Elizabeth the Virgin Queen

Elizabeth was born on the 7th of September 1533  as the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor.The years of Elizabeth’s rule are often referred to simply using her name - The Elizabethan age - such was her effect on the nation. The period is also called the Golden Age, for these years saw England rise to the status of world power thanks to voyages of exploration and economic expansion, and the “English Renaissance” occurred, as English culture went through a particularly rich period, spearheaded by the plays of Shakespeare. The presence of her strong and balanced rule facilitated this.