Elizabeth I Takes Throne: England Enters Its Golden Age
Elizabeth I became queen of England on November 17, 1558, inheriting a bankrupt, religiously divided nation still reeling from her sister Mary's persecution of Protestants. She was 25 years old. Over 45 years on the throne, she established the Church of England as a middle path between Catholicism and Puritanism, defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, and presided over a cultural renaissance that produced Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Spenser. She never married, using the prospect of marriage as a diplomatic tool. Her 'Virgin Queen' image became a tool of state power. England's economy grew, literacy rose, and the first permanent colonies in North America were attempted. Her reign is often idealized, but it also included the brutal suppression of Ireland, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and harsh anti-Catholic laws.
November 17, 1558
468 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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