ABSTRACT
Elizabeth I came to power in England amid domestic religious conflict and foreign military threats. At the end of her long reign, however, the country enjoyed great stability and strength. Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, who was succeeded after his death in 1547 first by Elizabeths younger half-brother Edward VI and then by her Roman Catholic half-sister Mary. Conflict between England's Protestant and Roman Catholic parties raged during this time; Elizabeth, raised as a Protestant, was imprisoned by Mary in the Tower of London. Elizabeth's cautious domestic policies were in contrast to a series of aggressive actions against Spain. The religious policies and naval expansion of Elizabeth I helped make England one of the most prosperous states in Europe. Between 1558 and 1563 Elizabeth had overseen the restoration of Protestantism in England. Elizabeth also affected the relationship between church and state in England.
