ELIZABETH I

Elizabeta I., kraljica Engleske, vladala je od 1558. godine do 160 3 . godine. Elizabeta je kćer kralja Henrika VIII. i njegove druge supruge Ane Boleyn. Kao dijete od nepune tri godine ostala je bez majke, koju je njen otac dao pogubiti Na vlast je došla n akon smrti svoje sestre Marije I. Tudor , koja je bila katolkinja i starija kćer Henrika VIII., koju je dobio u prvom braku, s Katarinom Aragonskom. Elizabeta je s njom uvijek bila u napetim odnosima jer je Marija zahtijevala njeno preobraćenje na katoličanstvo. Marija je skoro godinu dana držala Elizabetu u zatočeništvu zbog sumnje o njezinom sudjelovanju u uroti protiv nje. Elizabeta je došla na englesko prijestolje nakon Marijine smrti 1558. godine. Dolaskom na prijestolje, ponovno je uspostavila Anglikansku crkvu. Čim je došla na prijestolje dobila je velik broj bračnih ponuda . Vješto je manipulirala svojim proscima, u korist napretka vanjske politike, no na kraju ih je sve odbil a. Potpomagala je protestante u Francuskoj i Nizozemskoj. Njen veliki rival bila je njena rođakinja Marija, kraljica Škotske, koja je također polagala pravo na englesko prijestolje. Marija je, na kraju, zbog sudjelovanja u raznim urotama protiv Elizabete pogubljena. Odnosi između Engleske i Španjolske su se sve više pogoršavali, po sebno nakon pogubljenja Marije, potpomaganja protestantima u Nizozemskoj te pljačkanja španjolskih brodova. Filip II. je 1588. godine poslao Nepobjedivu armadu da napadne Englesk u, no engleska mornarica je porazila Armadu te se time uvrstila među velesile.Elizabeth I, Queen of England, ruled from 1558 to 160 3 . Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She became queen after th e death of her sister Mary I Tudor, who was a Catholic and the older daughter of Henry VIII from his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Elizabeth had a troubled relationship with Mary as Mary insisted on her conversion to Catholicism. Mary even impris oned Elizabeth for almost a year on suspicion of her involvement in a plot against her. Elizabeth ascended to the English throne upon Mary's death in 1558. Upon her accession, she re established the Anglican Church. Upon coming to the throne, Elizabeth rec eived numerous marriage proposals. She skillfully manipulated her suitors for the advancement of her foreign policy but eventually declined all of them. She supported Protestants in France and in the Netherlands. Her major rival was her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, who also held claim to the English throne. Mary was eventually executed due to her involvement in various plots against Elizabeth. Relations between England and Spain deteriorated, especially after the execution of Mary, Elizabeth's support for t he Dutch Protestants and the plundering of Spanish ships. In 1588, Philip II sent the Spanish Armada to attack England, but the English navy defeated the Armada, establishing England as a major power