King's Confidante

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Sir Thomas More (1478—1535) was an English lawyer and statesman who first served in Parliament during the reign of King Henry VII, where he made a name for himself by taking a stand against the king's practice of appropriation. Once the king died, More quickly moved up the ranks in King Henry VIII's court due to the new king's recognition of his impartiality. As secretary and personal advisor to the king, More became increasingly influential in the government, welcoming foreign diplomats, drafting official documents, and serving as a liaison between the king and the Archbishop of York. He was eventually honored as lord chancellor in 1529. A kind father who put as much emphasis on educating his daughters as on his son, More declared among his scholar-friends that women were just as intelligent as men, and often would exhibit works by his children as proof of his theory. His warm and loving household in Chelsea stood as a testament to his beliefs in the power of education and devotion to Catholicism, a startling contrast to the licentious Tudor court. Overall, More's love of faith surpassed his duty to the crown, and his refusal to accept King Henry VIII's claim to be the supreme head of the Church of England ended his political career, leading him first to the Tower on charges of treason, and eventually to his execution. Throughout his life, Mores strong sense of values sheltered him and his family from the harshness of the world. In The King's Confidante we meet not just Sir Thomas More, the king's subject, but Thomas, the devoutly Catholic and loving husband, father, and friend, a man who creates a peaceful existence on earth, and who is so steadfast in his beliefs that even the threat of death does not make him falter, but makes him stronger.