Despite a traumatic early life - her mother was executed when she was only three and her half-sister Mary had her imprisoned during her brief reign - Elizabeth displayed strenght of purpose and prudence as Queen. Strong-willed like her father Henry VIII, but unlike him was fair and grateful to devoted servants, picking advisers who proved able and loyal. In 1559 she pushed through laws which confirmed England as a Protestant nation, with priest ordered to use the new English Prayer Book. Elizabeth ended her reign as one of the best-loved and most successful of all English rulers. Her country was stronger and more peaceful than it had ever been.
Fact file
Elizabeth's signature on the death warrant of Mary Stuart. Elizabeth hesitated for days before singing it. She knew that Mary's death would give her Catholic enemies an excuse to attack her.
resources: Tell me why (Chancellor Press)
image 1: https://www.comptonverney.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CVCSC-0213.B-Queen-Elizabeth-I-%C2%A9-Compton-Verney.jpg
image 2: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/d9/fd/c5d9fd52b176e11622a17f608d6659f3.jpg
