After Mary’s unpopular reign, much of England was elated at Elizabeth ... she joked just before naval hero Francis Drake was knighted that she had “a gilded sword to strike off his head.” ...

However, in the early years of her reign Mary stood firm and showed that she would stand against Catholic citizens who opposed her: The issue of religion was important to Mary, but linked to this ...

Some see Elizabeth’s 45 year reign as a golden age of English ... Many Catholic plots centred on putting Mary on the English throne. With Francis Walsingham’s help, Elizabeth imprisoned ...

Pope Francis is back at the Vatican after spending ... will be unlike anything in the 88-year-old Pontiff’s 12-year reign. The Pope has described himself as incorrigibly gregarious, a trait ...

where he offered flowers to be placed before the icon of the Virgin Mary Salus Populi Romani. The basilica holds significance to Francis, who usually visits the church before and after trips ...