InterviewwithJanetDooleyfromtudorsource.

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1)WhatwasElizabethlikeduringtheearlyyearofherreign?Wasshescaredofthefact
thatshecouldbedethronebyhercousin?
Elizabeth'sfirstyearofreignwaseventful.She,ofcourse,facedmuchopposition,andherfirst
obstaclewasgettinganointed.Partofthecoronationceremonyincludedananointingofthenew
monarch,whichmadehis/heraccessiontothethroneaholyceremony,andmeanttheyhadbeen
chosenbyGodtorule.MostofthechurchBishopsQueenElizabethfacedhadbeenappointedby
herCatholicsisterandrefusedtoanointaProtestantqueen.Butwithsomepowerfulpersuasion
andcourttricksbyheralwaysfaithfuladvisor,WilliamCecil,Elizabeth'scoronationtookplace.

ThatwasherfirstobstaclebecomingaProtestantqueenoveraCatholiccourt.Likemanyofher
fellowEnglishman,Elizabethhadbeenavictimofthebackandforthreligiouswhimsofher
family.HergoalwastoestablishanEnglishchurchthatwouldprevailregardlessofwhowas
monarch.ShedidthiswiththeReligiousSettlement,passedbyParliament,whichonceandfor
allestablishedtheAnglicanChurchandEnglandasaProtestantcountry.

ShealsoreestablishedtheOathofSupremacy.Thisoathwasfirstenactedbyherfather,Henry
VIII,andgavetheEnglishmonarchpoweroverthechurch.Amongotherthings,thismeantthe
churchanditsBishopswereunderthejurisdictionofEnglishlaw,whichwasnotnecessarilytrue
inothercountries(wheretheyansweredtothePope).

I'mcertainElizabethwasscaredduringmuchofherfirstyearandmostyearsafter.Evenwith
theReligiousSettlementEnglandwasadividedcountry,andtherewereconstantchallengesto
herrule.Hercousin,MaryQueenofScots,wasalegitimateheirtotheEnglishthrone,andthe
factthatshewasCatholicmadeherthefocusofmanyCatholicconspiracyplots.Butduring
Elizabeth'sfirstyearsofreign,Marywasembroiledinherowndrama,anddidn'tbecomea
seriousthreatuntillaterinElizabeth'sreign.

2)AfterthedefeatoftheSpanishArmada,didEnglandchangeatall.Whatbecameof
Spain?
DefeatingtheSpanishArmadawasoneofElizabeth'smostlegendaryachievements.Spainwas
theworld'ssuperpoweratthattime,andEnglandwasstillasmall,strugglingcountry.Unableto
gettaxmoneyfromParliament,Elizabethspentherownmoneytobuildtheshipsthatdefeated
theArmada.ShealsoreliedheavilyonthenavigationalexpertiseofpeoplelikeSirFrancis
DrakeandSirWalterRaleigh,menwho'sadventurestotheNewWorldshehadalsofunded,and
commanderswhowerekeytothedefeatoftheSpanishNavy.

SpaindidjustfineafterwardsandcontinuedtheirexplorationintheNewWorld,buttheywere
neveragainathreattoEngland,andeventuallytheirinfluenceinEuropedeclined.England's

victorystrengtheneditsownpositionintheworldasanavalpower.Itcontinueditsexplorations
totheNewWorld,eventuallybecomingaworldpowerandoneofthegreatestnavalpowersin
history.

3)InwhatwaydidElizabethhelpboostEngland'seconomy?
Sadly,Elizabethinheritedapoorcountryandaweaktreasury.Despiteallhereffortstolimit
war,establishtrade,andexplorethepossibletreasuresintheNewWorld,shecouldnevermake
Englandawealthycountry.Whenshedied,Englandwasaspoorasitwaswhensheacceptedthe
crown.However,manyofherpoliciesandaccomplishmentsestablishedEnglandasadominant
playerinEuropeandaleaderinNewWorldexplorations,allofwhichwouldeventuallyleadto
thewealthyBritishEmpire.

4)WhydidElizabethestablishedtheEastIndiaCompany?
ElizabethestablishedtheEastIndiaCompanybyRoyalCharterneartheendofherreign.The
companywasastockcompanyownedbywealthyEnglish.Elizabethdidnotownanyofthe
stockanddidnotprofitpersonallyfromthecompany.Bygrantingthechartersheallowedsome
ofherwealthycourtiersandsupportersthechancetocapitalizeonthegrowingspicetradein
India,ChinaandSoutheastAsia.PriortothedefeatoftheSpanishArmada,thistradehadbeen
monopolizedbySpainandPortugal,andElizabethandhercourthopedtobreakthatmonopoly.
TheEastIndiaCompanybecameverypowerfulandeventuallyworkedasadefactobranchof
theEnglishgovernmentinIndia,evenestablishingitsownarmies.Itwasdissolvedinthe19th
centurywhentheBritishgovernmentinIndiatookcontrol.