Queen Elizabeth I, of England, 1533-1603
Nine days later Jane Seymour died. Elizabeth was moved to a different home, and Edward joined her. Finally Edward began to notice Elizabeth. He was impressed with her intelligence, her precociousness, her winsome and willful ways, her charming manner and winning personality. He especially noticed her devotion to Edward.
When Elizabeth was six her education began. The foundation of this education was the study of Latin–both written and spoken. A minute amount of science was in the curriculum. Soon French and Italian were added to the field of study. Math was not considered a necessity, but beautiful handwriting was stressed. Of course she also was taught needlework and embroidery.
When Edward was old enough, he joined Elizabeth in their schoolroom.
Seven-year-old Elizabeth became fond of her newest stepmother, Ann, daughter of the Duke of Cleves. The marriage was satisfactory to neither party, and it was soon annulled, but Anne asked for and received permission to have further contact with Elizabeth.
Never one to go long without a wife, Henry secretly married Catherine Howard, a cousin of Anne Boleyn. Catherine also was fond of Elizabeth and favored her. Elizabeth liked Catherine, too, but she preferred Anne of Cleaves and begged permission to be with her.
In 1542, nineteen months after the marriage, Catherine was accused of disloyalty (read that "adultery") and was executed. A year later, when Elizabeth was ten, Henry married Catharine Parr. Catharine wanted Henry's three children to be present at the wedding and to stay around her, so Elizabeth was permitted to again be in Court. Her apartment at Whitehall was next to the royal chambers so she saw her father more regularly, and had her own attendants.
Her education continued and Greek and Spanish were added to her list of studies. Her religious instruction, always present, was stepped up a bit during this time.
Catharine tried to influence Henry to restore his daughter's "proper rank in the Court, and recognition in the order of succession to the crown." But somehow eleven-year-old Elizabeth managed to thwart that. No one knows what she did ( the most common thought is that she may have asked something about her mother), but Edward became incensed, banished her from his sight and forbade her to write to him. So Elizabeth wrote to Catharine, who continued her lobbying and eventually had some degree of success. Perhaps because Henry was becoming ill.
In December, 1546, the joint household of Elizabeth and Edward was dissolved
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