QUEEN ELIZABETH I

Called "Gloriana" by Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene, Elizabeth I, whose name has become a synonym for the age she dominated (1558-1603), was born on 7 September 1533 to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. At the time of her coronation in 1558, England was a weak, divided kingdom far outside the mainstream of European power and cultural development, however Elizabeth's political skills and strong personality were responsible for putting England on the road to becoming a world economic and political power and restoring the country's lost sense of national pride. She inherited her father's all-powerful view of the monarchy, but showed great wisdom by refusing to arouse hostility in Parliament. She obtained never-ending devotion from her Privy Council, who were constantly confused by her habit of waiting to the last minute to make decisions - a tactic that she used to advantage. She used the various factions, playing one off another until they came to her to solve their disputes. Few English sovereigns enjoyed such great political power, while still maintaining the devotion of the whole of the country.

Here you can download a biography of Elizabeth I.