Queen Elizabeth I
King Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon when the young girl Anne Boleyn caught his eye. Henry believed himself in love with the young Anne and was determined to end his marriage with the older Catherine. King Henry wanted an annulment from Catherine, yet to obtain one meant having the Pope’s approval. Catherine had a powerful connection to many such as the great emperor Charles V, the Pope would not offend such a man and denied King Henry his annulment to his Queen Catherine. King Henry discreetly engaged n an affair with the young Anne Boleyn.
     King Henry and his advisors established their own church breaking away from th Catholic Church and formed the Church of England. King Henry now had full ecclesiastical power over England known as reformation. With king Henry’s new power over the church he would now obtain his anullument from Catherine of Aragon. 1
     In Januaray of 1533 King Henry married his pregnant Anne, who was belived to be carrinying the male heir to the throne. “Both Henry and Anne believed with their whole heart that the child she was expecting was a boy, and had every reason to as the philosophers and astronomers assured the jubilant king
                                                  Scruton 2     
that this time he would have a son.” (Thomas, par. 4) To the disappointment of the King, Queen and her supporters Anne gave birth to a girl, Elizabeth Tudor. “Elizabeth's birth was one of the most exciting political events in 16th century European history; rarely had so much turmoil occurred on behalf of a mere infant.” (Englishhistory) 4 Elizabeth’s birth was greeted with little celebration, however three days later she had a grand Christening a Greenwich Palace. 'Henry, beside himself with disappointment, did not attend the christening.' 2
     King Henry’s attitude towards his young wife changed aftr the birth of his Princess and he openly show his tiredness towards his Queen. His only heir was a young girl, and this was considered undesirable to have a woman ruler. France even had laws to prevent such an occurrence. Anne tried to have a son yet failed to do so miscarrying and then giving birth to a premature dead baby boy. Some have said that she lost her savior 1
     As Anne had her second mishap Catherine of Aragon died leaving Henry wanted yet another wife in the hope of producing a male heir. Anne was charge with adultery, witchcraft, and incest in which the jury found her guilty and was sentenced to death by beheadment. Anne was sent to the Tower of London where she awaited her execution, she did request of her husband the King that she be executed by sword rather than ax. King Henry sent to France for the best swordsmen to execute his young wife on the Tower Green may, 19th 1536. The Princess Elizabeth was now motherless at the young age of two and half years.
     After the death of Princess Elizabeth’s falsely accused mother she was declared a “royal bastard” 1 and a Princess no more. Elizabeth was a bright child, and this change in her title did not slip by her. She exclaimed "how haps it governor, yesterday my Lady Princess, today but my Lady Elizabeth?" (Thomas 1)
Her newly acquired stepmother Jane Seymour gave birth to the King’s male heir Edward and died shortly their after. Edward and Elizabeth had much in common now both motherless and living within Hatfield House. The two half siblings were quite close having more in common than with the older half sister Mary, and together obtained a high education. They studied philosophy, history, music, mathematics, and many languages including Latin, Greek, and Spanish.
Elizabeth was motherless once again when Henry had quickly had his marriage to Anne of Cleve annulled, they remained friends and Anne was affectionately referred to as the “King’s Dear Sister” 1 His next wife Katherine Howard was a cousin of Elizabeth and the new Queen enjoyed her young stepdaughter. Unfortunately, for Elizabeth her newly acquired stepmother committed adultery and suffered the same fate as her own mother. Elizabeth has had lost her own mother and three stepmothers by the age of eight. The impact of such a whirlwind of marriages leaving an impact of grand proportions on her that would haunt her in the future.
In the year of 1543, Henry marries yet again to Catherine Parr, a motherly woman who enjoyed having children around. Catherine tried to reconcile King Henry ith his daughters, but Elizabeth had ideasof her own. Not much is known as to why, yet she upset her father the King enough that she was banished from the Palace. Catherine softens Henry’s heart and Elizabeth is allowed back to Court albeit a bit late. Henry’s health had deteriorated and in January of 1547, his health failed him and he died on the twenty-eighth. Elizabeth and Edward were in London at the royal Palace of Enfield where they cried bitterly at the news of their father. Both were now orphans and they knew that their lives would now be changed at the ages of thirteen and nine respectively. Edwardr was now the King of England.
Elizabeth went to live with the Queen dowager Catherine and her newly acquired husband, the Lord, Admiral, Thomas Seymour. This led to yet more problems for young Elizabeth, he was an older experienced man and Catherine feared the worst. Elizabeth was sent away from her home under the pretense that the Queen was ill. Once the Queen passed the Admiral had intentions to marry Elizabeth, which led to treason charges against him of which he was found guilty and put to death. Elizabeth too had been questioned and found to be innocent.. Yet until that point she had been closely guarded and her servants all had been arrested. At the tender age of fifteen she had many lives at stake if she too was found guilty.
