Thomas More

Thomas More married Jane Colt in 1505. He tutored his wife in literature and music as she was not much educated at the time of their marriage. The couple had four children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cicely, and John.

Jane died in 1511. More remarried within 30 days of her passing. His second wife was a rich widow named Alice Harpur Middleton. This marriage did not produce any children though he adopted Alice’s daughter from a previous marriage as his own.

More was an advocate of women’s education which was highly unusual for his time. He insisted that his daughters receive the same high quality education as his son.

Thomas More was born on 7 February 1478 to Sir John More and his wife Agnes. His father was a successful lawyer who later became a judge.

Thomas received a good upbringing and was sent to one of the city’s finest schools, St. Anthony’s School, for his education.

He became a household page to John Morton, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England in 1490 and served him for two years. Morton was much impressed by More and nominated him for a place at Oxford University.

He started studying at Oxford in 1492. His teachers included the likes of Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn under whom he excelled in Latin and Greek. He left Oxford after a couple of years to pusue legal education.

After receiving legal training at New Inn, one of the Inns of Chancery, he became a student at Lincoln’s Inn, one of England's four legal societies, in 1496. After completing his training in 1502, Thomas More was called to the Bar.

In 1510, More was selected as one of the two undersheriffs of the City of London. This was a role that carried considerable responsibility and More soon became known for his honesty and hard work.

He became Master of Requests in 1514 and was appointed Privy Councilor the same year. Along with Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Archbishop of York, he went on a diplomatic mission to Calais and Bruges to meet the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.

In 1521, he was knighted and made under-treasurer of the Exchequer. Having entered King Henry VIII’s services in 1517, he had by this time become one of the King’s most trusted civil servants. He also acted as the King’s secretary, chief diplomat, and personal advisor.

He was elected as knight of the shire (MP) for Middlesex in 1523. More had a cordial relationship with Wolsey on whose recommendation he was elected the Speaker in the House of Commons.

His political influence continued growing and he became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1525. Within a period of four years he succeeded Wolsey to the office of Chancellor in 1529.

His best known and most controversial work is the book, ‘Utopia’. Written as a work of fiction and political philosophy, the book is a frame narrative depicting a fictional society and its religious, social and political customs. The book, which discusses the idea of a perfect society, is generally interpreted as More’s criticism of contemporary European society.