Queen Elizabeth 1 Research Paper

Elizabeth Tudor may have been one of the greatest rulers of England. Elizabeth’s greatest successes include her influence during the times of the Renaissance, her influence on the Church of England, and her defeat of the mighty Spanish Armada. England prospered so incredibly during Elizabeth’s reign that this period was often referred to as the Golden Age.
As queen, Elizabeth was a major influence over England. Her influences were cast upon the time of the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a period of artistic and cultural movement that carried from the late 15th century into the 16th century. Queen Elizabeth influenced many aspects during this time in age including the dramas and plays. Elizabeth was a pronounced patron of the arts (British

Writers: Supplement 16). She had plays performed for her by Shakespeare himself. She was also said to have even inspired some of Shakespeare’s characters.

She similarly inspired dramatists Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson. In addition to her influence on dramas and plays, Elizabeth correspondingly stimulated the musicians of the Renaissance period. Music that was made for Elizabeth could be considered sacred pieces. According to the critical essay British Writers: Supplement 16, “many court composers wrote music for Elizabeth I, who herself was an accomplished musician.” She was a supporter of her favorite composed William Byrd. Literature was another essential portion of this cultural movement. Elizabeth was honored in verses of poems written by Ben Jonson. She was immortalized and praised in literary works all through the Renaissance. Queen Elizabeth was honored during the course of the Renaissance in England. Her everlasting legacy was established during this period.
When Elizabeth became queen, she had a set goal. Her main goal was to help the Church of England. Elizabeth wanted to bring peace to

the people and to the church. As queen, she wished to satisfy all of her people and the religious traditions that they practice. Elizabeth created an Act of State called the 1559 Religious Settlement. An article titled Elizabeth I and the Church of England states that this act was to establish a proper relationship between the Crown and the Church. Even though Elizabeth’s intentions were nothing but true, not all of the people were pleased. Some Catholics and Puritans had no desire to compromise. This led to ongoing religious turmoil. Yet, the queen still returned England back to the Protestant faith. To keep this change successful she had to still allow some old Catholic traditions to continue. According to the article More information about: Elizabeth I on BBC, “She declared that she did not want to ‘make windows into men’s souls’ and was satisfied as long as her subjects gave an outward show of conformity.” Elizabeth spoke these words proceeding her coronation. She left the people to interpret what was meant by them. Most people believed she wanted to send the message that “no one should force entry into another’s soul, yet freely opening one’s conscience can be life-giving” (Klein 2). The queen received many challenged from die-hard Catholics to people who wanted a more radical Church of England. These trouble carried out through Elizabeth’s rule and to her death. Puritans separated from what Elizabeth had created, and made their own small churches. The Puritan people saw more hope for their religious practices during the accession of James I. Despite the challenges she was faced with from small groups, Elizabeth did her best to delight the people of her country and bring them together as a more stable group.
Finally, Elizabeth’s most outstanding success as queen was the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Not only is it a well-known event in English history, but it is also arguably Queen Elizabeth’s finest hour (The Spanish Armada 1). Threatened by the queen and her power, Phillip II of Spain fantasized over the idea of capturing England and restoring it back to a Roman Catholic Church. Angry and greedy for land, Phillip prepared a fleet of warships to invade England. Elizabeth held her pride and stayed true to her people. She showed no fear over the mighty world power about to attack her country. Even though there had been rumored attacks planned to invade England, Elizabeth was eventually convinced that this threat was real. Quickly, Elizabeth united the country against the common enemy (More information about: Elizabeth I 2). Elizabeth made wise choices for her people and gave reassuring and noble speeches to her people. It’s easy to say that “Elizabeth was dedicated to her country in a way few monarchs had been or have been since” (Queen Elizabeth I Biography 3). She strived to keep her people loyal to her and loyal to England. In a speech to troops, Elizabeth said: “I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king – and a King of England too.” She was intending to prove that, even as a woman, she could be strong enough to lead her country through the invasion of the Spanish Armada. The defeat of the mighty Spanish Armada set England as a

world-class power. Once again, boosting the view on Elizabeth by her people and the world.
If it weren’t for the accession of Elizabeth Tudor, England would not be in the state it is in today. As queen, she demonstrated powerful strength and will to please her people and better life for the people of England. She was a committed ruler with remarkable abilities. Throughout her reign, she accomplished numerous successes. A few memorable successes include her influence during the Renaissance period, her influence on the Church of England, and her defeat of the powerful Spanish Armada. Elizabeth’s time in power is notably recognized as a prosperous period for England. Her reign left her to be one of the most admired monarchs of all time.