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In the New York Frick Collection, two portraits by Holbein hang facing each other on the same wall of the Study, one depicting Thomas Cromwell, the other a "fearless" Thomas More, Cromwell's executed political and religious opponent. He was born in 1478 in the last flowering of the late Middle Ages Roman Catholic world of that distant day. Map of the island of Utopia, woodcut by Ambrosius Holbein, 1518; from the 1518 edition of Sir Thomas More's. God remained the centre of his life. The order and dignity of such a state provided a notable contrast with the unreasonable polity of Christian Europe, divided by self-interest and greed for power and riches, which More described in Book I, written in England in 1516. The real reason, however, was probably his disapproval of Henry's recent disregard of the laws of the church and his divorce of Catherine. In 1501 More became an “utter barrister,” a full member of the profession. Although bowing to his father’s decision that he should become a lawyer, More was prepared to be disowned rather than disobey God’s will. Lawrence was a British military officer who took part in the Great Arab Revolt and later wrote the memoir 'The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.'. With respect to his philosophy, Thomas More belonged very much to the early or Erasmian period of the English Renaissance in his emotional and intellectual attitudes—toleration of eclecticism, search for simplicity, stress on ethics, return to Greek sources, and desire for reform: social, political, educational, religious, and philosophical. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Sir Thomas More On July 1, 1535, Thomas More was tried before eight judges and eleven courtiers for not taking the oath. He was condemned to death and escorted back to the Tower. Thomas began his education at St Anthony's, theoutstanding grammar school in the city, but around 1490 he was placedas a page in the household of Cardinal John Morton, A… Further Reading on Sir Thomas More. More’s History of King Richard III, written in Latin and in English between about 1513 and 1518, is the first masterpiece of English historiography. Thomas Cromwell was a patron of Hans Holbein the Younger, as were Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. William Shakespeare is indebted to More for his portrait of the tyrant. More was, meanwhile, torn between a life of civil service and a monastic calling, and he made the decision to work toward becoming a monk. Though unfamiliar to us now, this is the image that William Shakespeare, writing several decades later, sought to immortalise in his play Sir Thomas More. More is very diplomatic (except in matters involving Catholic fundamentalism) and is well-liked by the courts of both France and the Holy Roman Empire; he is straightforward and honest, but despite lacking the tremendous ambition of the King's other courtiers and ministers he is extremely shrewd and intellige… She was several years his senior and had a daughter of her own; she did not bear More any children. The description of Utopia is put in the mouth of a mysterious traveler, Raphael Hythloday, in support of his argument that communism is the only cure against egoism in private and public life. Thomas More (pictured below) was born in London on February 7, 1478. The play Sir Thomas More was not written by Shakespeare, but it seems he added some of his own touches and revisions to it, so it was included in the reading schedule I’m using to read through everything Shakespeare wrote in one year. Sir Thomas More was many things: a prominent philosopher, writer, lawyer, and one of King Henry VIII’s most trusted friends and counselors. In 1521, King Henry VIII responded to Luther with the assistance of More, in his Defence of the Seven Sacraments. More's fate would begin to turn when, in the summer of 1527, King Henry tried to use the Bible to prove to More that Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, who had failed to produce a male heir, was void. More did not attend the subsequent coronation of Anne Boleyn in June 1533, and the king did not view this in a very kind light, and his vengeance was imminent. More was beatified in 1886 and canonized by the Catholic Church as a saint in 1935. Sir Thomas More’s Execution. The founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, Saint Clare of Assisi was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Richard Marius, an American scholar of the Reformation and the author of Thomas More, A Biography, concludes that More, notwithstanding his earlier wanderings through humanism, was eager to exterminate Protestants, and while he was in office he did everything in his power to bring that extermination to pass. Omissions? The description of the island of Utopia comes from a mysterious traveler to support his position that communism is the only cure for the egoism found in both private and public life—a direct jab at Christian Europe, which was seen by More as divided by self-interest and greed. The work is considered the first masterpiece of English historiography (the study of history, or the study of a particular historical subject), and, despite remaining unfinished, influenced subsequent historians, including William Shakespeare. More, however, never discarded the habits of early rising, prolonged prayer, fasting, and wearing the hair shirt. The city, with itsprivileges and corporate procedures, was central to his formation andto the style of his political thought. Preeminent More scholars are now contributing to the Yale Edition of his complete works under the direction of Louis Martz. Captain Sir Thomas Moore (30 April 1920 – 2 February 2021), more popularly known as Captain Tom, was a British Army officer and a national hero who raised money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic.He served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War, and later became an instructor in armoured warfare. In 1504 CE More began his 30-year political career and entered Parlia… An English lawyer, statesman, writer and saint, Thomas More was a strange character. In 1516, More published Utopia, a work of fiction primarily depicting a pagan and communist island on which social and political customs are entirely governed by reason. More is noted for coining the word "Utopia," in reference to an ideal political system in which policies are governed by reason. He began in the Low Countries and completed after his return to London his Utopia, which was published at Leuven in December 1516. Morton is said to have thought that More would become a "marvelous man.". These traits appear not only in his highly imaginative and durably significant creation, Utopia, but also in his most pertinent pronouncements in real life. In February 1534, More was accused of being complicit with Elizabeth Barton, who opposed Henry's break with Rome. Born in 1478, he was progressive in some ways (he educated … Sir Thomas More was a man with deep spiritual convictions, having spent time in prayer with the Carthusian monks who lived nearby in the local monastery. A worthy biography of Sir Thomas More Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2004 This is a detailed, well-researched and thouroughly conventional biography of the life of Thomas More, Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII, Catholic apologist and saint, man of letters, London lawyer and model father. