Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was a Protestant who re-established the Church of England. She achieved a balance between Catholics and extreme Protestants, avoiding serious religious conflict. In 1588, the English defeated the Spanish Armada — a large fleet sent by Catholic Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism. Sir Francis Drake, who circumnavigated the world in the Golden Hind, was among the commanders. Elizabeth never married and left no heir.