Background: Before Queen Elizabeth I's Reign

Before reading her speeches, let's find out a little bit more about who Elizabeth was and what England was like in the 1500s.


Description | Source
Portrait of Princess Elizabeth circa 1546. Sometimes attributed to William Scrots
This portrait of Elizabeth shows her as a young woman, perhaps 13 or 14 years old. Her red hair is mostly tucked beneath a peal and jewel covered headdress. She is wearing a red dress with large sleeves, a narrow waist, and full skirt. Ornate gold and white material is seen under the dress. She is also wearing several necklaces and rings made of gold, peals, and precious stones. She is standing facing the viewer. She is holding a small book in her hands, one finger marking her page; another large book lies on a table to her right.Available: http://tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/gallery.html

FIRST:  The Wars of the Roses created Instability in the English Monarchy in the 1400's

Queen Elizabeth came to power at an unstable time in English History.  For about most of the 1400s, England was in  a perpetual state of change and war.  Two competing factions of one family faught over the crown during.    

NEXT: The Tudors Come to Power As Henry VII  and Henry VIII  rule 1485-1547.

Elizabeth’s grandfather, Henry VII won the throne in 1485.  During his reign, England became much more peaceful and stable.  Henry VII and later his son Henry VIII led England through some challenging times of social, religious, and technological change. 

Henry VIII’s reign, however, was marked by his quest for a son and heir .  His attempts to find the perfect wife who would give him a son led to lots of court intrigue and strife .  This search also caused him to change England’s state religion from Catholicism to Protestantism (which was a pretty big deal).  

In the end, Henry VIII married six times .  Most of his wives had  unhappy fates.  For example, Henry VIII had Elizabeth’s mother beheaded for treason , witchcraft, and incest when Elizabeth was 3 years old. 

THEN: Elizabeth's Half-Siblings rule 1547-1558

Three of Henry VIII’s children survived to adulthood.  When he died, Elizabeth’s half brother Edward VI  became king.  Unfortunately, King Edward VI’s health was poor and he died six years later without a wife or children.  

When Edward died, Elizabeth’s half sister, Mary, became queen.  Mary I  was unpopular with many of the people in England for a variety of reason: she was Catholic , she was married to a foreign prince (Phillip II of Spain), and she changed England's religious back to Catholocism. 

Mary and Elizabeth always had an uneasy relationship.  Mary distrusted Elizabeth for two big reasons: their father had divorced Mary’s mother to marry Elizabeth’s mother, and Mary always worried that Elizabeth would lead a Protestant uprising against her.  As such, Elizabeth was under house arrest  for most of her sister’s reign.  Mary died childless after ruling for 5 years in 1558. 

IN THE END: Elizabeth Becomes Queen 1558

When Elizabeth became queen, England had gone through 3 different monarchs in about 10 years.  Elizabeth’s half-siblings had had extremely opposite religious beliefs, so the country had been through turmoil, uncertainty, and fear through their reigns.  Further, neither of Elizabeth’s half-siblings had any children which left the fate of the English monarchy uncertain.   No one wanted infighting like what had happened during the Wars of the Roses to happen again or for a foreign power to try to take over.

At age 25 Elizabeth became queen.  She was an orphan.  She was unmarried.  She had lived outside of the court and spotlight for her whole life.  The country looked to her for religious, political, and monetary stability.