Elizabethan Era England History

Elizabeth I was born on September 7, 1533, to the monarch King Henry the Eighth and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

The king wanted a son to carry the family name, so her birth was not celebrated.

She was the final ruler from the Tudors and fifth in line. Her education was not lacking in any way and she was raised by nurses and governesses till she reached majority.

Queen Elizabeth I was often hailed as the Virgin queen. She popularized the virginal look as well as the practice.

The crown did not come easily to her. After her mother was beheaded on suspicion of incest and treason, she was declared as illegitimate and her half brother even wrote her out of his will.

She had a half sister, Mary who had her incarcerated for a year. She was a Protestant supporter, a fact that garnered her ill favour from Queen Mary.

In 1558, she ascended the throne at the age of 25 years. Her coronation took place at the Westminster Abbey. She was received with adulation and happiness by her subjects.

Her state of not being married was a piece for speculation. Even to day historians ponder over the reason for her refusal to marry.

It may have been because of the tragic death of her mother, or fear of child birth or the need to preserve power, no one knows for sure.

Lord Roberts Dudley and Sir Francis of Ajou were purported to be two of her suitors whom she did not end up marrying.

The period in which she ruled was the pinnacle of renaissance. Art, drama, poetry and literature gained much importance and patronage from ruler.

Many great people like Shakespeare lived in this era. This era is considered as a golden period in English history during which, England flourished politically, financially, internationally and also in the field of art.

Elizabeth I died in March 1603. Elizabethan period is considered a golden period not only in history of England but also in history of the world.

The main reason for this was, it was an era of great artistic development and Shakespeare wrote his plays during this Era. There were many facets to life during this era noticeable the superstitions, witchcraft, arts, language and much more.

Another bright spot to the Elizabethan age was the prosperity that came to England during this time. Many of the reformations that were made by previous monarchs had produced a lot of trading going on across the Atlantic Ocean. For this, the country of England was very prosperous. It was so prosperous that many refer to the Elizabethan age as the Utopian age. Utopia was a fictional place that was stated to be very wealthy and was a sign of perfection among the people as well.

Unfortunately, the Elizabethan age also ran into some problems at the end of the era. While the country was prosperous for many years, Spain persisted to start a war with England between 1585 and 1604. The war is referred to today as the Anglo-Spanish War. The war itself had drained England's economy. England did not rebound until after Queen Elizabeth I had deceased.