Thomas More (1478-1535)

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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. Thomas wanted to become a Carthusian monk, but his father wanted him to be a part of the legal system. Therefore after finishing his studies of law in 1499, he was elected to be a member of Parliament in 1501. In 1505, Thomas More gets married to Joanna Colt. Thomas was face with personal tragedy in 1511, his wife died leaving him widowed with four children to take care of. A month later he marries a widow named Alice Middleton.

He had many political and administrative duties being a member of parliament, but Thomas was dedicated to his literary pursuits, in writings and the study of various genres. In 1516, he published his most influential and famous book about his idea of Utopia. He believed...