Elizabeth was barred from Court after the scandal with Seymour and her brother had become distant to her. In the year of 1553, King Edward dies and Mary becomes Queen and allowed Elizabeth the prestigue of riding into London with her. Many urged Mary to end her sister’s life, Mary married Phillip II and a rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt failed, but not without consequences for Elizabeth who was supposedly intended to marry Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon. (Elizabethorg) Once again young Elizabeth was questioned and sent to the Tower of London, then sent to the Bell Tower where many encourage Mary to have her executed. Elizabeth was a threat to Crown.
Mary’s reign was questioned by many, for the practice of burning Protestants at the stake. The war in France also cost Mary, as they lost Calais the last foothold England had there. Queen Mary also implied she was pregnant which as months passed all knew to be false. Elizabeth was quite relieved at this, a baby would mean Elizabeth would have less of chance to become the Queen.
'Proud and haughty, as although she knows she was born of such a mother, she nevertheless does not consider herself of inferior degree to the Queen, whom she equals in self-esteem; nor does she believe herself less legitimate than her Majesty, alleging in her own favour that her mother would never cohabit with the King unless by way of marriage, with the authority of the Church....
She prides herself on her father and glories in him; everybody saying that she also resembles him more than the Queen does and he therefore always liked her and had her brought up in the same way as the Queen.' the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Michiel describes Elizabeth; spring 1557
Phillip II convinced his wife the Queen to name Elizabeth the next heir to the throne. This was to keep the French from becoming into power in England. Mary, Queen of Scots, Margaret’s eldest daughter, sister to Henry VIII was next in line to be the heir of England. November 1558 Elizabeth receives news that Mary, Queen of England has passed away she was now the Queen of England and in charge of her life at the age of twenty-five. Elizabeth said "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes" 1 at the thought that she now controls her destiny.

I will be as good unto ye as ever a Queen was unto her people. No will in me can lack, neither do I trust shall there lack any power. And persuade yourselves that for the safety and quietness of you all I will not spare if need be to spend my blood.
(Elizabeth to the Lord Mayor and people of London on the eve of her Coronation) (Elizabethi.org)

In 1559, January fifteenth the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place in Westminster Abbey. She was had numerous suitors and was well liked, yet her country was in shambles. Four months later Elizabeth put into place the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, which restored some of the Protestants Prayer book and gave Elizabeth full power of the Church.
In the proceeding years a treaty Scotland for peace and a treaty with Cateau-Cambresis, peace for France and a secret treaty, the Treaty of Richmond, with French Huguenots was made. September 1562 French gain the assistance of England by Elizabeth’s’ signing of the Treaty of Hampton Court.
In 1563 Queen Elizabeth issued The Thirty Nine Articles which defined the Anglican faith. The Archbishops, bishops and the entire clergy of the provinces of Canterbury and York agreed upon the articles, which were all written in Latin. This same year London experienced the Bubonic Plague, Elizabeth moved her court to Windsor castle in hopes of saving herself from the devastating plague.
Queen Elizabeth had times of leisure also; she enjoyed riding the countryside, hunting, tennis, music and dancing. Plays, masques and other dramatic performances were also a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. She enjoyed chess, backgammon and cards also. Elizabeth also loved to read and write and wrote many poems and sonnets in her lifetime.
A Sonnet by Queen Elizabeth
The doubt of future foes
Exiles my present joy;
And wit me warnes to shun such snares,
As threaten mine annoy.
For falshood now doth flow,
And subject faith doth ebbe;
Which would not be if reason rul'd,
Or wisdome wev'd the webbe.
But clowdes of toyes untried
Do cloake aspiring mindes;
Which turn to raine of late repent,
By course of changed windes.
The toppe of hope supposed
The roote of ruthe wil be;
And frutelesse all their graffed guiles,
As shortly ye shall see.
Then dazeld eyes with pride,
Which great ambition blindes,
Shal be unseeld by worthy wights,
Whose foresight falshood finds.
The daughter of debate,
That eke discord doth sowe,
Shal reape no gaine where former rule
Hath taught stil peace to growe.
No forreine bannisht wight
Shall ancre in this port;
Our realme it brookes no strangers force,
Let them elsewhere resort.
Our rusty sworde with rest
Shall first his edge employ,
Shall quickly poll their toppes, that seeke
Such change, and gape for joy.
Elizabeth's verses, while prisoner at Woodstock [Writ with charcoal on a shutter]
Oh, Fortune! how thy restlesse wavering state
Hath fraught with cares my troubled witt!
Witnes this present prisonn, whither fate
Could beare me, and the joys I quitt.
Thou causedest the guiltie to be losed
From bandes, wherein are innocents inclosed:
Causing the guiltles to be straite reserved,
And freeing those that death had well deserved.
But by her envie can be nothing wroughte,
So God send to my foes all they have thoughte.
signed - A. D. MDLV.
Elizabethe, Prisonner.
