Essay on Queen Elizabeth I - Family, Religion, and Politics

Born of a king whose most disappointing day was that of her birth, Elizabeth Tudor’s life seemed almost made for trials and controversy, both personally and politically. Although she had, at times, a horrible temper and a disagreeable personality, and suffered through many physical and psychological problems as an adult, Elizabeth proved to be one of the most remarkable monarchs in English history. Firstly, I will discuss Elizabeth’s family (including her many stepmothers), and then I will talk about her relationship with her siblings under their power. Thirdly, I will examine religion and how it affected her opinions and politics during her reign. Lastly, I will look at foreign politics of the time and some of Elizabeth’s decisions†¦show more content†¦She was beheaded and buried near her cousin, Ann Boleyn. In 1543, the King married for the last time. Catherine Parr was a very good wife and stepmother. She encouraged Elizabeth and Edward in their lessons and in their interest in the protestant church. King Henry died in 1547. Edward became the king at the young age of ten. Elizabeth and Edward remained very close throughout his reign, and, because they were not allowed to live in the same residence, many fond letters were exchanged between them. Soon, though, Edward became ill. He, knowing he probably would not live much longer, made a quick revision to Henry VIII’s will. Mary Tudor (a catholic) was supposed to become queen at his death, but he replaced her with his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, a protestant. After Edward’s death, Jane Grey was queen for ten days before the public rallied and gave their support to Mary. Jane Grey was executed and Mary was declared queen. The nation was restored to Catholicism. Mary, to begin with, was polite to Elizabeth. Mary â€Å"looked at her sister with warmth and tolerance, provided her reconciliation to the Church could be brought about, Mary was ready, not entirely to trust her, but to treat her with sisterly kindness†(Jenkins, 1965, p. 41). Elizab eth outwardly converted to Catholicism for Mary, though she remained a protestant on the inside. Mary’s kindness to Elizabeth gradually disappeared. Mary’s advisors assured her that her sisterShow MoreRelatedThe Machiavellian Struggle in Spain and England during the Reformation881 Words   |  3 PagesThe time of the reformation was a time of heavy politics, political wars, and religious attacks and conflicts. This was a period of growth for some countries, such as England, and a time of decline for other countries like Spain. These two particular countries, England and Spain, had two very powerful rulers who helped determine the fate of their nations. Phillip II of Spain was born into a very powerful family of extremely Machiavellian heritage. 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