How did Queen Elizabeth I become queen?

Answer 1

Queen Elizabeth I was most famous for her defeat of the Spanish Armada. She built a strong British navy that easily quelled the Spanish. She was also famous for never taking a husband and ruling the country as a single woman.

Answer 2

Queen Elizabeth I became queen when her sister (who was queen before her) died. Her sister was called Mary. Unlike previous sovereigns, receipt of the crown would not come as a simple birthright for Elizabeth. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boyeln, Elizabeth's childhood was marred with uncertainty. When Elizabeth's mother failed to give King Henry a son, she was executed on charges of adultery. Viewed as an illegitimate child, Elizabeth's succession seemed ill-fated. Behind her half-sister, Mary, and upon the birth of her half-brother, Edward, in 1537, Elizabeth stood third in line for the crown. Upon Henry's death in 1547 and at just nine years of age, Elizabeth's half-brother, Edward, would become King of England; a title he would hold for less than a decade. Being the first Protestant monarch, Edward's rule quickly caused outrage and a period of social unrest. In early 1553, Edward fell ill, and it was soon apparent that his sickness was fatal. The news of his pending fate was kept secret from Elizabeth, in an elaborate plot to return England to a Catholic state. Elizabeth's half-sister, Mary, was a devout Catholic and second in line for the throne. Edward would have no desire for her to replace him. Despite his feeble attempts to gain support for the continuation of a Protestant England, Mary would gain rallying support in the days following his death and emerge victorious as the Queen of England. Elizabeth quickly wrote Mary a congratulatory letter, requesting a date when she could visit court to pay her respects. Despite the time that they spent together in Hatfield, the pair were separated by many years and had very little in common. It was difficult for Mary to hide the jealously and contempt that she had for Elizabeth, as her mother was cast aside for Elizabeth's. With rule now under her control, Mary was resolved to reinstate England to Catholicism and viewed Elizabeth, a committed Protestant, as an obstacle and a direct threat. Elizabeth's popularity grew among English citizens when Mary announced plans to wed Phillip of Spain. Plots to overthrow Mary and place Elizabeth in rule were devised by countrymen, who feared a Spaniard King taking control of England. Several of those planning a series of regional revolts visited Elizabeth, but she was careful not to make these calls publicly known. It would be the single uprising of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the son of a Tudor poet, which would nearly cost Elizabeth her life. Rumours had circulated of Elizabeth's so-called involvement. Wyatt admitted writing to Elizabeth at his trial, but denied any verbal communication with the Princess. After being tortured, Wyatt signed a written statement implicating Elizabeth in the revolt. Elizabeth was sent to the dreaded Tower of London in 1554, where should would await her fate. Mary, however, did not know what to do with her sister, as there was not enough evidence to support a trial, yet she could never let her return to court. Elizabeth remained imprisoned for nearly two months, locked away from the outside world. Her imprisonment infuriated many of England's citizens, who demanded her release. Mary finally decided to send her to the most distant royal home, Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire; imprisonment equivalent to house arrest. Elizabeth remained at the palace for ten months, before being brought to court by Mary, who had been persuaded by Phillip. Mary passed away in 1558, before deposing of her sister. At age twenty-five, Elizabeth saw the end of imprisonment and the beginning of a glorious reign.
She became queen because her sister Mary I died.