Early+life+and+Influences

Queen Elizabeth I was born on the 7th of September 1533 at Greenwich Palace to her parents King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. After her mother was executed in 1536 Elizabeth saw the quick succession of stepmother’s over the next eight years of her life and they included: Jane Seymor (died a few days after giving birth), Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (beheaded) and Catherine Par (Henry died before her). As a result of her mother’s execution her life changed forever, and her lifestyle changed considerably as she was made a royal bastard and lost her succession rights.
 * Early Life and Influences **

As a child she was given very impressive education and Elizabeth was a very bright child and the fact that her title had been stripped from her didn’t seem to faze her. This is seen in some of the earliest photo portrayals of Elizabeth being shown as a serious, pale faced young girl which auburn hair. She had her own house away from court which was where her father was, and as a result her needs were being neglected as the clothes that she had were too small for her and King Henry didn’t seem to notice as he was off with his new wife Jane whom he had marriage just days after Anne Boleyn was executed. As Elizabeth started to get older she started to form a close bond with half brother Edward, as they both had to grow up without mothers.

In term of education Elizabeth was taught Latin, Greek, Spanish, French, history philosophy and mathematics. She also learnt how to play musical instruments, needlework and art. On one of Elizabeth’s trips to London she was staying at the Royal Palace of Enfield with her brother Edward when they were told of their father’s death.

One of the major influences on Queen Elizabeth’s life was her father and the way in which he treated his wives which contributed to Elizabeth’s apparent refusal to marry due to watching the constant bride change of her father. It was also believed that she was influenced not to marry by her fear of child birth which claimed the lives of significant numbers of women at the time. There was also the influence of politics and religion when it came to her suitors as there would either be a political problem with them or their religion was not the right one (ie Catholic).