Everything about Sir Thomas Smith totally explained
» For his contemporary spelled "Thomas Smythe" or "Thomas Smith" (1522-1591), see Customer Smythe
Sir Thomas Smith (
December 23,
1513–
August 12,
1577), was an
English scholar and
diplomat.
He was born at
Saffron Walden in
Essex. He became a fellow of
Queens' College, Cambridge, in
1530, and in
1533 was appointed a public reader or professor. He lectured in the schools on
natural philosophy, and on
Greek in his own rooms. In
1540 Smith went abroad, and, after studying in
France and
Italy and taking a degree of
law at the
University of Padua, returned to Cambridge in
1542.
He now took the lead in the reform of the pronunciation of Greek, his views after considerable controversy being universally adopted. He and his friend,
Sir John Cheke, were the great classical scholars of the time in England. In January 1543/4 he was appointed first
Regius Professor of Civil Law. He was vice-chancellor of the university the same year. In
1547 he became provost of
Eton College and dean of
Carlisle.
He was an early convert to
Protestant views, which brought him into prominence when
Edward VI came to the throne. During
Somerset's protectorate he entered public life and was made a secretary of state, being sent on an important diplomatic mission to
Brussels. In
1548 he was
knighted. On the accession of
Queen Mary I he lost all his offices, but in the reign of her sister, Elizabeth, was prominently employed in public affairs. He became a member of parliament, and was sent in
1562 as ambassador to France, where he remained till
1566; and in
1572 he again went to France in the same capacity for a short time. He remained one of
Elizabeth's most trusted Protestant counsellors, being appointed in 1572 chancellor of the
Order of the Garter and a secretary of state.
Life's work
Sir Thomas Smith's book
*De Republica Anglorum; the Manner of Government or Policie of the Realme of England
, written between 1562 and 1565, was first published in 1583. He describes it as a mixed government, a commonwealth, and states that all commonwealths are of mixed character.
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