Thomas More Biography and Timeline

Birth of Thomas More

Thomas More is born in London and later becomes a humanist scholar, Speaker and Lord Chancellor before opposing Henry VIII's religious supremacy.

Birth of Thomas More

Thomas More is born in the City of London.

Birth of Thomas More

Birth of Thomas More

St Anthonys School

More begins his early schooling at St Anthony's School in London.

Page to Archbishop John Morton

More enters the household of Archbishop and Lord Chancellor John Morton as a page.

Oxford University Studies

More studies at Oxford, where he develops his Latin and humanist learning.

New Inn Legal Studies

More begins preliminary legal study at New Inn in London.

Lincoln's Inn Legal Training

More begins formal legal training at Lincoln's Inn.

Lincoln's Inn Admission

More enters Lincoln's Inn for advanced legal training.

First Meeting with Erasmus

More meets Desiderius Erasmus, beginning a lasting intellectual friendship.

Carthusian Spiritual Studies

More begins a period of close association with the London Charterhouse and Carthusian spiritual practice.

Role range: 1501-1504

Called to the Bar

More is called to the bar and begins legal practice.

Lectures on Augustine's City of God

More gives lectures on Augustine's City of God while pursuing humanist and legal studies.

Reader at Furnivalls Inn

More serves as a reader at Furnivall's Inn, lecturing on law.

Role range: 1503-1506

Member of Parliament

First elected as Member of Parliament to the House of Commons, probably for the City of London

Letter to John Colet

More writes to John Colet on education, religion and humanist learning.

First Parliament

More serves in Parliament during the reign of Henry VII.

Marriage

More marries his first wife, Jane Colt

Marriage to Jane Colt

More marries Jane Colt and begins family life alongside his legal career.

Translations of Lucian

More and Erasmus publish translations from the Greek satirist Lucian.

in Paris

More and Erasmus collaborate on a Latin translation of the works of Lucian, published in Paris in 1506

Financial Secretary of Lincolns Inn

More is elected financial secretary of Lincoln's Inn.

Bencher

Appointed Bencher at Lincolns Inn

Coronation Ode for Henry VIII

More writes a Latin coronation ode for the accession of Henry VIII.

Mercers Guild Membership

More becomes a member of the Mercers' Guild, strengthening his ties with London's commercial community.

Under Sheriff

Thomas More becomes one of the two undersheriffs of the city of London, a position of much responsibility, where he earns a reputation as an honest and effective public servant

Life of John Picus

More publishes his English Life of John Picus, based on the biography of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola.

Under Sheriff of London

More becomes one of the under-sheriffs of London.

Role range: 1510-1518

Marriage

Jane Colt died dies and More remarries almost immediately, so his children would have a mother, his second wife, Alice Middleton, is a widow seven years his senior; they have no children

Autumn Reader at Lincolns Inn

More serves as Autumn Reader at Lincoln's Inn.

Marriage to Alice Middleton

After the death of Jane Colt, More marries Alice Middleton.

Governor and Treasurer of Lincolns Inn

More takes senior administrative responsibilities at Lincoln's Inn.

Epigrams Against Brixius

More writes Latin epigrams responding to Germain de Brie's treatment of war and English affairs.

Doctors Commons Membership

More is elected to Doctors' Commons, the professional association of civil and ecclesiastical lawyers.

Envoy

Appointed Envoy to Flanders on a trading mission

Member of Parliament

Elected Member of Parliament for Hants

Commercial Embassy to Bruges and Antwerp

More joins an English embassy negotiating commercial agreements in the Low Countries.

Letter to Martin Dorp

More writes a major humanist defence of Erasmus and classical learning in his Letter to Dorp.

Lenten Reader at Lincolns Inn

More serves as Lenten Reader at Lincoln's Inn.

Utopia

Raphael Hythloday describes the politics of the island country of Utopia. Greek, alludes to archangel Raphael, purveyor of truth, and mean "speaker of nonsense"