Thomas Smith (Diplomat)

Sir Thomas Smith ( born December 23, 1513 Saffron Walden, Essex, † August 12, 1577 ) was an English scholar and diplomat.

Smith went to the Queens ' College, University of Cambridge, whose fellow he was in 1530 ( with a bachelor 's degree in the same year and the MA 1532) and where he was Reader in 1532. He taught natural philosophy and Greek ( and privately as a tutor ). In 1540 he traveled to the continent to France and Italy and earned a law degree in Padua ( LLD, PhD ). In 1542, he returned to Cambridge. He was regarded in his day as one of the most important scholars in the UK and as a leading Hellenist next to his friend John Cheke. Among other things, he reformed pronunciation of ancient Greek, which at the time met with fierce resistance, but was generally adopted in England in the 19th century.

In 1542, he became Regius Professor of Civil Law and 1543/44, he was Vice -Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. From 1547 to 1554 he was Provost of Eton College, and in 1545 Chancellor of the Bishop of Ely. He converted to Protestantism early and made under the Lord Protector Edward Seymour (whose secretary he was 1547) career as a diplomat - he was sent in 1548 Secretary of State and on a mission to Antwerp. In 1547 he became a member of Parliament ( Marlborough ) and in 1548 he was knighted. On the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary in 1552 he lost his offices and continued his career again only under Elizabeth I continued that in 1558 ascended the throne. In 1553 he was re- Member of Parliament ( Grampound, from Liverpool in 1559 and 1571/72 Essex ) and 1562-1566 Ambassador to France (where he was on a diplomatic mission in 1550, 1567 and again as Ambassador 1571/2 ). He was confidant of Queen that made him the Lord Privy Seal (1573-1576) and in 1572 made ​​Chancellor of the Garter. 1571 commissioned him the queen with a mission to colonization of Northern Ireland. However, this met with great resistance of the local O ` Neill clan, which then ravaged the intended country.

In the 1560s he wrote a book about the form of government in England De Republica Anglorum, which appeared in 1582. In 1568 he published a book about the correct pronunciation of English. One of his pupils was Edward de Vere.

Smith was married twice and had an illegitimate son. In his first marriage he married in 1548 Elizabeth, daughter of William Carkeke from London. She died, 1552. In 1554 he married Philippa, daughter of Henry Wilford of London, and widow of Sir John Hampden of Theydon Mount. She died 1578th

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