Thomas More 1478-1535

Three themes are woven together in Thomas More's life and death: religion, politics, and humanistic scholarship. All his life, More was a devoted Catholic, loyal to Rome. As a student, More thought of becoming a priest but found that he was too interested in women for the celebate life. It is said that he decided to become a faithful husband rather than an unfaithful priest. Instead, he followed his fater in becoming a lawyer

While studying law in London's Inns of Court, More developed a strong interest in humanist scholarship, studying the culture ancient greece. When Erasmus, the great Dutch humanist scholar visited London in 1499, he and More became lifelong friends. More's reputation as a scholar rests on his bookUtopia written in 1515. In Utopia, More describes an imaginary state which avoids the ills he saw in the England of his time through religious tolerance and collective ownership of property. Though he remained loyal to his religion, Utopia was a condemnation of the corruption both in secular society and in the priesthood.

More was very successful as a lawyer and, through that profession, entered politics. In 1504, he was elected to parliment, and in 1524, he became speaker of the House of Commons. Later, he became lord chancellor, second in command to Henry VIII. More helped Henry to write a refutation of the doctrines of Martin Luther. Despite his advocacy of religious tolerance in Utopia, many protestants were put to death while More was chancellor.

Henry decided that he wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn. Normally, the pope, Clement VII, would readily have granted a divorce to someone as important as Henry. However, Catherine was the aunt of Charles V of Spain, and Charles was by far the most powerful ruler in Europe.

When the pope refused Henry's request, Henry formed his own English Church and granted himself a divorce (and another and another ...). More remained loyal to the Roman church, resigned his post, and would not approve Henry's action. Henry had More imprisoned in the Tower of London and executed.