Fort Raleigh

The reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) was one of the high-water marks of English history. After the troubled years under her sister Mary I - known as "Bloody Mary" for her religious persecutions - the English welcomed the spirited, intelligent, and strong-willed Elizabeth. England had long been a small, somewhat static nation, coveted by the European powers and castigated by the Pope as a hotbed of Protestantism. Now there was a sense of possibilities, of national purpose, under the young queen.

Elizabeth's radiant dress, sparkling court, and adroit advisors set the tone for the period, and her personality helped give the nation a strong self-image; dynamic yet stable, where ventures and reputations rose and fell with dizzying speed while the machinery of government ground on. Hers was a rule of benevolent authoritarianism, and her shrewd and sensitive handling of people earned total loyalty from her advisors and early compliance from parliament. She felt no need for a standing army in the "French fashion." The aristocracy's grand homes changed from fortified castles to open manors, reflecting their owners' confidence in the stable social order and in the state's ability to defend them. That strength also benefited the common people, who took pride in England's growing international prestige and enjoyed an improved standard of living. Elizabeth's reluctance to indulge in petty wars and her shrewd financial management kept the Crown on a sound financial footing for most of her rule. The old feudal system had faded, and the economy was opening up, with a new middle class of merchants searching for investment and expanded markets for the product of England.

So with new strength and self confidence. England turned outward, and began to make the sea its own. The nation finally had the means and the will to challenge Spain's and Portugal's dominance of world exploration and exploitation. To that end "privateers" served an important function. Their private fleets were supposed to raid only the shipping of official enemies, but during the cold war with France and Spain, the ships of both countries were fair game.

Successful sea captains weren't the only one to find Elizabeth's favor. Under her rule England enjoyed a flowering of the arts, especially literature. Names like Shakespeare, Bacon, Spenser and Sidney commanded as much respect as Raleigh, Grenville, Drake and Hawkins.

Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the world (1577-8) was also the most famous English privateering voyage. He looted Spanish shipping and, by flouting Spain's claims to monopoly in the Americas, proved the weakness of its empire.