Queen Elizabeth I’s childhood was full of struggles and hardships. She was born on September 7, 1533 in Greenwich Palace. Her parents were King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn was a lady in waiting to Henry’s first wife, Katharine (“Elizabeth I” 1). They had a daughter named Mary who was Elizabeth’s half sister. Katharine did not produce a male heir so her and King Henry got a divorce (“Elizabeth …show more content…
Her father was obsessed with producing a male heir (“Elizabeth I” 2). Anne had suffered two miscarriages. The last one happened in January 1536. Henry’s first wife Katharine died in that same month. This left the king free to marry again. He did not want his next marriage “to be tainted by the specter of bigamy” so Anne, having never produced a male heir, was arrested and charged with various crimes, including, adultery and conspiracy (Hanson). King Henry VIII then married Jane Seymour, a lady in waiting to both Katharine and Anne. The king got his wish and his first male heir, Edward, was born on October 12, 1537 (Biography.com …show more content…
Under her leadership, England became strong and unified and trade and industry flourished (“Elizabeth I” 3). When she took the throne, the nation was torn by political and religious disputes. She also kept the authority of the crown against the increasing pressure from parliament. Elizabeth did this through the agency of her privy councilors and the force of her own personality (“Elizabeth I” 2). She restored the Church of England and helped soothe tensions between France and England. Overall she brought stability and economic growth to England (Lewis).
Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603 at Richmond Palace in Surrey. The Tudor house had ruled England since the late 1400s. When Elizabeth died the Tudor line ended. James I, son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, took the crown. Elizabeth’s reign as queen is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age (Biography.com Editors). The tasks Queen Elizabeth I accomplished before her death helped make England a stronger nation.
Queen Elizabeth I received an exceptional education and had a successful reign as queen despite her tough childhood. The struggles she faced at a young age helped shape the type of ruler she grew up to be. Stories of Elizabeth’s childhood and her reign as queen continue to be told today through books and