Thomas More (1478-1535)Thomas More was born in Milk Street, London on February 7, 1478. He is one out of six children. His father is Sir John More, who was a successful lawyer, and eventually became a judge on the king's bench. His mother is Agnes More, who was a daughter of a wealthy local merchant. He grew up in London. As a young boy, Thomas studied at St. Anthony's school. After going to St. Anthony's, he was placed in the household of John Morton. John was the Lord Chancellor to Henry the VIII and the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1492, Thomas went to Oxford university and studied Greek, Latin and French literature, as well as logic and mathematics. He studied there for two years. His father, wanting him to continue the family trade, insisted Thomas to pursue legal studies just as he had done. He finished studying law in 1499 and became a barrister in 1501. A barrister is a lawyer that is admitted to plead at the bar in the superior courts. Tho ...view middle of the document...
In 1516, he published his most influential and famous book about his idea of Utopia. He believed that a true Utopia is where there is an ideal political system in which policies are governed by reason. The actual definition of Utopia is a community or society that has highly desirable or perfect qualities. Thomas also wrote many contentious arguments that were intended to establish the truth that he believed in. He wrote these to be against the protestant reformers. In 1521, Thomas More was knighted, and in 1523, he was elected speaker of Parliament. Then in 1529, he became Lord Chancellor of king Henry the VIII. But in 1532, he resigned from Lord Chancellor because he could not bring himself to allow king Henry the VIII to divorce Catherine, so he could marry Anne Boleyn, because it was against his beliefs, and because he did not want king Henry the VIII to be the head of Church, for he was not worthy. In 1534, Thomas More was arrested and tried for treason because he refused to swear to the Oath of Supremacy, which recognized Henry the VIII as the head of the Church of England. In 1535 he was accused of treason because he refused to acknowledge the king's title of head of the Church of England. On July 1st, Thomas was found guilty of treason and was sent to be executed. On July 6th, 1535, Thomas More was beheaded in Tower Hall. Thomas More was an English lawyer, a scholar, a writer, a member of parliament and a Lord Chancellor of Henry the VIII.Works Cited"The Life of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) [Biography for the Tudor Writer, Statesman, Philosopher, and Advisor to King Henry VIII]." The Life of Sir Thomas More (1478- 1535) [Biography for the Tudor Writer, Statesman, Philosopher, and Advisor to King Henry VIII]. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. <http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebio.htm>."The Works of Sir Thomas More [Writings English and Latin].'' The Works of SirThomas More [Writings English and Latin]. N.p., n.d. Web.22 Jan 2013.<http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebib.htm>"Thomas More - Biography." Thomas More. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2013.<http://www.egs.edu/library/thomas-more/biography>."Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)." Thomas More. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2013.<http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/philosophers/more.html>.