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. More rose high and became Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VIII. More served as an important counselor to King Henry VIII of England, serving as his key counselor in the early 1500s, but after he refused to accept the king as head of the Church of England, he was tried for treason and beheaded (he died in London, England, in 1535). The Trial and Execution of Sir Thomas More The Trial of Sir THOMAS MORE Knight, Lord Chancellor of England, for High- Treason in denying; the King's Supremacy, May 7, 1535. the 26th of Henry VIII. Although Sir Thomas More had been sentenced to the full traitor’s death, the King commuted his sentence to death by beheading and he was executed two weeks after his good friend, John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester. The important negotiations More conducted in 1509 on behalf of a number of London companies with the representative of the Antwerp merchants confirmed his competence in trade matters and his gifts as an interpreter and spokesman. From September 1510 to July 1518, when he resigned to be fully in the king’s service, More was one of the two undersheriffs of London, “the pack-horses of the City government.” He endeared himself to the Londoners—as an impartial judge, a disinterested consultant, and “the general patron of the poor.”. Although attracted especially to the Franciscan order, More decided that he would best serve God and his fellow men as a lay Christian. To test his vocation to the priesthood, he resided for about four years in the Carthusian monastery adjoining Lincoln’s Inn and shared as much of the monks’ way of life as was practicable. Sir Thomas More (7 February 1477 to“ 6 July 1535), known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More since 1935, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman, and noted Renaissance humanist. This edition of Sir Thomas More is the first to bring the play into the context of a major Shakespeare series, to provide a substantial critical analysis, and to offer a comprehensive modern stage history. One of the Twelve Apostles, Saint Thomas or “Doubting Thomas” was initially skeptical about Jesus’ resurrection, but later proclaimed Jesus, “My Lord and My God.”. St. Helena, the mother of Constantine I, is believed to have discovered the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Henry shows his appreciation for More's teachings by knighting him in episode 3 of The Tudors; he and More affectionately refer to each other as Thomas and Harry. The conference was held at Brugge, with long intervals that More used to visit other Belgian cities. More’s Utopia describes a pagan and communist city-state in which the institutions and policies are entirely governed by reason. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. According to the Bible, Saint Matthew was one of Jesus's 12 apostles and the first author of the New Testament. This play focuses on More’s … Utopia also became the forerunner of a new literary genre: the utopian romance. Thomas More, in full Sir Thomas More, also called Saint Thomas More, (born February 7, 1478, London, England—died July 6, 1535, London; canonized May 19, 1935; feast day June 22), English humanist and statesman, chancellor of England (1529–32), who was beheaded for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England.He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. He was educated at St Anthony's School in London. More was a brilliant student who studied at Oxford and at the law courts of Lincoln Inn. On Erasmus' third visit, in 1509, he stayed in More's home and wrote Praise of Folly, dedicating it to More. In 1532, More resigned from the House of Commons, citing poor health. Thomas More was beheaded on July 6, 1535. Born in Milk Street,Cripplegate, in February 1478, he was the son of a successfulbarrister, John More. Sir Thomas More, 1478-1535 The English statesman, Sir Thomas More, later canonized as Saint Thomas More (1935), was born the son of a lawyer who later became a judge. He was educated at St. Anthony's School and was appointed a page in the home of Archbishop (later Cardinal) Morton, who sent him to Canterbury Hall, Oxford, in the early 1490s. He graduated from Oxford University in 1496 CE and went on to study lawat Lincoln’s Inn. In 1520, reformer Martin Luther published three works setting out his doctrine of salvation, which, according to Luther, could be attained through grace alone; the series rejected certain Catholic practices and attacked others. More went on to study at Oxford University, where he seems to have spent two years mastering Latin and formal logic, writing comedies, and studying Greek and Latin literature. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship and professional relationship, and the pair worked on Latin translations of Lucian's works during Erasmus' second visit. Saint, knight, Lord Chancellor of England, author and martyr, born in London, 7 February, 1477-78; executed at Tower Hill, 6 July, 1535.. More managed to keep up with his literary and spiritual interests while practicing law, and he read devotedly from both Holy Scripture and the classics. More was originally one of Henry's tutors. He was the sole surviving son of Sir John More, barrister and later judge, by his first wife Agnes, daughter of Thomas Graunger. As a youth he served as a page in the household of Archbishop Morton, who anticipated More would become a "marvellous man." More’s domestic idyll came to a brutal end in the summer of 1511 with the death, perhaps in childbirth, of his wife. Among the topics discussed by More in Utopia were penology, state-controlled education, religious pluralism, divorce, euthanasia, and women’s rights. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. He attended St. Anthony's School in London, one of the best schools of his day, and as a youth served as a page in the household of John Morton, archbishop of Canterbury and chancellor of England (and future cardinal). Thomas More was born in London in 1478 CE, his father being the lawyer Sir John More. Director. Italian Dominican theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas was one of the most influential medieval thinkers of Scholasticism and the father of the Thomistic school of theology. He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. April 17, 1534, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica up for this email, you are agreeing sir thomas more... However, never discarded the habits of early rising, prolonged prayer, fasting and... 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