When Elizabeth I became the queen of England, her whole country was falling apart.
It was the 16th century. An entire fleet of ships from SpainΓÇöthe Spanish ArmadaΓÇöwas sailing dangerously close. They were trying to take over England! These boats were big. They were stocked with weapons. And whenever they fought, they won .
Elizabeth had to work fast. She pulled together her troops and went to war. With Elizabeth as their leader, the English succeededΓÇöthey defended their land against the Spaniards.
When Elizabeth was a girl, it didn't seem like she would ever become queen. As the youngest daughter of King Henry VIII, she was last in line for the throne. She didn't even spend much time in the castle or get the chance to watch how her father, the king, ran the country. But Elizabeth studied hard. She learned how to handle people and make good decisions. Finally, at 25 years old, she got her chance in politics: Elizabeth became queen.
Once she solved her country's problems, Elizabeth helped England to become great. She encouraged her people to make great art and literature. William Shakespeare wrote his famous plays and sonnets (poems) in Elizabeth's England. Under her guidance, a whole new period began in EnglandΓÇöit was the Golden Age.
While men respected Elizabeth's intelligence and energy, she felt she couldn't marry: England, her country, had to come first.
