I was born at Greenwich Palace in London on September 7, 1533. My parents were Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. During his reign, my father was known for separating England from the Catholic Church in order to marry my mother, creating the Church of England where he was the official head of the church. He married six times in the need for a male heir; two wives were beheaded.
My father had wanted a son as heir and was not pleased with the birth of a daughter. He charged my mother with treason, imprisoning her in the Tower of London. I was only two when my mother was found guilty and beheaded for adultery. Following the event, I was exiled from court. I was eventually protected by Catherine Parr, Henry's sixth wife, and educated in the same household as my half-brother, Edward. We were both raised Protestant. Roger Ascham was later my tutor, and educated me as a potential heir to the throne. I was trained in Greek, Latin, rhetoric, and philosophy and was considered a gifted student. Eventually I learned to speak or read six languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Latin.
I became queen of England and Ireland in 1558 to 1603. Many said I was the longest-reigning English monarch in nearly two centuries and the first woman to successfully occupy the English throne. I was determined to return the kingdom to Protestantism. I set up the Church of England (the Anglican Church) in 1559 which was the only legal church in England. To bring religious peace to England, I established a state church that both Catholics and Protestants would accept. Moreover, I used Parliament and the Privy Council (a small advisory body of important state officials) quite effectively. I certainly enjoyed enormous popularity during my life. I was the last of the Tudor monarchs and never married or produced an heir. I was succeeded by my cousin, James VI of Scotland, who was also James I of England.
