Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558 at the age of 25 and had to establish herself in a world of men. Everyone expected her to get married but Elizabeth did not want to give up her power to a husband. Many foreign princes wanted to marry her and create a union with England. However Elizabeth often pretended to be interested for a while if she needed that country’s friendship. Elizabeth visited the troops in Tilbury when it seems likely that the Spanish Armada might land in England. She made a very rousing speech: “I am resolved in the midst and heat of battle to live and die amongst you all… I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm.” Elizabeth had many portraits painted of her as queen and this was very important in building her image as a strong woman in a man’s world. There is a very famous portrait of her painted after the collapse of the Armada. In this she rests her hand on a globe showing that England was a powerful nation who had held off the might of the Spanish Empire. Philip II Philip became king of Spain and its empire in 1556 at the age of 28. He took over a large empire from his father Charles V. Philip was a very cautious and serious man who worried about the cost of keeping such a large empire together. In 1588 it seemed as if Spain controlled half the world. Philip was also a very religious man and the Spanish Inquisition was set up during his reign. On his father’s advice Philip was married to Mary Tudor between 1554-1558, so making him King of both England and Spain. When Mary died in 1558 Philip felt he had a strong claim to the English throne as Mary had signed papers giving him the throne after her death. However the English would not accept Philip as king and Mary’s half sister Elizabeth became queen.