Queen Elizabeth I dies. After a 44-year reign, Elizabeth I of England dies. Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she ascended the throne in 1559 upon the death of her half-sister Mary. Domestically, she sought to resolve the conflicts between Protestants and Catholics, while in foreign policy, she consolidated England’s alliances while simultaneously seeking to divide her enemies. In 1588, with a remarkable military victory, she managed to ward off an invasion by the formidable Spanish Armada. She also encouraged world exploration, including Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation. The long reign of the “Virgin Queen” coincided with the golden age of the English Renaissance, of which William Shakespeare was one of the greatest exponents. By her death in 1603, England had become a major power in every respect, and Elizabeth went down in history as one of the most important English monarchs.