(tudorhistory.org)
The famous astronomer Galileo dies in 1564, the same year that Shakespeare is born. (1) Te following year Mary Queen f Scots marries Henry Stuart. Elizabeth seizes the treasure of a Spanish fleet driven into Plymouth. A rebellion breaks out against Elizabeth in November of 1569 in the north. In the north of England, a large number of the nobility, gentry, and people remained firm in their attachment to the old faith. The Northern Earls wanted to restore the old religious way that Elizabeth no longer followed. Thomas Percy of Northumberland and Charles Neville, of Westmorland headed the rebellion with the intentions to also free Mary, Queen of Scots.
"We, Thomas, Earl of Northumberland, and Charles, Earl of Westmorland, the Queen's true and faithful subjects, to all that came of the old Catholic Religion, know ye that we, with many other well-disposed persons, as well of the Nobility as others, have promised our Faith to the Furtherance of this our good meaning. Forasmuch as divers disordered and well-disposed persons about the Queen's Majesty, have, by their subtle and crafty dealings to advance themselves, overcome in this Realm, the true and Catholic Religion towards God, and by the same abused the Queen, disordered the Realm, and now lastly seek and procure the destruction of the Nobility; We, therefore, have gathered ourselves together to resist by force, and the rather by the help of God and you good people, to see redress of these things amiss, with the restoring of all ancient customs and liberties to God's Church, and this noble Realm; lest if we should not do it ourselves, we might be reformed by strangers, to the great hazard of the state of this our country, whereunto we are all bound. God save the Queen." (.tudorplace 9)
The rebellion lasted until February of 1570, where England defeated the rebellious group. Many were put to death and the lands of the Northern Earls were forfeited to the Crown.
     In 1571 Elizabeth was a target of assassination plot by an Italian conspirator Roberto di Ridolfi. His goal was to have Mary Queen of Scots on the throne of England by using the Spanish Army to conquer the countryside. The Duke of Norfolk was tried and found guilty on the account of treason and became the first nobleman to be executed during Elizabeth’s reign for such a crime.
Francis, Duke of Alencon, negotiates marriage plans with the Queen herself. A marriage treaty is signed between Elizabeth and Alencon in the fall of 1581. This is the closest Elizabeth come to marriage. It’s believed that Elizabeth was emotionally dramatized as a child from the many marriages her father King Henry VIII. Elizabeth’s groom to be dies in June of 1584.
The Babington plot to assassin Elizabeth I and place Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne is revealed by Francis Walsingham. Babington and his other conspirators are put on trial and found guilty. Mary, Queen of Scots was on put on trail for her supposed knowledge in the plot. The Queen of Scots is sentenced and Elizabeth signs her death warrant for the execution of Mary. In 1591 the founding of the Trinity College honors Queen Elizabeth.
The Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux revolts against Queen Elizabeth I. A month later Essex is tried for treason against the Queen and he is executed. He was a favorite of the Queen, and perhaps a romantic interest of hers as well. The Virgin Queen signed his death warrant with a heavy heart and grieved his death to her dying day. A. Weir, The life of Elizabeth I
In 1601 Elizabeth I delivered her infamous speech the “Golden Speech” also known as The farewell Speech. On the afternoon of 30 November, 140 Members of the Commons, 141 with the Speaker, crowded into the Presence Chamber and fell to their knees as Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, entered the room. She was sixty-eight and in excellent health, but perhaps some guessed that this would be her last Parliament. She had come to deliver what should have been a speech on finance, but she turned it into 'golden words', which were to be reprinted up to the eighteenth century, whenever England was in danger, as the Golden Speech of Queen Elizabeth.
For I, oh Lord, what am I, whom practices and perils past should not fear? Or what can I do? That I should speak for any glory, God forbid.' And turning to the Speaker and her councilors she said, 'And I pray to you Mr Comptroller, Mr Secretary and you of my Council, that before these gentlemen go into their countries, you bring them all to kiss my hand.' (R.Miles, I, Elizabeth: The Word of a Queen12)
As the year 1603 enters the end of March, Good Queen Bess passes away at the age of sixty-nine as the Richmond Palace. They lay the good Queen to rest at Westminster Abbey in London. She was the last of the Tudor Monarchs to rule over England.

A. Weir, The life of Elizabeth I (1999)te is
E J Bicknell, A Theological Introduction to the Thirty - nine Articles of the Church of England (1947)
P T Fuhrmann, Introduction to the Great Creeds of the Church (1960)
K N Ross, The Thirty - nine Articles (1957).
R. Miles, I, Elizabeth: The Word of a Queen (2003)
self-published
     
1 http://www.elizabethi.org/us/ Heather Thomas
2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/monarchs_leaders/elizabeth_i_01.shtml Alexandra Briscoe
3 http://tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/
4 http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/eliz1.html
5 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1.html
6 http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/elizabeth.htm
7 http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page46.asp
8 http://www.headlinehistory.co.uk/online/North%20West/tudor/adverts(4).htm
9 http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/NorthernRebellion.htm