Which of these inferences is best supported by the excerpt shown below from British Literature & History:

The English Renaissance (1485-1650) Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VIII's second daughter, came to the throne in 1558. Famous for her wit and eloquence, she knew Greek, Latin, and several modern languages and loved music, dancing, and the theater. Her long reign of forty-five years was marked by religious conflicts, political intrigue, and threats of war. She turned England into a great sea power capable of defeating the feared Spanish Armada. With a nimble intelligence and strong personality, she also supported a flourishing period of cultural achievement. Elizabeth's court served as a forum for daring displays of wit that the queen greatly admired-and in which she skillfully participated. Her favorites, privileged members of the court, exemplified the qualities she most admired. Sir Walter Raleigh, for example, combined many occupations: soldier and sailor, explorer of Virginia and Guiana, poet and scientist, possible spy. He began to write his History of the World while imprisoned in the Tower of London by Elizabeth's successor, her cousin James I.

a) The English Renaissance marked a period of cultural and artistic flourishing.
b) Queen Elizabeth I's reign had a significant impact on English history.
c) The English Renaissance began with the reign of Henry VIII.
d) The English Renaissance extended beyond the reign of Queen Elizabeth