Queen Elizabeth is regarded by many as the finest Queen of England. The time of her reign is known as the Elizabethan Era, also referred to as the Golden Age. You would find it fascinating that the best monarch of the time and one of the finest in history had lost her title of being a princess and was known as Lady Elizabeth after her mother was executed for adultery and treason.
1. Queen Elizabeth I Was a Scholar.
She was a linguist and could speak Latin, French, Greek, Welsh and Spanish. In those times, a person being capable of speaking so many languages was not just rare but almost unheard of. It was perhaps her fascination with language and literature that paved the way for some of the finest playwrights and poets of all time. Literature has no other age to thank more for its evolution and everlasting impact than the Elizabethan Era. The likes of Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser and Sir Walter Raleigh flourished during her reign.
2. Interests Beyond Literature and Language.
While at one hand she encouraged artists and creativity, she also had a penchant for exploration. She supported legendary explorers Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Richard Greenville and Sir Humphrey Gilbert to explore the world and expand the kingdom. In those days, explorers or artists, scientists or socialists, no one could achieve much without royal patronage. Queen Elizabeth I did more than just support these brilliant minds and great endeavors.
3. Had a Penchant for Science.
She encouraged scientific thinking and supported the works of Dr. John Dee and Sir Francis Bacon. She was always fond of wise minds and that allowed her to pick some of the most loyal and intelligence advisors in the history of England. Sir William Cecil, Sir Robert Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham are names worth reckoning. Partly due to her own prowess and mind, partly owing to the wise advice she had at her disposal, Queen Elizabeth I emerged as a wise monarch. She was loved by everyone other than those who had selfish interests in dethroning her.
4. Focused on Military Progress.
Queen Elizabeth I did not allow her pursuits for art, science, exploration and fair reign to distract her from military progress. She was instrumental in the Spanish Armada’s defeat where 132 ships were overpowered by just 34 ships lead by Sir Francis Drake, Lord Howard of Effingham and Sir John Hawkins. She successfully thwarted numerous invasions by the Spanish. She quelled the Irish and Essex rebellions.