Elizabeth the First - publié le 30/03/2006

Résumé du document

She was the second daughter of Henry the eighth VIII°, also known as Blue Beard, and of his second wife Anne Boleyn. King Henry's first daughter, Mary, was of his first marriage with a catholic. King Henry wanted as soon as his heir, so when Elizabeth was born, he was disappointed and had Anne Boleyn beheaded when Elizabeth was only two. She was sent away from the court. During that time, Henry VIII had a son, Edward with his third wife Jane Saymour. Later, Elizabeth was placed under the protection of Catherine Paar, Henry's and last wife. She was educated in the same household as her half brother. Both were protestant. She received a very good education and spoke Greek, Latin, French end Italian ...

Extraits

[...] Elizabeth the First Introduction : Born on September in Greenwich, England. Died on March in Richmond, Surrey. Elizabeth also called the Virgin queen because she never married, was the queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603 or a total of forty five years . She ruled during a period called the Elizabethan Age, when England became the most important country in Europe. Her childhood and accession as queen : She was the second daughter of Henry the eighth VIII°, also known as Blue Beard, and of his second wife Anne Boleyn. [...]

[...] A marriage would strengthen Elizabeth's power and continue the Tudor's line. If she didn't marry, her cousin Mary, queen of Scots could take the throne and because she was a catholic, this was unacceptable ( Elizabeth will never sold this problem and James the first son of Mary Stuart, queen of Scots, will become queen at Elizabeth's death. ) Elizabethan government Elizabeth had problems ruling because she was a woman. To solve the problem, she use her council, the Privy Council, and Parliament to raise taxes and apply her polices. [...]

[...] Elizabeth stayed away from the court during his reign. Then, when Edward died, in 1553, his older half-sister Mary I (the first) who restored Catholicism replaced him. Although, she attended Catholic services and supported Mary, Elizabeth was accused of plotting against her half- sister to restore Protestantism. For a short while, she was locked up in the tower of London and was almost beheaded. During the reign of her half sister, when Protestants were burned, she constantly had to claim her innocence and prove her catholic faith. [...]

[...] Elizabeth's reign was also marked by the Flourishing arts. Country houses were built, miniature painted reached its highpoint, theatres were everywhere. Shakespeare characterises best the art of the Elizabethan Age. The queen's image Elizabeth had a large collection of dresses and jewels. Her dresses were said to contain so many jewels that they stood up on their own. She tried to control the royal portraits that circulated in England and abroad and her appearances in publics were displays of wealth and magnificence. [...]

[...] In 1587, Elizabeth reluctantly had Mary beheaded. Even after the death of Mary, Catholics and even radical Protestants continued to plot against Elizabeth. Foreign policy At the beginning of her reign, England was at war with France. One of her first act was to make peace with France. After short negotiation, a truce was founded. In Scotland there were also wars between Catholics and Protestants which forced Mary Stuart to come to England where she plotted against Elizabeth. Then, in 1588, The Spanish King, Phillip II, a Roman Catholic, who received he had claim on England because of his marriage with Mary sent his naval fleet, supposed to be invincible, the Armada do dethrone Elizabeth. [...]