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Sep 7, 1533
Elizabeth I is born.
Elizabeth I was the second daughter of Henry VIII, born September 7, 1533. Her mother was Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth I was titled a princes, and was the first in line for the throne as her half-sister, Mary, was illigitamate after the annulment of Henry VIII's first marriage. Elizabeth I's birth was the most important event of her life. Without her birth, she would not have been able to rule over England. -
Nov 17, 1558
Elizabeth I becomes Queen.
Elizabeth I's sister, Mary, fell ill in May 1558. The Queen named her half-sister as the heir. Elizabeth I became queen at age 25. She recognized that monarch's rule by popular consent, therefore worked closely with trusted advisors and parliament. Elizabeth I becoming Queen was another important event. With Elizabeth becoming Queen, she set off a chain of events that changed England. -
Jan 1, 1559
Queen Elizabeth I declares a religious settlement.
Elizabeth I was religiously tolerant, but knew of a possible Catholic uprising. She established a Protestant-based church, and was named Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The religious settlement declared by Queen Elizabeth I was important due to the fact that Protestants often had roles in the wars that erupted during the time of Elizabeth's reign. -
Jan 1, 1568
Queen Elizabeth I supports Scottish Protestants.
Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I's cousin, was considered the rightful heir of the English throne by the French and many Catholics. Fearing a coup, Elizabeth I supported Protestant rebels in Scotland, leading to Mary's defeat and detainment in England for 19 years. The support of the Scottish Protestants was important because it led to the capture of Mary Queen of Scots, who was a threat to Queen Elizabeth I's status as Queen. -
Queen Elizabeth I starts the Anglo-Spanish War.
Elizabeth I's foreign policy was largely defensive, yet in 1585 she sent an army to help the Protestant Dutch rebels fight against King Phillip II of Spain. The result of the Treaty of Nonsuch marked the beginning of the Anglo-Spanish War, lasting until 1604. The start of the Anglo-Spanish war was the beginning of a series of outbreaks that lasted until 1604. The wars were result of conflict between kingdoms of Spain and England. -
Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded.
Elizabeth I had Sir Francis Walsingham act as her counsel on Catholic uprisings. He assembled a cause against Mary that linked her to plots against Elizabeth I's life from 1571 to 1586. Queen Elizabeth I signed the death warrant for Mary, later claiming she didn't want it sent off. The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an important event in Elizabeth’s life because she claimed she did not want it to happen. She simply signed the warrant because her life was possibly in danger. -
The defeat of the Spanish Armada.
From 1585 to 1587, Sir Francis Drake undertook various raids of success on Spanish fleets. July 12, 1588 was the day the Spanish Armada set sail for invasion of the southeast coast of England. The English navy defeated the Armada with the aid of bad weather, and the nation celebrated. The defeat of the Spanish Armada was important for Queen Elizabeth I because it was one of her first successes. The defeat of the Armada prevented the Spanish from invading English territory. -
Queen Elizabeth I's famous speech at Tilbury.
In Tilbury, Queen Elizabeth I gave a rallying speech to troops. The most famous line of this speech is, "I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too." This was an important moment for Queen Elizabeth I because it allowed people to see that she was more than just a female ruler. She knew what she was doing and this speech showed she was just as good as a King. -
Queen Elizabeth I's second reign.
All of Elizabeth I's trusted advisors died around 1590, leaving her to build a new governing body troubled with internal conflict. The economy suffered from the Spanish and Irish wars, crops failed, the standards of living fell as costs of living rose, and riots broke out due to food shortages. Queen Elizabeth’s second reign was very important, as she built a new governing body in order to attempt to fix the damage the wars had left. She had to start over by herself since her advisors died. -
The Nine Years' War in Ireland.
In her kingdom of Ireland, Queen Elizabeth I faced hostility and irrelevance. the Irish Catholics rebelled against her with the help of the Spanish. The battle was long and bloody, and ended with the Protestants dispensing a scorched-earth policy, along with condemning the Irish to starvation and poverty. The Nine Years’ War in Ireland was very important in Queen Elizabeth I’s life. The Irish Catholics rebelled against her, ending in a scorched-earth policy and famine amend Irish. -
Queen Elizabeth I's Golden Speech.
The "Golden Speech" was given by Queen Elizabeth I to parliament in 1601. As a reflection on her long reign, she stated, "I was never any greedy, scraping grasper, nor a strait, fast-holding prince, nor yet a waster. My heart was never set on worldly goods but for my subjects' good." Queen Elizabeth I’s Golden Speech was one of the most important events in her lifetime. This was the speech that reflected her reign, telling all that her overall goal was to better her people. -
The death of Queen Elizabeth I.
Queen Elizabeth I suffered severe depression in the Fall of 1602 after many of her close friends passed away. She died March 24, 1603 at Richmond Palace. Queen Elizabeth I's death was an important event for all. It ended the reign of one of England’s greatest rulers.
