It was a major accomplishment that she ever survived to become Queen of England! Her mother was executed on the charge of Treason, adultery and incest. She was branded a bastard by her father, King Henry VIII. She lost her title of Princess Elizabeth and had to be referred to as Lady Elizabeth!
As Princess Elizabeth she survived a scandal concerning herself and Thomas Seymour, the husband of her stepmother Katharine Parr
It was a major accomplishment to survive the questioning she endured at the Tower of London when she was imprisoned there by her half-sister Mary Tudor ( aka Mary I & Bloody Mary). She was accused of being involved with the Protestant rebellion, led by Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger
She was a very gifted scholar who was an accomplished linguist with the ability to speak several languages including Latin, Greek, French, Spanish and Welsh
Her reign witnessed widespread increase in literacy and great achievements in the arts - great poets and playrights emerged during her era such as William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh)
The reign of Queen Elizabeth I also saw significant expansion overseas. Great explorers were encouraged such as Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Richard Greenville
The new scientific thinking of the renaissance was encouraged and important men such as Sir Francis Bacon and Dr. John Dee emerged during the Elizabethan era
She achieved an excellent reputation as a good and wise ruler, who was truly loved by her people - she was highly accomplished in the art of rhetoric and Public Relations
Queen Elizabeth I surrounded herself with highly intelligent and loyal advisors such as Sir William Cecil, Sir Francis Walsingham and Sir Robert Cecil who gave her sound political advice
A major accomplishment was the defeat of the Spanish Armada of 132 by the English fleet of 34 ships and 163 armed merchant vessels under Lord Howard of Effingham, Sir Francis Drake, and Sir John Hawkins
The English navy defeated further attempts at invasion in 1596 and 1597
Her reign saw several rebellions - from the Irish, “The Rising of the North” and the Essex rebellion - all of which she defeated
She survived various Catholic plots and conspiracies such as the Babbington plot involving Mary Queen of Scots
She was able to choose excellent advisors and statesmen but was not be dominated by them. Elizabeth was firmly in control of all major policies and England prospered under a stable Government
Queen Elizabeth adopted a moderate religious policy. The Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity (1559), the introduction of the Prayer Book of 1559, and the Thirty-Nine Articles (1563) were all Protestant in doctrine, but preserved many traditionally Catholic ceremonies. Although a Protestant she did not persecute Catholics with conviction - she adopted a moderate approach
She established Protestantism as the country's religion
Queen Elizabeth established the Poor Laws - she achieved a new framework of support for the needy
Queen Elizabeth achieved recognition for England as a leading power in Europe
Queen Elizabeth I lead England as a woman, in what was very much a man's World, and she did this with courage, intelligence and loyalty to her friends
