Elizabeth I of England

Queen Elizabeth’s marriage was highly contentious. Though she was bestowed with numerous proposals and even considered several suitors, her heart longed for her childhood friend Robert Dudley.

When Dudley’s wife passed away, chances of Elizabeth marrying him seemed high. However, with the nobility making their disapproval clear, she relinquished her plan.

For long, Elizabeth considered several suitors including, Philip II, King Eric XIV of Sweden, Archduke Charles of Austria, Henry Duke of Anjou and Francis, Duke of Anjou. However, she married none.

Elizabeth was born on September 7, 1533 at Greenwich Palace to King Henry VIII of England and his second wife Anne Boleyn. At a tender age, she lost her mother to execution for the latter’s inability to produce a male heir. She had a half-sister, Mary.

At the time of birth, Elizabeth was the heiress apparent to the throne of England. However, with the birth of Prince Edward to King Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour, Edward became the undisputed heir.

Elizabeth was one of the best educated women of her generation. She was trained by a plethora of talented and skilful teachers. A multi-linguistic, she was proficient at French, Flemish, Italian, English, Welsh, Cornish and Scottish.

With King Henry VIII’s death in 1547, Elizabeth’s custody was taken by Catherine Parr, Henry's widow and her second husband, Thomas Seymour. Young Elizabeth was physically abused by Seymour which mentally affected her. He was later arrested and beheaded.

Following King Henry VIII’s death in 1547, his son, Prince Edward VI took over as the King of England. He was merely nine. However, due to unknown circumstances, he passed away on July 6, 1553.

According to Succession to the Crown Act 1543, the death of Prince Edward VI automatically passed the throne to Mary and Elizabeth. However, due to Edward’s will, Lady Jane Grey, first cousin of Edward VI and the great-granddaughter of Henry VII through his younger daughter Mary, became the legitimate heir to the throne.

Lady Jane’s authority as the Queen of England lasted for only nine days after which she was deposed. Subsequently, Mary became the Queen of England in August 1553 with Elizabeth at her side.

Queen Mary’s rigidity toward Catholicism and non-secularist approach earned her more enemies than friends. Her fading popularity dwindled further when she proposed her plan to marry Prince Philip of Spain, the son of Emperor Charles V and an active Catholic.

Queen Mary faced the Wyatt rebellion in February 1554, following which she imprisoned Elizabeth on suspicion of the latter’s involvement. After a year of being under house arrest, Elizabeth was finally relieved.

When Elizabeth came in power, English people suffered from a major religious discord. Elizabeth chose a middle route and was relatively tolerant and moderate in her approach. She carefully manoeuvred on the religious front and secured a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism by reinstating the Church of England.

On the military front, her victory against the Spanish Armada in 1588 marked one of the greatest military victories in English history. Duke of Parma planned a Spanish invasion on the southeast coast of England through a great fleet of ships. However, the English Navy cut short their ambitious plan by defeating the Spanish Armada and dispersing them to the northeast.