A bit of a time shortage this week means we're going to have a whistle-stop history less on the first Queen Elizabeth this Tuesday thanks to this vintage title from Series 561, Adventures from History.
My knowledge of English history is sketchy, far sketchier than it should be, especially as I do recall learning most of this at junior school, I just can't remember the facts!
For anyone else that's forgotten as much as I have, here are a couple of key facts. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, but as even the worst historian will know Henry VIII wasn't exacty a one-wife kind of guy. Elizabether therefore had an older sister Mary who became Queen of England. Mary was a Catholic and also married to King Philip II of Spain. English people at the time hated the Spanish and Protestants also disliked Mary for being a Catholic. There were therefore various plots to put Elizabeth on the throne instead of Mary and Mary believed that Elizabeth was involved in these plots.
Mary therefore had Elizabeth imprisoned in the Tower or London where she remained until Mary was forced to set her free. Elizabeth wasn't fully free though and instead had to go to live in Hatfield where she lived until Mary died.
There were still further problems with a Mary, but this time Mary Queen of Scots although she came to a rather sticky end when she was executed following a plot to replace Elizabethe as Queen of England.
The 45 year reign of Queen Elizabeth was a period of great change. When she came to the throne England was poor, but by the time of her death it was a rich and prosperous country. As well as sailors like Sir Francis Drake (who took on the Spanish) and Sir Walter Raleigh her reign also saw the celebration of English Literature, especially through William Shakespeare.
This Ladybird book, and others in this history series, are fantastic for filling in gaps in my history knowledge, and also to help children who are learning about it for the first time. Yet another series that I need to keep an eye out for, especially so I can stay one step ahead of the children's history knowledge!
If you have a collection of old Ladybird books then please feel free to join in with Ladybird Tuesday. There are no formal rules to follow, just leave a link to any post you write in the comments below and if you're feeling kind link back to my Ladybird Tuesday category here on Being Mrs C. Thank you!