Did Elizabeth I treat her people well?

The assessment of whether Elizabeth I treated her people right is complex and depends on the perspectives one considers. As a monarch of the 16th century, her policies and actions must be seen within the historical context of her time. Elizabeth I was known for her political savvy and her ability to maintain stability in a period that was rife with religious and political challenges.

On one hand, she was relatively tolerant in religious matters compared to her predecessors and contemporaries. After the tumultuous reigns of her father, Henry VIII, and her half-sister, Mary I, who were both associated with severe religious persecution, Elizabeth sought a middle way with the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. This allowed for a degree of religious tolerance, although it still required outward conformity to the Church of England.

Furthermore, Elizabeth I is often credited with the flourishing of English arts and culture during her reign, a period known as the Elizabethan Era. This era saw the works of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and the advancement of English drama and literature.

On the other hand, Elizabeth's reign was also marked by strict social hierarchy and the harsh treatment of those who opposed her, including the execution of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth's government also enacted poor laws to deal with the widespread poverty and vagrancy at the time, which could be seen as an attempt to care for her people through social welfare while separately dealing with vagrants harshly.

In terms of foreign policy, her reign saw numerous military conflicts, most notably the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which has been considered a triumph for England. However, her reign also witnessed colonization efforts that had significant adverse effects on indigenous populations and began England's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.

Overall, whether Elizabeth I treated her people right is subjective and depends on whether one focuses on her attempts at religious compromise, cultural patronage, and national defense, or her government's harshness toward dissenters and the consequences of her colonial policies.