North America, seven English vessels with 600 soldiers and sailors began their voyage from England to the Outer Banks in April, 1585.
Did Ralph Lane return to America?
Ralph Lane would never return to North America. However, less than one year after Lane returned to England with Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh would send 118 men, women, and children again to Roanoke Island in his most ambitious attempt yet to establish a lasting English colony.
Who was the main backer of Francis Drake?
Leicester was engaged in many large-scale business ventures and was one of the main backers of Francis Drake and other explorers and privateers. During the Spanish Armada, the Earl was in overall command of the English land forces. In this function, he invited Queen Elizabeth to visit her troops at Tilbury.
Who was the bridegroom of Kett's Rebellion?
In 1549 Robert Dudley participated in crushing Kett's Rebellion and probably first met Amy Robsart, whom he was to wed on 4 June 1550 in the presence of the young King Edward. She was of the same age as the bridegroom and the daughter and heiress of Sir John Robsart, a gentleman-farmer of Norfolk.
How did Earl of Leicester die?
Leicester's health had not been good for some time; historians have considered malaria and stomach cancer as causes of death. His death came unexpectedly, and only a week earlier he had said farewell to Elizabeth. She was deeply affected and locked herself in her apartment for a few days until Lord Burghley had the door broken. Her nickname for Dudley had been "Eyes", which was symbolised by the sign of ôô in their letters to each other. Elizabeth kept the letter he had sent her six days before his death in her bedside treasure box, endorsing it with "his last letter" on the outside. It was still there when she died 15 years later on 24 March 1603.
What was Dudley's role in the royal household?
On ceremonial occasions Dudley often acted as an unofficial consort, sometimes in the Queen's stead. He largely assumed charge of court ceremonial and organised hundreds of small and large festivities. From 1587 he was Lord Steward, being responsible for the royal household 's supply with food and other commodities. He displayed a strong sense for economising and reform in this function, which he had de facto occupied long before his official appointment. The sanitary situation in the palaces was a perennial problem, and a talk with Leicester about these issues inspired John Harington to construct a water closet. Leicester was a lifelong sportsman, hunting and jousting in the tiltyard, and an indefatigable tennis-player. He was also the Queen's regular dancing partner.
What was Robert Dudley's influence on the Queen?
As "a male favourite to a virgin queen", Robert Dudley found himself in an unprecedented situation. His apartments at court were next to hers, and—perceived as knowing "the Queen and her nature best of any man"—his influence was matched by few. Another side of such privileges was Elizabeth's possessiveness and jealousy. His company was essential for her well-being and for many years he was hardly allowed to leave. Sir Christopher Hatton reported a growing emergency when the Earl was away for a few weeks in 1578: "This court wanteth your presence. Her majesty is unaccompanied and, I assure you, the chambers are almost empty."
Where is Leicester buried?
Leicester was buried, as he had requested, in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick on 10 October 1588—in the same chapel as Richard Beauchamp, his ancestor, and the "noble Impe", his little son. Countess Lettice was also buried there when she died in 1634, alongside the "best and dearest of husbands", as the epitaph, which she commissioned, says.
Who was Lord of Denbigh?
Though an absentee landlord, Leicester , who was also Lord of Denbigh, regarded the lordship as an integral part of a territorial base for a revived House of Dudley. He set about developing the town of Denbigh with large building projects; the church he planned, though, was never finished, being too ambitious. It would have been not only the largest, but also the first post- Reformation church in England and Wales built according to a plan where the preacher was to take the centre instead of the altar, thus stressing the importance of preaching in the Protestant Church. In vain Leicester tried to have the nearby episcopal see of St. Asaph transferred to Denbigh. He also encouraged and supported the translation of the Bible and the Common Prayer Book into Welsh.
How many children did Queen Victoria have?
Queen Victoria, who died at the age of 81, had four sons including Edward VII, and five daughters. She reigned for 63 years, seven months and two days, to become the longest-reigning British monarch till Elizabeth II surpassed her on Sept. 9, 2015. Queen Elizabeth II took the throne in 1952 after King George VI's death.
Why was the Act of Settlement changed?
However, in 2011, the Act of Settlement was changed before Prince George’s birth, to ensure succession would not be affected by gender of the child. It was during the reign of Queen Anne, who was on the throne from 1702 to 1714, that the Treaty of Union was signed between the Kingdom of England ...
How many years did Queen Elizabeth II serve?
Britain to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 65 years on the throne. In this photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves after attending the Christmas Day service at church in Sandringham, eastern England, Dec. 25, 2015. Photo: Reuters/Peter Nicholls/File Photo.
Which country did King George III rule?
It was during the reign of King George III that the Kingdom of Great Britain merged with the Kingdom of Ireland, becoming the country we know today. Below is a timeline of those who ruled United Kingdom since. King George III (1760-1820) King George IV (1820-1830) King William IV (1830-1837) Queen Victoria (1837-1901) King Edward VII (1901-1910)
When did Queen Elizabeth II take the throne?
Queen Elizabeth II took the throne in 1952 after King George VI's death. In Britain, the crown is normally passed from the monarch to the eldest son. As King George VI had no son, the crown passed to his elder daughter. However, in 2011, the Act of Settlement was changed before Prince George’s birth, to ensure succession would not be affected by gender of the child.
Overview
Wars and overseas trade
Elizabeth's foreign policy was largely defensive. The exception was the English occupation of Le Havre from October 1562 to June 1563, which ended in failure when Elizabeth's Huguenot allies joined with the Catholics to retake the port. Elizabeth's intention had been to exchange Le Havre for Calais, lost to France in January 1558. Only through the activities of her fleets did Elizabeth pursue an …
Early life
Elizabeth was born at Greenwich Palace on 7 September 1533 and was named after her grandmothers, Elizabeth of York and Lady Elizabeth Howard. She was the second child of Henry VIII of England born in wedlock to survive infancy. Her mother was Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn. At birth, Elizabeth was the heir presumptive to the English throne. Her elder half-sister Mary had lost her positi…
Thomas Seymour
Henry VIII died in 1547 and Elizabeth's half-brother, Edward VI, became king at the age of nine. Catherine Parr, Henry's widow, soon married Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, Edward VI's uncle and the brother of Lord Protector Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset. The couple took Elizabeth into their household at Chelsea. There Elizabeth experienced an emotional crisi…
Mary I's reign
Edward VI died on 6 July 1553, aged 15. His will ignored the Succession to the Crown Act 1543, excluded both Mary and Elizabeth from the succession, and instead declared as his heir Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII's younger sister Mary. Jane was proclaimed queen by the privy council, but her support quickly crumbled, and she was deposed after nine days. On 3 August …
Accession
Elizabeth became queen at the age of 25, and declared her intentions to her council and other peers who had come to Hatfield to swear allegiance. The speech contains the first record of her adoption of the medieval political theology of the sovereign's "two bodies": the body natural and the body politic:
My lords, the law of nature moves me to sorrow for my sister; the burden that i…
Church settlement
Elizabeth's personal religious convictions have been much debated by scholars. She was a Protestant, but kept Catholic symbols (such as the crucifix), and downplayed the role of sermons in defiance of a key Protestant belief.
Elizabeth and her advisers perceived the threat of a Catholic crusade against heretical England. The queen therefore sought a Protestant solution that woul…
Marriage question
From the start of Elizabeth's reign it was expected that she would marry, and the question arose to whom. Although she received many offers, she never married and remained childless; the reasons for this are not clear. Historians have speculated that Thomas Seymour had put her off sexual relationships. She considered several suitors until she was about fifty. Her last courtship was with Francis, …