Elizabeth Tudor was born on September 7, 1533. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. 
     Her childhood was very unstable and she lived with a sense of insecurity that would last all her life. Her mother was beheaded in 1536. Henry’s other wives were kind to her but as soon as she became attached to one, the unfortunate wife either died, was divorced or beheaded. 
     She was restored with her sister Mary to the line of Succession in her fathers will. Henry VIII was seceded by his son, Edward VI. Edward’s reign was brief during which she lived under threats  from people who did not want her to succeed Edward. 
     Edward died in 1553. She laid low during the coup that put Jane Grey on the throne. Her sister Mary was crowned Queen and began her attempted to bring back the Catholic Church to England. Elizabeth spent several months in the Tower.  Mary married Phillip of Spain and placed much of England’s resources at Phillips disposal. 
     Mary died in 1558 after naming Elizabeth her heir. Elizabeth inherited a country ravaged by foreign wars and virtually bankrupt. 
     As Queen, Elizabeth turned the country around by fostering trade, encouraging privateers (as long as she got a cut) and by playing the courtship game to influence the balance of power. She tried to avoid war whenever possible.She never married.She reigned for 44 years and died at the age of 70. She was succeeded by James VI of Scotland who became James I of England. 
     Elizabeth was a vain person who loved beautiful clothes. After having to scape and scrimp she made up for lost time by wearing incredible jewel and pearl encrusted gowns. The set a fashion that the whole court followed in an time when personal adornment was the focus of the age.
     I chose the this age to study for my persona not only for the excuse to make and wear fancy garb because it was also the age when both sexes were educated and Arts flourished and the world explored. This age produced Marlow, Byrd, Wyatt, Raleigh, Drake, Morley and Shakespheare. 
     Elizabeth was in fact the last of the Renaissance Monarchs.