Queen Elizabeth I had a very rough childhood. Her father was the notorious Henry VIII, while her mother was his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Craving a male heir, Henry was apoplectic when Anne had a baby girl. Two and a half years later, after three miscarriages, Anne was beheaded when tried for adultery, incest, and plotting to kill the king
While young Elizabeth was raised by different governesses and bounced around between different households, she had a propensity for learning. When her formal education ended in 1550, she was one of the best educated women of her generation. Familiar with math, science, and literature, she could converse in multiple languages, including Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and various dialects used in England (Welsh, Cornish, Scottish, and Irish).
She emerged from this upbringing very strong, very powerful, and very in control. She carved out a space for herself and did it in such a way that men were loyal to her. An intriguing notion.
Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1558 when she was 25 years old and remained there for 44 years. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Historians consider her to be the greatest monarch in English history:
When she became queen in 1558, she was twenty-five years old, a survivor of scandal and danger, and considered illegitimate by most Europeans. She inherited a bankrupt nation, torn by religious discord, a weakened pawn between the great powers of France and Spain. She was only the third queen to rule England in her own right; the other two examples, her cousin Lady Jane Grey and half-sister Mary I, were disastrous. Even her supporters believed her position dangerous and uncertain. Her only hope, they counseled, was to marry quickly and lean upon her husband for support. But Elizabeth had other ideas. She ruled alone for nearly half a century, lending her name to a glorious epoch in world history.[i]
[i] Hanson, Marilee. "Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Facts, Portraits & Information" http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/queen-elizabeth-i/, January 31, 2015
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