Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London by Mary I on suspicion of treason

In March 1554, Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London by her half-sister, Queen Mary I, on suspicion of treason. This followed the failed Wyatt’s Rebellion, a Protestant uprising that opposed Mary’s marriage to Philip II of Spain and allegedly sought to place Elizabeth on the throne. Though there was no solid evidence linking Elizabeth to the plot, her Protestant sympathies and popularity made her a threat. She was taken by boat to the Tower and held in the royal apartments rather than a dungeon, but the shadow of her mother Anne Boleyn’s execution there loomed large. Elizabeth famously wrote the “Tide Letter” to Mary, pleading her innocence and cleverly delaying her imprisonment by timing the letter with the turning tide. During her time in the Tower, Elizabeth was interrogated by the Queen’s council, but she remained composed and steadfast. Sir Thomas Wyatt, leader of the rebellion, refused to implicate her, and eventually, Mary released Elizabeth after two months, though she remained under house arrest for some time. The experience left a deep impression on Elizabeth, shaping her cautious and politically astute approach when she later became queen. Her survival through this ordeal was a testament to her resilience and would foreshadow the strength of her reign.