How Did Elizabeth I Rule A Country

Does a queen require a king to effectively rule a country? Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled England from 1558 to 1603, didn’t think so. She was born Elizabeth Tudor, to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. However, she faced a surprising number of challenges in her lifetime. Her mother was executed when Elizabeth was merely an infant, and her stepsister Mary I of England actually attempted to assassinate her for the throne! (“Queen Elizabeth I Facts Summary Info.” p. 1) Despite all of this, Elizabeth continued steering her country towards a brighter future: she eased the distrust and hostility between Catholics and Protestants, prompted England’s international trading economy to flourish, and created the Anglican Church as we recognize it today. Because of these reasons - and more -, Queen Elizabeth I should be held in high regard as an exemplary ruler who changed England forever.
Elizabeth’s eligibility for the throne was not dictated by her gender, so she was always expected to be queen. However, her step-sister Mary (who was born from one of Henry’s earlier wives, Catherine of Aragon), came to the throne before Elizabeth as she was older. Because Queen Mary was a devout Catholic (Hanson, "Queen Elizabeth I: Bio., Facts, Portraits & Info.", p. 35), the Protestants in the country desired to have Elizabeth as their ruler, since she was more accepting of the new faith. When Queen Mary came to hear of
All the while keeping her subjects’ feelings in account! It then comes to no surprise that England’s people affectionately nicknamed the queen ‘Good Queen Bess’. (“Elizabeth I.”, section: Other