Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was born on September 7th , 1533, at Greenwich Palace. She was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and had one half-sister, Mary, whose mother was Catherine of Aragon. At the time, people said that Elizabeth’s birth had been a punishment because of Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. It was unusual to be divorced at this time, and Henry VIII was expected to father a son.

When Elizabeth was a young child, just two years old, her mother, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded at the Tower of London. Henry VIII ordered her execution because she gave birth to Elizabeth, a daughter, and did not have a son. He wanted to marry Jane Seymour instead. Because of this, Elizabeth was no longer a princess, but was now considered a Lady, and she was therefore removed from the line of succession. Elizabeth was deeply hurt by this event and attempted to ignore her father while she lived at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. In 1537, Elizabeth’s half-brother was born. She was welcomed back to the court and played a part in her brother's baptism.

Later, in 1543, when Henry VIII married Catherine Parr, she encouraged him and Elizabeth and Mary to become closer again and ensured that they received an education as well as learned multiple languages including French, Latin, and Italian.

In 1547, Henry VIII died, and in early 1548, Elizabeth spent time with Catherine Parr in her home. There, Catherine’s new husband, Thomas Seymour, harassed Elizabeth, and the public lost trust in her, accusing Elizabeth of encouraging him. Catherine Parr later died during childbirth, and Elizabeth’s 9-year-old brother, King Edward VI, took the throne. In 1553, Edward died unexpectedly, and it was now Mary’s turn to take the throne.

Elizabeth’s sister did not treat her well. Elizabeth spent a great deal of time under house arrest in various places because her sister lacked trust in her after the story of Thomas Seymour had been shared. In 1554, during a rebellion, Elizabeth was arrested and taken to the Tower of London where her mother had been killed many years ago. Although her imprisonment seemed unfair, Elizabeth still lived a somewhat luxurious life, where she had four rooms and access to gardens. Soon, Elizabeth was released, because there was no evidence found that she had bad intentions toward Thomas Seymour, who had been beheaded.

In 1558, Mary died, and finally Elizabeth could ascend to the throne, at only 25 years old. At this point in time, the country was divided by religion, and there were food shortages as well as a failing military. She faced discrimination as a woman, and the public did not view her as favorably as they had previous male rulers. She never married and only allowed trustworthy ministers who supported and believed in her into her court. She was a strong leader who overcame the struggles of her country and ultimately led England to victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588, which ultimately enabled England to expand its empire throughout the globe unchallenged.

Elizabeth I was one of the first female leaders who proved that women were just as capable as men. She endured a difficult childhood and yet still brought grace and strength to her crown, leading her country into a prosperous new era.