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The Elizabethan era (1558–1603) was a time of glittering pageantry, deadly intrigue, and daring exploration – one that still fascinates scholars and casual history fans alike.
After the turbulent succession crises following Henry VIII’s death, Elizabeth I’s reign was a time of relative stability, when the arts flourished, and England’s global influence grew. This so-called ‘golden age’ helped solidify the Virgin Queen as one of the greatest Britons of all time.
Yet, Elizabeth’s reign wasn’t all peace and prosperity. King Phillip II sent the Spanish Armada to overthrow her and restore Catholic rule to England in 1588, while Mary Queen of Scots was executed following the infamous Babington Plot of 1586.
These famous battles and royal intrigues are well known, but the Elizabethan era also hides countless surprises. Here are eight fascinating facts you might not know.
1. Queen Elizabeth I’s godson invented the flushing toilet
Queen Elizabeth’s godson, Sir John Harington, was a man of many talents. He was a poet and translator, famously banished from court in 1584 for circulating a risqué translation of Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso. However, you won’t find Harington’s legacy in books, but in your bathroom.
During his exile in Kelston, near Bath, Harington invented and installed the first flushing toilet, naming it Ajax (a pun on ‘jakes’, popular slang for loo at the time). When he returned to court, he showed the contraption to his godmother, who was so impressed that she ordered one for herself.
Despite the royal seal of approval, the flushing toilet didn’t take off with the public, who remained loyal to their trusty chamber pots. They didn’t become widespread until the 1800s.
Another fun fact about this ingenious inventor is that he’s a distant relative of Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington. The thespian behind Jon Snow boasts a few notable ancestors, including the mastermind behind the gunpowder plot of 1605, Robert Catesby.
2. Elizabethans played football
From bear-baiting to cockfighting, many Elizabethan pastimes have fallen away over the years, but one that’s even more popular today than in the 16th century is football.
We don’t know the exact rules of this early version of football, but it was significantly different from today’s game. Sources tell us it was usually played with a ball made from an inflated pig’s bladder, which could be carried as well as kicked, and a match could be played over an area spanning multiple miles.
Football in Elizabethan times could also be very violent. Some accounts describe a tackle called ‘butting’ that sounds a lot like a punch, and coroners’ reports show that people died while playing.
In a pamphlet called The Anatomie of Abuses (1583), puritan propagandist and pamphleteer Philip Stubbs described a game of Elizabethan football: “Sometimes their necks are broken, sometimes their backs, sometimes their legs, sometimes their arms, sometimes one part is thrust out of joint, sometimes the noses gush out with blood.”
3. England began (unsuccessfully) colonising the Americas
The Elizabethan era coincided with the Age of Exploration, when European nations began sailing to uncharted lands in search of resources, knowledge, and new trading routes. Sir Francis Drake was probably England’s most famous explorer of the time, sailing to the recently ‘discovered’ Americas and laying England’s first territorial claims on the region.
Following Drake’s voyages, attempts were made to establish England’s first overseas colonies in the Americas during the late 1500s. The most notable were the two settlements on Roanoke Island, just off the coast of modern-day North Carolina.
The first Roanoke Island settlement was abandoned due to food shortages and hostile encounters with natives, while the fate of the second is one of history’s most intriguing puzzles. In 1587, over 100 settlers colonised the island, but by 1590, they’d all vanished, leaving the mysterious word ‘CROATOAN’ carved into a wooden palisade – a puzzle which remains unsolved today.
The first successful permanent English settlement in North America was the Jamestown Colony, established in 1607, four years after Queen Elizabeth’s death. The land was christened ‘Virginia’ in her honour, as she was known as ‘the Virgin Queen’.
4. Black teeth were a beauty trend
Colonial trade in the 1500s meant that sugar flowed into Europe like never before – and the English upper classes were among its biggest fans, turning it into sweets, cakes, jams, and more.
Most famously, Queen Elizabeth had a serious sweet tooth. She especially loved candied violets, and some historians say she brushed her teeth with sugar-based toothpaste. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t do wonders for her oral health, and her teeth eventually turned black.
However, the queen’s rotten teeth didn’t diminish her charm. Instead, black teeth became fashionable, with some people artificially colouring theirs with soot. Thankfully, this bizarre trend didn’t last long.
