Full name:  Elizabeth I Born:  7th September 1533 Place of Birth:  Palace of Placentia, Greenwich Ascended to the throne:  17th November 1558, aged 25 years Crowned:  15th January 1559, at Westminster Abbey Reign:  44 years Died:  24th March 1603, Richmond Palace, London

As the last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth was born on 7th September 1533, to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Anne was accused of adultery by Henry VIII, and beheaded. Elizabeth was deemed illegitimate, and exiled.

Elizabeth was highly academic, due to the interests of Henry's sixth wife, Catherine Parr.

It seemed unlikely Elizabeth would ever become Queen. She was third in line behind her half-brother Edward, and her half-sister Mary.

Elizabeth succeeded to the throne in 1558, after Mary's death, and restored England to Protestant faith. Elizabeth created a Church of England that was Protestant, with Catholic traditions.

Elizabeth was highly influential during her reign, and her intellectual nature allowed the arts in England to grow and expand. Elizabeth's reign saw trade overseas expand, and in 1580, the first Englishman sailed around the world, Sir Francis Drake.

During her rule, Elizabeth was under intense amounts of pressure. Many Catholic plots tried to place Mary, queen of Scots, in the throne. Mary was never directly linked to these conspiracies, which left Elizabeth hesitant to act against her. In 1586, Elizabeth's advisor found a plot that implicated Mary, she was tried and executed in 1587.

Philip II launched the Spanish Armada to overthrow her, and restore England to Catholicism. Elizabeth united the country against this enemy, and England defeated the Spanish.

Elizabeth refused to marry, and therefore never produced an heir. She asserted her independence until she died in 1603.