Why is Queen Elizabeth famous?

Who was Elizabeth I?

Elizabeth was Queen of England, Ireland and Wales from 1558 to 1603. She gave
her name to the 'Elizabethan Age'. It was an exciting time in English history. This
was the age of William Shakespeare's plays, Francis Drake's voyages, and the
sea battles against the Spanish Armada.
When did she live?
Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII. She was born in 1533. Her
grandfather Henry VII was the first Tudor king of England.
Elizabeth became Queen of England in 1558. She died in 1603.
Why is Elizabeth famous?
Elizabeth I ruled England alone. She did not marry. So although she was queen,
England had no king. This was unusual at the time.
Elizabeth connection to Shakespeare
The Elizabethan Age was an exciting part of English history. There were new
ideas, and arguments about religion. There were wars with Spain. English
explorers sailed to new lands.
The reign of Elizabeth I is often thought of as a Golden Age. It was a time of
extravagance and luxury in which a flourishing popular culture was expressed
through writers such as Shakespeare, and explorers like Drake and Raleigh
sought to expand England's territory overseas. This sense of well-being was
embodied by Queen Elizabeth who liked to wear sumptuous costumes and
jewellery, and be entertained in style at her court. But life in Tudor England did
not always reflect such splendour. The sixteenth century was also a time when
the poor became poorer, books and opinions were censored, and plots to
overthrow the Queen were rife. Elizabeth's ministers had to employ spies and
even use torture to gain information about threats to her life.
Elizabeth was a different kind of Queen: quick-witted, clever and able to use
feminine wiles to get her own way. Elizabeth could be as ruthless and calculating
as any king before her but at the same time she was vain, sentimental and easily
swayed by flattery. She liked to surround herself with attractive people and her
portraits were carefully vetted to make sure that no physical flaws were ever
revealed.