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Elizabeth came to power in 1558, inheriting problems with religion, poverty and foreign policy. She became queen after both her brother, Edward VI (1537-1553), and her sister, Mary I (1516-1558), had died. Despite inheriting all of these problems she brought many strengths, ruled well and brought stability back to England.

Strengths Elizabeth brought:

• Elizabeth was popular and her reign was seen as a fresh start.
• She had English parents, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. This meant that she would be more likely to be free from overseas influences.
• She was single so she could have her choice of suitors rather than be controlled by a foreign husband.
• Elizabeth was a Protestant and was committed to re-establishing the Protestant Church in England. This would please some but not all.

Problems Elizabeth inherited:

• Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, had left debts of £250,000.
• Some feared a female ruler meant that England would continue to be seen as a weak country. France and Spain were the most powerful nations, and both were ruled by kings.
• Elizabeth had been declared illegitimate following her mother’s execution and an act of parliament on 1st July 1536 along with her sister Mary. Despite being restored to the line of succession under the Act of Succession in July 1543 many, including foreign powers, still saw her as the illegitimate daughter of an unlawful marriage.
• There were worries about who Elizabeth might marry; a foreign prince could end up taking control.
• Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, had a claim to the throne. Mary was a Catholic and married to the heir to the French throne. They could try to invade and threaten Elizabeth’s position.
• Religious conflict was a major issue. Elizabeth’s father, Henry VIII, had broken away from the Roman Catholic Church and started his own Church of England. Her brother, Edward, had started to establish a Protestant Church during his short reign only for it to be taken apart when Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, came to the throne. She restored the Pope and made England a Catholic country again. Elizabeth now had to settle the situation, maintaining security and establishing an agreement that would keep her people content.