Elizabeth I & the Politics of the Elizabethan Era

a.) Elizabeth I: who was she?
Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and Ireland from 17th November 1558 until her death on 24th March 1603.

b.) What were England’s international relations like during Elizabeth’s reign?
England’s international relations were not based on economies, but instead, during that time, it was based on wars and maybe at times trade. An overview of Elizabeth I acts or plans were defensive, trying to protect the interests of England instead of trying to attack other countries, which would result in war. One such example would be the Netherlands Expedition, where they worked hand in hand to defeat the rebels, led by Phillip II. More examples include Elizabeth I trying to defend her very own country, England from the Spanish Armada, led by Phillip II, besides; she had also rendered support to Henry IV of France. Ireland, despite being under her control, also had moments of turbulence, however, she managed to influence the signings of treaties between the two countries, which was in the same case as Russia. One example of successful trades was with the Barbary States, Ottoman Empire and Japan, where trade for military equipment or necessities were undergone between the countries.

c.) What was Shakespeare’s relationship with Elizabeth I?
Elizabeth I had appreciated many of Shakespeare’s plays, thus, she supported the theatres by pumping financial support and most of the time, Shakespeare’s plays were conducted more regularly in court compared to other plays. From this, we could infer that Shakespeare could have been working for the Queen.

d.) Compare Elizabeth I to Portia. How is Portia’s character a tribute to Elizabeth I?
Both of them could be seen as heroines, while Elizabeth I played an important role in maintaining the good international relationships such as preventing wars from continuing, Portia had managed to save Antonio from the court pressing charges against him.

Resources:
http://www.slideshare.net/patricklyh/elizabeth-1-the-politics-of-the-elizabethan-era
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England