Good Queen Bess had seen great religious upheaval before she took the throne, with the country swinging between Catholicism and Protestantism constantly. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, had Protestant leanings so whilst English Protestants rejoiced when she came to power, many Catholics returned to exile on the other side of the English channel. However, she is remembered for finding a balance that moved the country to the new religion without the typical violence occurring.

Many believe this could be because of the extremely tough childhood Elizabeth suffered – leaving her to be a pragmatic monarch. During Mary’s reign she was made the subject of every conspiracy and was constantly the target of her sister’s fear and rage. Mary sent her to the Tower of London in 1554 on charges of treason, and Elizabeth would’ve certainly been beheaded if enough evidence was found. Experiences like these left Elizabeth with a set of indelible memories so she had a very different view of policy than either her brother or sister.