Introduction: Elizabeth I

Abstract

After a very brief discussion of all the themes of the books, the introduction provides a biography of Elizabeth beginning with her birth in September 1533. Less than three years later her father had her mother executed and declared Elizabeth a bastard. Before her father’s death she was restored to the succession. Elizabeth received a fine education. Despite the dangers in both her brother and sister’s reigns, Elizabeth survived to become queen at the age of twenty-five in 1558. Elizabeth did all she could to restore stability to her country. She had dedicated men who served her. Two important issues were the religious settlement and the succession. Elizabeth as a Protestant queen established a broadly based religious settlement. She refused to name an heir, and though she had many courtships, never married. One of the biggest problems of her reign were the attempts of her Catholic cousin Mary Stuart and her supporters to have Elizabeth assassinated after Mary fled to England. Mary was executed in 1587. The following year Philip II sent the Spanish Armada against England, but it was defeated. The final years of Elizabeth’s reign saw with economic problems and struggles with Ireland, but also the development of great drama.