Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I was Queen of England for almost forty-five years, and is seen as one of the greatest monarchs in English history. The daughter of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn, as a child she was briefly accepted as her father'¬"s heir, but then her mother was executed, she was declared illegitimate and she led an odd existence, moving from house to house often in fear of her life, until her accession to the throne at the age of twenty-five. During her long reign, the Church of England became firmly established as part of the national culture, she stood firm against Spanish aggression, she oversaw a vibrant age of exploration and literature and established herself, the "Virgin Queen", as a national icon that lives on in the popular imagination. But Elizabeth was England'¬"s second female monarch, and was greatly influenced by the experiences and mistakes of the reign of her half-sister, Mary I, before her. This new biography sheds light on Elizabeth'¬"s early life, influences and on her personal religious beliefs as well as examining her reign, politics and the roles of the male advisors at her court. Judith Richards takes an objective and rounded view of Elizabeth'¬"s whole life and provides the perfect introduction for students and general readers alike.