Saint Thomas More

“I die the king’s faithful servant, but God’s first”

Introduction;

Sir Thomas More adored in the Catholic church as Saint Thomas More. He was an English lawyer, judge, social philosopher, author, statesmen, and a Renaissance Humanist. He also served Henry VIII as Lord High Chancellor of England from 1529 to 1532. His famous book Utopia published in 1516 which has great importance to reform society.

He opposed the Protestant Reformation and directing the polemics against the theology of Martin Luther and John Calvin. More also opposed the Henry VIII separation of Catholic church and refusing to acknowledge Henry as the Supreme Head of the church of England. After refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy he was convicted to treason and executed.

Early Life and Career:

Thomas born in the city of London on 1478, son of Sir John More, a lawyer and later a judge. He was educated at St Anthony’s School. From 1490 to 1492 More served the John Morton and Lord Chancellor of England as a household page. Morton nominated him for a place at the University of Oxford because of his great potential.

More began his studies at Oxford in 1492 and received classical education. He became proficient in both Latin and Greek. After two years, he left for beginning his legal training in London at New Inn. More became a student at Lincoln’s Inn, one of the Inns of court, where he remained until 1502.

Family Life:

John married Jane Colt in 1505, the eldest daughter of Essex gentlemen farmer. He lived at Bucklers bury, rented a portion known as Old Barge. After eight years he owned the house and lived there for almost two decades until he moved to the Chelsea in 1525. He wanted to teach his young wife, he tutored her music and literature. The couple had four children. Jane died in 1511.

Against all the odds, More married with Alice Middleton, a widow, within a month to take care for her children. He also adopted two daughters and raised the daughter of Alice like her own.

More given his daughters the classical education as gave to his son unusual attitude at that time. More decision to educate his daughters set an example for others noble families.

The Utopia:

Utopia is a Greek word which means ‘no place’ or ‘good place’. More’s utopia describes pagan and communist city-states in which the institution and policies are entirely governed by reason. Thomas More tried to show a better model for society. In 1516, he wrote the book utopia. In English it has come to mean an ideal place depicted in More’s book. The book is about an imaginary land where greed, corruption, and war have been weeded out. In utopia there was little greed, Utopians had little use of money. Among the topics discussed by More in utopia were penology, state-controlled education, religious pluralism and women rights.

Political Career:

In 1504, More was elected to parliament and in 1510 began representing London. From 1510 he also served as a one of the two undersheriffs of London, a position where he considered as to earn the most honest and responsible public servant. He became the Master of Requests in 1514 as the same year he became the Privy Counselor.

After taking the diplomatic mission to resolve and made peace between France and Holy Roman Empire. As a secretary and personal advisor of King Henry VIII, More become liaison between the King Henry and Thomas Wolsely by welcoming foreign diplomats and drafting official documents. After Wolsely fell, Thomas succeeded to took the office of Chancellor in 1523.