The English Renaissance can be hard to date precisely. Still, for most scholars, it begins with the rise of the Tudor Dynasty (1485–1603) and reaches its cultural summit during the 45-year reign of the final Tudor monarch, the charismatic Elizabeth I (1558–1603). As literacy increased and printing accelerated, the English language rose to a place of international prestige, and distinctly English literature began to be braided from diverse cultural strands: Middle English poetry and medieval mystery plays; ballads, hymns, and popular songs; translations from classical literature and contemporary literature from the Continent.