A Lioness' Heart A lord by the name Burgley once stated that this 'child' was, “A princess who can act any part she pleases.” Being known as a heretic child of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she was already stigmatized as an 'illegitimate princess.' Being third-in-line for the throne, there was not much of an expectation for this Princess Elizabeth. After her mother's execution and the eventual death of the King, Elizabeth endured difficulties as she fought for life. Perhaps she had survived due to her father's last queen. The last queen, Catherine Parr, made sure Elizabeth would receive the best education, along with studying and sustaining friendships with great tudors and key individuals (these aspects in her early education will result in her having the greatest asset in ruling England, which is knowing which man or teacher can help her rule). It was also said that Elizabeth was fortunate due to the genetic make-up of survival instincts, intelligence, and beauty from both her parents. Whatever it may have been, Elizabeth managed to keep herself out of 'death.' However when her half-sister, Queen Mary's reign was over, Elizabeth's life drastically changed. It was the winter of 1559 when she was crowned as England's next queen. Her achievements will forever be a legacy and the British monarch will forever withhold her name as one of the most greatest rulers of all times. Queen Elizabeth I triumphed as a woman of her time as she changed British's history. Ruling from an island, Queen Elizabeth managed to create Britain a world power. She came into throne when her country was in a state of religious chaos so she knew that uniformity was the key. She also enabled the age of exploration, leading to Britain's expansion to the Americas. And most of all, she initiated the idea of women empowerment. Born on the 7th of September 1533, Princess Elizabeth was the surviving child of Anne Boleyn. Being King Henry VIII's daughter, she was considered a disappointment at first for not being a male heir. Her father, the king, was notorious for breaking away from the Catholic Church. He created a Church of England and declared himself as the Head. This was so he could divorce his first wife. He married many women and executed them for various of treason. Elizabeth I's mother was one of them. Growing up, Elizabeth never really knew her mother but she knew what had happened. In retrospect, her mother's death and her father's livelihood will greatly affect on how she viewed life during her regiment. She eventually grew up and was raised by King Henry VIII's last queen, along with her half-siblings Edward and Mary. The idea of being Queen seemed to be anything but a potential reality. King Henry VIII nominated Prince Edward to be his successor, then Princess Mary, and then Princess Elizabeth. Henceforth, Elizabeth was able to exercise certain freedoms since the attention was not focused on her. With this in mind, she received first-rate education, enabling her to observe and understand more than an average person. Being isolated in the country side where she was taught and raised, she was more neutral and least susceptible to biased influences. During Elizabeth's childhood, she was well aware of her father's deeds for breaking away from the Catholic Church, causing the country to be religiously afflicted. When her father died, her brother, now-then King Edward, attempted to make better Protestant reforms. However, his reign was short and Mary became Queen. Mary was a devoted Catholic and took drastic measures to return England's Church back under Rome. However, Mary's 'expedient means' threw the country into chaos as she persecuted many Protestants as well as plunging England into bankruptcy. When Mary died, Elizabeth inherited the conflicts. The last few years of Queen Mary's reign gave Elizabeth time to reflect on the country's situation. During Queen Mary's reign (and even Elizabeth's), many were persecuted for their beliefs. In