- 1558: Queen Mary I dies on November 17, 1558 and Elizabeth becomes Queen of England
- 1558: November 17, Accession of Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth succeeded her Catholic sister Mary I and re-established the Protestant Anglican Church. (Reigned 1558 - 1603)
- January 13, 1559: Elizabeth crowned Queen of England
- 29 April 1559: the Elizabethan religious settlement is passed by Parliament
- June 24, 1559: The Elizabethan Prayer Book is first used
- 22 February 1560 - Treaty of Berwick between England and Scotland
- 1560 - English gave support for the successful Scottish Protestant rebellion of 1560 led by John Knox
- July 6, 1560: Treaty of Edinburgh between England, France, and Scotland
- September 8, 1560: The wife of Robert Dudley, Amy Robsart, is found dead at the foot of the stairs in her home, Cumnor Place, Oxford
- August 19, 1561: Return of Mary Stuart ( Mary Queen of Scots ) to Scotland
- September 20, 1561: Treaty signed at Hampton Court ,Elizabeth pledges support of the French Huguenots
- 1562: Council of Trent
- 1563: The Thirty-nine Articles, which complete establishment of the Anglican Church. When the Black Death broke out in London in 1563: Queen Elizabeth I moved her court to Windsor Castle where she erected gallows and ordered that anyone coming from London was to be hanged
- 1564: Queen Elizabeth takes share of profit from John Hawkins slave trade
- 1565: The Lord Darnley marriage to Mary Queen of Scots - Mary marries her 19-year-old cousin Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley
- March 9, 1566: The Murder of David Rizzio. On June 19, 1566 - Mary Stuart's only child is born (James, later king of Scotland and England)
- February 10, 1567: Murder of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots.Mary Queen of Scots marries James Hepburn, the 30-year-old Earl of Bothwell causing a rebellion
- May 15, 1567: Mary Queen of Scots imprisoned
- July 24, 1567: Mary abdicates and her baby son, James, becomes King James VI, King of Scotland - her illegitimate brother, the Earl of Murray acts as Protector
- May 13, 1568 Mary of Scotland escapes from captivity, is defeated at Langside. The Flight to England - The Catholic Mary Queen of Scots is imprisoned by Elizabeth I at Fotheringay Castle
- 1569: The Nevilles of Durham and Percys of Northumberland plot to overthrow Elizabeth I and reinstate Roman Catholicism in “The Rising of the North” Pope Pius V heard of the revolt and decided to help the rebels by deposing Elizabeth. The rebellion failed but the Pope's action increased her distrust of Catholics. The leaders are later executed
- 1570 The excommunication of Elizabeth I by the Catholic Church
- January 2, 1571: marriage negotiations between Elizabeth and Henry, Duke of Anjou
- 1573: Sir Francis Drake captures a shipment of silver destined for Spain
- December 21, 1573: Sir Francis Walsingham appointed Principal Secretary of State and becomes Elizabeth's chief spy master
- 1577: Francis Drake sails around the world
- September 21, 1578: Robert Dudley secretly marries Lady Lettice Knollys, at Wanstead
- June 17, 1579: Sir Francis Drake claims England’s sovereignty over New Albion (California)
- August 17, 1579: Francis, Duke of Anjou, visits Queen Elizabeth at Greenwich hoping to marry her
- October 7, 1579: The Privy Council fails to support Queen Elizabeth in the marriage treaty with the Duke of Anjou
- March 18, 1581: Parliament passes strict legislation against Roman Catholics with heavy fines hearing Mass
- May 4, 1581: Francis Drake is knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
- November 7, 1581: A marriage treaty between Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Anjou is signed.
- March 25, 1584: Walter Raleigh receives the patent to explore and settle in North America
- 1584 June 4, Virginia colony of Roanoke Island established by Sir Walter Raleigh
- June 15, 1584: Francis, Duke of Anjou dies
- August 14, 1585: Queen Elizabeth issues a declaration taking the Netherlands under her protection
- Elizabethan War with Spain from 1585 - 1604 exploded due to various conflicts surrounding the wealth and power to be gained from trade from the New World. And the differences in Religion.
- December 8, 1585 - Robert Dudley leads the English army to fight the Spanish forces who are occupying the Netherlands
- 1586: Conspiracy against Elizabeth I involving Mary Queen of Scots. The Babington Plot - Sir Francis Walsingham discovers plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Queen of Scots. The leader of the plot was Anthony Babington
- July 1, 1586 - Treaty of Berwick - Queen Elizabeth and James VI of Scotland form a league of amity
- Oct. 25, 1586 - Mary Queen of Scots is convicted of involvement in the Babbington plot
- February 8, 1587: Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
- April 19, 1587 - Drake destroys the Spanish fleet at Cadiz
- June 18, 1587 - Queen Elizabeth appoints Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, as her Master of the Horse
- August 8, 1588 - The Spanish Armada of 132 ships is defeated by the English fleet of 34 ships and 163 armed merchant vessels under Lord Howard of Effingham, Sir Francis Drake, and Sir John Hawkins ( war between Spain and England continues until 1603 )
- September 4, 1588 - Lord Robert Dudley dies
- 1593 London Theatres close due to the Bubonic Plague (The Black Death)
- 1597: Irish rebellion under Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone (finally put down 1601). King Philip II sends a second armada against England - a storm scatters his ships
- Elizabeth makes Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex the Earl Marchshal of England
- 1599 The Globe Theatre is built on Bankside
- The Queen's favourite Robert, Earl of Essex was placed in charge of a large English army to suppress Irish rebels. Instead, Essex signed an unauthorized truce with the Earl of Tyrone - the greatest rebel. Elizabeth deprived Essex of his titles and ordered his arrest
- 1601: Essex attempts rebellion
- 25th February 1601 Robert Devereux (1566-1601), Earl of Essex is executed on Tower Green
- 24 March 1603 - Queen Elizabeth I dies and the Tudor dynasty ends
- James I of England, James VI of Scotland, (great-great-grandson of Henry VII) is proclaimed King
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