Elizabeth 1 - Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

By the age of 10, Elizabeth spoke several languages.

Mary 1 put Elizabeth in the tower of London for several years under the threat of execution

She suffered from terrible headaches

Queen Elizabeth 1 Reign 1558 - 1603

Elizabeth I inherited the throne at age 25 in 1558 after her sister Mary I, better known as Bloody Mary Tudor, died childless. She reigned for 45 years.

William Cecil was the best friend of Elizabeth I, Lord Privy Seal and chief minister. He devoted his life to Elizabeth and remained her faithful servant for 40 years. (ancestor of the current owners of Biltmore House)

Elizabeth I and Religion

Elizabeth was a Protestant and considered a heretic queen by Catholic countries which never recognized the legitimacy of Elizabeth's throne. She was excommunicated in 1570.

It was in her best interest to be Protestant. To be a good Catholic, she would have had to step down from the throne. Due to the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth's birth and the question of legitimacy of her father's marriage to Anne Boleyn (Elizabeth's mother), her right to the throne was questioned and not accepted by the Catholic countries as well as Catholics who lived in England.

She was tolerant of others religion, and has been quoted as saying, I have no desire to make windows into mens souls.

Elizabeth I's Views on Men and Marriage

Elizabeth 1: The Virgin Queen DVD - She never married.

Elizabeth exchanged promises of marriage for political favors.

After Henry VIII's death, Thomas Seymour, Lord High Admiral, tried to get Elizabeth to marry him but she knew better. It was high treason for any heir to the throne to plan marriage without consent of the council. After Thomas Seymour was executed for treason, Elizabeth said of him quote: a man of much wit and very little judgment. end of quote.

It is thought that Elizabeth 1st did not want a man to rule over her because if she had married her powers of Queen would go to her husband.

It is also thought that the execution of Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn, by her father when she was 3 and the subsequent execution of her cousin, Katherine Howard  (Henry VIII 5th wife) when she was 8 had an impact on her decision to remain single. After Katherine's execution, Elizabeth stated she would never marry.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester was master of the horse. It has often been thought that she was in love with Robert.

Her favorite after Robert Dudley passed away, was Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, whom she had to have executed for treason.

Elizabeth the 1st, War and the Spanish Armada

Phillip of Spain sent the Spanish Armada to destroy the Heretic Queen after Mary Queen of Scots execution.

Spanish Armada was defeated and destroyed off the English coast.

Elizabeth I Kept England out of war for 23 years.

Succession

Elizabeth never had any legitimate or illegitimate children so their was no children to inherit the throne. She never married and 1 named James VI of Scotland as her successor. James VI was James I of England.

Related subject: Medieval Castles in England

Sources:

Weir, Alison, The Life of Elizabeth I,  Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (October 5, 1999)

Starkey, David, Elizabeth: the Struggle for the Throne, Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (December 4, 2001)