Elisabeth, who is remembered for her great intelligence and personality, succeded to Mary Tudor, her stepsister, who didn’t want Elisabeth, a protestant woman, to be the future Queen of England.

Mary Tudor, a Catholic, had imposed a return to Catholicism to all the nation; protestants were killed because they were considered eretics; but after "Bloody" Mary’s death Elisabeth brought order and harmony to her nation, being able to solve the economic, social and religious upheaval and starting England’s greatness as a world power.

At first she solved the religious question, forming the basis of the successful Elizabethan religious settlement.

She imposed the book of Common Prayer (1559) and passed her acts of Supremacy and Uniformity (1563) which gave her supreme control of the English Church, in which both Protestants and Catholics were accepted.

Elisabeth’s "Privy Council" was formed by twenty members (nobles and career officials) and her court as the centre of English culture: many writers as important as Spencer, Sidney and Shakespeare belonged to her court.

The queen remained unmarried and was called the "Virgin Queen", even if Elizabeth used to say about herself: "I’m married to my people".