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Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. She was also known as the virgin queen, gloriana. Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. In 1558 Elizabeth succeeded the Catholic Mary I, during whose reign she had been imprisoned for nearly a year on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels.

Relations with Spain & France prior to 1567

Philip II of Spain, most powerful man in the World, had been married to Elizabeth's estranged sister, Mary I. But such a direct Spanish link to England had offended the common people, and Elizabeth declined Philip's offer of marriage to herself upon her accession. This did not mean, despite the later war, that she was spurning the Spanish at all - in fact, following the Elizabethan religious settlement, it was only Philip's influence that delayed Elizabeth from being excommunicated from the Catholic Church. In 1559 the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis spelled the end of war between England, Spain (on one side) and France. But for it Elizabeth was forced to sacrifice Calais and its pale, meaning that England no longer had any territory south of the Channel. This was quite a blow for Elizabeth in terms of prestige, and whilst the port had been a drain on financial resources it was useful in controlling the Straits of Dover through which Spanish shipping passed to the Netherlands and French to Scotland.

Anglo-Spanish relations before the Armada, 1567-88

In 1566, the Dutch revolt began. In the Netherlands the people turned against Granvelle and Philip, and the Duke of Alva was sent at the head of a great army to resolve the situation. The appearence of a great army under Spanish command in the Netherlands changed the international situation enormously. Many of Philip's advisors wanted him to take a harder line against the Protestant England, and the English themselves perceived that the Spanish would try to assault Protestantism wherever it was found. The actions of Alva in the Netherlands during the Dutch Revolt only augmented the image of the Spanish King as wicked and hateful of heresy. The outbreak of the Second French War of Religion meant that France would not be able to check Spanish power, and the English were fearful. The first major clash occured in 1568.

Queen Elizabeth I liked when plays were acted out for her. She was very fond of Shakespeare’s plays. In some of his play, Shakespeare cleverly hinted passages referring to the Queen and other events that affiliated during both of their life time. Queen Elizabeth I was a great supporter of the arts, mainly she supported plays and masques.

eare cleverly