Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth I of England is told to be one of the greatest Monarchs that have ever existed. She was a strong, wealthy, and smart woman. Her reign was also be known as "The Golden Age" of English history. She was immensely popular, and till this day she still is. Her monarch is said to be one of the best, and she was one of the most admired Queens.

Queen Elizabeth's nobility was based upon the wealthiest and strongest men and woman in the land. They were also known as Elizabethan Nobles. Most of the oldest families could trace there religion back to Catholic. But most new nobles were created in the reign of King Henry VIII and there religion was protestant. Elizabethan Nobles were easily picked out of a crowd because of their clothing. Clothing not only said "who was who" and how much wealth you had, it also provided their social standing. Only royalty nobles were permitted to wear clothing trimmed with ermine. Lesser nobles were allowed to wear clothing trimmed with otter and fox. The Elizabethan Laws told what colors you were allowed to own and wear, this made it easier to identify if you were an Elizabethan Noble. Most were wealthy, but many had to pay for their privileges of being one.

Life for the poor in this time period was harsh. They didn't get to live a luxurious life like the Elizabethan Nobles did. There was a generous local monastery that might have helped out, but only for a short time, until the Reformation. Tudor England had become concerned about the poor. During this time period there were more poor then rich, meaning there could be a peasants revolt. In most towns and cities it was hard to find jobs, this was also occurring in the country side. Changes in the way farms worked was causing unemployment, causing trouble amongst the poor.

Queen Elizabeth's military was very strong. They went to war hundreds of times, they won many and lost many. But you win some and you lose some. One in particular was the war against Spain, differences in religion and conflicts dealing with power and wealth in the new world made this war arise. This war went on for 16 years. Queen Elizabeth eventually died, and James I of England took the throne. In 1603 the war ended, and King James I issued a degree that all acts of piracy must be stopped.

In November of 1558 Elizabeth became Queen, many thought she would restore the protestant faith to England. But ever since Mary's (bloody Mary) persecution against Protestants the number of Protestants was spreading. She was catholic but grew up protestant and she was committed to that faith.

The only time Elizabeth would ever meet with parliament was to raise taxes. She wasn't very fond of it, even though it had become very popular in this time. Most of parliaments work was to deal with local matters, which Queen Elizabeth would not let any matters that dealt with the state, be resolved

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