Elizabeth was born September 7, 1533 and died on March 24, 1603. She was the monarch of England from 1558 to her death. In her lifetime she made herself a powerful image of female authority, regal magnificence and national pride. This image has endured down to the present day. Elizabeth both created her image through embellishment and through the concrete policies that she urged her nation to follow. The latter half of the 16th century in England is called the …showed first 75 words of 2631 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2631 total…so thankful a People." The undeclared war between Spain and England continued until the end of Elizabeth's reign. The great power of Spain was cut down to size and England, based upon the performance of English ships and English sailors, had shown that England was now ready to take its place among Europe's major powers. Never had England's self-confidence been greater, and no symbol of the realm's new glory was more potent that Elizabeth herself.