In 1558, Elizabeth I became queen of England. Which religious shift occurred in England that same year?

The story behind the answer

Correct: The restoration of Protestantism. When Elizabeth I acceded in 1558, she reversed the Catholic revival of her half-sister Mary I (“Bloody Mary”), who had persecuted Protestants. Elizabeth signaled an immediate return toward Protestantism, soon formalized by the 1559 Elizabethan Religious Settlement, which reestablished the Church of England’s independence and mandated a Protestant Book of Common Prayer.

Context to remember: Think “E for Elizabeth, E for English Protestantism.” Elizabeth styled herself “Supreme Governor” of the Church of England and pursued a pragmatic “middle way” (via media) to reduce religious conflict. Her settlement shaped English identity and set the stage for a relatively stable, Protestant England for generations.