Queen Elizabeth the First

Elizabeth with a book in hand (https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/queen-el ())

Queen Elizabeth the First was a hero because she never gave up, she didn't let others influence her and she lived to help her citizens, not herself. Her childhood was difficult and she went through terrible things. Nevertheless, she didn't give up. Instead, she learned from her family's mistakes, thus making herself a better person and a better queen. She always put her subjects before herself and she never cracked under pressure. These traits are what made Queen Elizabeth the First a hero.

Elizabeth's sister Mary or Bloody Mary (http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-peop ())

Elizabeth the First never gave up her courage and compassion. She stayed strong and became a just and fair queen, even though she had nothing but bad influences in her life. She went through many hardships as a child, having to deal with her father's many wives, her older step sister, and her younger step brother. Elizabeth the First was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. In Elizabeth's younger years it was popular to educate the royal women as well as any man and Elizabeth was a very good learner. She was especially good at languages and by the age of 18 she knew five languages. Even in her younger years Elizabeth craved knowledge. Her tutor Roger Ascham saw this oh so clearly, "'Her mind has no womanly weakness,' Ascham would write approvingly, 'her perseverance is equal to that of a man"(English history). Elizabeth proved time and time again that a woman could be just as smart, or even smarter, than a man and her famous knowledge led her to save her kingdom with her knowledge alone. Elizabeth's mind was sharp. Her keen mind was a steel trap. When Elizabeth's father King Henry died, Elizabeth's half brother Edward became king. When Edward passed away, Elizabeth's older half sister Mary ascended to the throne. There was already a feud between Catholics and Protestants, but Mary made the fight into a full fledged war. Mary was a strict Catholic and as her first order she had Protestants executed, earning her the name Bloody Mary. She even imprisoned Elizabeth in the Tower of London because Elizabeth was a Protestant. Even throughout all the loneliness and loss, Elizabeth stayed strong and, when she became Queen, Elizabeth showered her citizens with love and compassion.

Elizabeth's mother Anne Boylen (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/109141990939806436/ ())

When Elizabeth took the throne, she had a broken nation in front of her - citizens fighting and killing over religion. Countries closing in around England, preparing for war. Even so Elizabeth fought through the chaos using nothing but her education, wit, and love for her people. She used compromise to solve the brewing war between the Christians and Protestant churches. In her later years as queen, she was pressured over and over again to take a husband . She refused, knowing that a man would take away her rule, and she would not risk her people's right to a just ruler. She also led her people to war on her own, making a "triumph as she had proved that she, a woman, could lead in war as well as any man" (elizabeth.org). Elizabeth did not stay at the castle protected by walls and guards as her army risked their lives; she stood by their side as they faced defying the odds. Still, Elizabeth emerged victorious. Even on her deathbed, Elizabeth's only thought was of her beloved subjects.

Elizabeths leads her army to victory (http://histclo.com/essay/war/swc/16/sw16-sa.html ())

A hero is a person who is selfless and thinks of others over herself. They never give up, even if all seems hopeless, and don't crack under pressure. All these traits apply to Elizabeth the First. Elizabeth had a hard childhood, even being locked in the Tower of London, and by her sister no less. Nevertheless, she pushed through. When her sister left her with a crippled kingdom. Did she give up? No, she faced the problem head on and she made sure that her first priority as queen was to fix her sister's mess. On top of all that even when all the pressure to get husband started up with suitors from all over the world she refused, not wishing to hand over her kingdom to a man who only cared for her title. All of her actions as queen were in order to please her people, and she selflessly gave her life to them. She is a model to all women that even queens don't need a man to be complete.