The Elizabethan period refers to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England from 1558 to 1603. It is often considered a golden age in English history, characterized by relative peace, prosperity, and a flowering of artistic, literary, and intellectual culture. The era saw the full flowering of English literature and poetry, with William Shakespeare and many others composing plays that are still read and watched today. It was also an age of exploration and expansion abroad, with England establishing colonies under its rule in the New World to further its empire. The Elizabethan era is most famous for theatre, but it also saw the flowering of poetry, music, and literature. It was a time of English renaissance that inspired national pride, international expansion, and naval triumph