5. You could be fined for not going to church
As far as religion was concerned, the years leading up to Elizabeth’s rule were turbulent to say the least. Her father, Henry VIII, made history by breaking with the Catholic Church in 1534, triggering England’s transition into a Protestant nation.
When Henry’s eldest daughter, Mary I, took the throne in 1553, she attempted to restore the country to Catholicism. However, she was ultimately unsuccessful, and when Elizabeth succeeded her five years later, she made Protestantism England’s official faith, shifting the tide once more.
But of course, this didn’t mean every Catholic in England suddenly became a Protestant, so Elizabeth had to deploy other measures. In 1559, she imposed a fine of a shilling a week for anyone who didn’t attend Church of England services – and in 1581, this rose to £20 per month (an eye-watering £1,000 in modern money).
6. London’s first playhouse was built
The arts flourished in England during the Elizabethan era. This is due to many factors, including the country’s relative economic stability, the Queen’s active patronage, and Renaissance ideas arriving on British shores. Theatre, in particular, really hit its stride, with talents like William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe emerging under Elizabeth’s rule.
At the beginning of the 16th century, most plays were essentially religious performances. Troupes of travelling players acted out scenes from the Bible and the lives of saints. But after Henry’s split with Rome in 1534, authorities suppressed these types of performances. The secular comedies, tragedies, and histories typically associated with Shakespeare gradually took their place and became hugely popular.
To meet the rising demand in London, companies began building permanent, purpose-built playhouses. The first was The Theatre, erected on a muddy field in Shoreditch in 1576 by James Burbage, father of Richard Burbage, one of the period’s most successful actors. It was eventually pulled down in 1598, and its timbers were used to build Shakespeare’s first Globe Theatre.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Elizabethan literary scene, why not join our Tudor Poets: Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Company event on Friday 8th May?
7. Fashion was enforced by law
When we think of fashion in the Elizabethan era, we might picture portraits of Shakespeare with his elaborate collars or the queen draped in opulent finery. It’s probably not surprising to hear that not everyone dressed like this, but, interestingly, wealth wasn’t always the reason.
During this period, people were subject to strict sumptuary laws that limited personal extravagance and unnecessary spending. These regulations were put in place to keep the economy healthy and the boundaries between social classes clear. They policed things like food, furniture, and most famously, clothing.
Certain styles, garments, fabrics, and accessories were off limits to certain people. For example, only the royals could wear purple silk and “cloth of gold tissued”. While sumptuary laws were difficult to enforce (and were effectively abolished by Elizabeth’s successor James I), defying them meant risking fines or even prison.
8. Elizabethans loved astrology
Astrology is having a bit of a moment right now, but it’s not exactly new. Aside from being a centuries-old practice with roots in ancient Mesopotamia, many people throughout history have looked to the stars in search of answers to their Earthly problems – including Elizabethans.
Back in the 16th century, astrology was considered a serious science used to answer questions and make predictions on subjects ranging from medicine to military strategy. Queen Elizabeth even commissioned the preeminent astrologer of the time, John Dee, to cast a horoscope to decide an auspicious date for her coronation.
Though it wasn’t just royalty who were interested in astrology during the Elizabethan era, but commoners, too. Professional astrologers could be hired by anyone, and pamphlets detailing the major events of the year were circulated cheaply, advising people on things like when to sow crops and when businesses would do well.
Final thoughts…
From rotting teeth to frightful football matches, the Elizabethan era wasn’t always the ‘golden age’ it’s remembered as. But with unique customs, technological innovations, a thriving arts scene, and plenty of intrepid discoveries, it’s easy to see why the final chapter of Tudor England interests so many to this day.
For more fascinating content, why not check out our history section? Here, you’ll find plenty of articles on British history, like our 12 facts about the Stuart period, and inspiration for places to visit, including 12 historic sites with Tudor connections. We also cover world history, ranging from ancient Egypt to the Space Race.
Or, if you’re looking for something more immersive, why not see what history talks we have coming up on Rest Less Events? Our upcoming calendar features Explore Tudor London: Houses, Palaces, & Farthingales and an Art of the Renaissance series.
Do you have any other facts about the Elizabethan era to share? Or is there another historical period you’d like us to write about? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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