In 1558 , Elizabeth I of England was crowned Queen . Being the daughter of King Henry VIII , she had his shrewd blue eyes and his reddish hair . She loved to have the crowds admiring her when her gilded carriage drove through the streets of London . Sometimes she would halt so they could have a better look at her gland clothes , which were bedecked with blazing jewels , chains and ornaments . ” God Bless you , ” someone would shout . ” Thank you , handsome sir , ” she would reply jokingly , and the crowd would laugh .
The Queen liked nothing more than being surrounded by clever and eligible noblemen at court . There were men such as Burghley , Raleigh , Leicester and Essex , who were given important appointments . Elizabeth also chose people from the middle class , like Walsingham and Cecil , as advisers . Perhaps William Cecil was her greatest minister . It was to him alone that she confided her innermost secrets . One of her main problems was to keep the peace between Protestants and Catholics . She favoured Protestants but was mainly concerned in keeping peace between the two religions .
Many in England , especially Protestants , wished that she would marry so there could be an heir to the throne . Elizabeth was too crafty to make a decision . She liked to consider offers from princes abroad , but kept them waiting . King Philip of Spain , a staunch Catholic , would have given anything to become King of England . ” Even Cecil , her favourite Englishman , thought he had a chance . But the Queen knew that war was expensive , and that by keeping foreign suitors in suspense , war could be avoided .
Meanwhile , Elizabeth’s cousin Mary , a Catholic , had become Queen of France and Scotland . She was a threat to Elizabeth , for with enough support from the Spanish and French , she hoped to be Queen of England . At length , Elizabeth signed her cousin’s death warrant and she was killed .
King Philip then decided to invade England . His ships , heavily laden with soldiers , poured out of Spain and sailed up the English Channel . Known as the Spanish Armada , it was defeated by the smaller and faster English ships , then blown by a gale onto rocks . The Queen struck a medal on which was engraved , ” God blew with His Wind , and they were scattered ” .
At the age of 70 , Elizabeth died without marrying . Mary’s son , James Stuart , King of Scotland , then also became King of England .
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