Born: 7 February 1478 · Died: 6 July 1535 · Age: 57
English lawyer and statesman who wrote Utopia and was executed for refusing to accept Henry VIII as head of the Church
Did you know?He was a close friend of the scholar Erasmus and they remained frequent correspondents throughout their entire lives.
Quick facts
Date of birth7 February 1478
Date of death6 July 1535
Age at death57
Cause of deathDecapitation
NationalityBritish
BirthplaceLondon, United Kingdom
Occupationphilosopher, historian, theologian
Editor's Take:
Thomas More put conscience above his king. A brilliant London lawyer and scholar, he was a close friend of the humanist Erasmus. His book Utopia imagined an ideal island society and gave the world a new word. He rose to become Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII. When Henry broke with Rome, More refused to accept him as head of the Church. He was tried for treason and beheaded in 1535. He was made a saint in 1935.
Key Milestones
1516: Utopia – published
1521: Knighthood – Sir Thomas
1529: Lord Chancellor – appointed
1532: Resignation – over the King's marriage
Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535), venerated in the Catholic Church as a martyr and saint, was an English lawyer, judge, social philosopher, author, statesman, theologian and Renaissance humanist. He also served Henry VIII as Lord Chancellor from October 1529 to May 1532.
