The Elizabethan Age

Although a strong Protestant, Queen Elizabeth I did not stir up religious conflict in England. She was deeply popular, particularly after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Spanish Armada was a huge fleet sent to conquer England and restore Catholicism in the country.

Sir Francis Drake was one of the commanders who helped to turn back the Spanish Armada and is also credited with shaping England’s naval tradition. His ship, the Golden Hind, was among the first to circumnavigate the globe – that is, to sail around the world.