"I may not be a lion, but I am a lion's cub, and I have a lion's heart."
Queen Elizabeth I died on this day in 1603 bringing to an end her 44 year reign of England. Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
In 1959, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne, after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary. Mary, raised Catholic, had enacted pro-Catholic legislation. After Mary’s death, Elizabeth re-established the Protestant Church in England.
Elizabeth’s foreign policies aimed at strengthening relationships between England’s Protestant allies and fragmenting her foes. The Pope refused to recognize Elizabeth’s legitimacy as Queen of England, as did Spain, a Catholic nation, at the height of its dominance in the world. By 1588, the political and religious differences between England and Spain came to a head when Spain sent their mighty Spanish Armada, at that time the greatest naval force in the world, to invade England. The invasion failed and the English defeated the Spaniards due to superior tactics, ship design, and simple good fortune.
Following the defeat, Elizabeth’s popularity reached its zenith and she proved that a woman could lead in war as well as a man. England’s dominance at sea continued with voyages of exploration including Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the world and Sir Walter Raleigh’s travels to the North American coast.
Elizabeth dedicated her life to her country and the people of England. When she ascended the throne in 1558, England was an impoverished country torn apart by religious groups. When she died on March 24, 1603, Elizabeth had transformed England into one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world.
The library has numerous items in the collection about Elizabeth I, still known as one of the great monarch of all times. She is a great and timely figure to be spotlighted in International Women’s History Month.
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