Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, was the last ruler of the Tudor dynasty. She succeeded her sister, Mary Tudor, on November 17, 1558. Elizabeth influenced England’s emergence as a powerful force among European nations. During her 45-year reign (1558-1603), which ended with her death, England witnessed unprecedented growth in artistry and political strength. Therefore, it is quite befitting that the later half of the sixteenth century in England is recognized as the Elizabethan times.
However, the span of five years (1553-1558) prior to Elizabethan times is aptly termed as the “Bloody Mary’s reign”, due to the anarchy that prevailed during that period.
Elizabethan times were marked by religious wars, since Protestantism reached its peak during this period. Protestantism believed in rejecting the authority of the pope. Instead, it emphasized the authority of the Bible and the significance of individual faith. It was not until the Religious Settlement of 1559 that Elizabethan times saw the restoration of some sort of religious stability.
The later half of Elizabethan times, specifically, the late 1580s and the 1590s featured wars with Spain and the French Catholic League, and rebellion in Ireland.
England set out on the road to military and naval excellence with the advent of Elizabethan times. It all started with Sir Francis Drake, an explorer and military leader, who began with a raid on Panama in 1573. Francis Drake further enhanced the glory of England when four years later he set out for an expedition that accomplished the circumnavigation of the globe.
This also resulted in the first direct contact between England and the East Indies, and paved the way for England’s entry into the arena of world trade and colonization, which eventually began in 1600 with the inception of the East India Company.
By 1585, a battle for plunder, trade, and colonization was raging. This was highly detrimental to Spanish interests, and wreaked havoc on Spain’s shipping. England’s naval prowess reached its zenith during the Elizabethan times, when she defeated the mighty Spanish Armada in 1588. Sir Francis Drake’s daring and military intelligence was pivotal in this battle as well. This event in the Elizabethan times, pronounced England’s transformation into a world power.
A point to be considered is that the supremacy of England’s naval forces, during the Elizabethan times, often subdues her military genius.
However, the naval wars were only part of a much larger struggle that involved the whole of Western Europe. For instance, during 1589-1595, Northern France and the Netherlands were the main arenas of war.
Elizabethan times are also credited for being a prolific period in English literature. William Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, Edmund Spenser, and Christopher Marlowe were only a few of a host of writers who formulated their exceptional works during the Elizabethan times.
By the end of the Elizabethan times in 1603, the English had emerged on the world scene with a significantly enhanced reputation. The image of “The Virgin Queen” or “Gloriana”, associated with Queen Elizabeth, was quite overwhelming. This along with the surprising length of her reign is the reason that she is regarded as one of the most influential personalities in British history.
No wonder why the tales of Elizabethan times allure historians and the general public alike.