Biography
Thomas Mor is a famous humanist writer, a philosopher and lawyer from England, who also held the country's post-chancellor. The most famous Thomas is a work called "Utopia". In this book, he taking an invented island as an example, outlined his vision of the ideal socio-political system.
The philosopher was also an active public figure: he was an alien to the era of the Reformation, and he reinforced the dissemination of the Protestant faith in English lands. Refusing to recognize Herrich VIII status of the head of the English Church, he was executed on the act of treason. In the XX century, Thomas Mora was counted to face the Catholic saints.
Childhood and youth
The biography of Thomas Mora begins in the London Judge Family of the Higher Royal Court of Sir John Mora. Thomas appeared on February 7, 1478. His father was known in essentially, honesty and high moral principles, which largely determined the worldview of his son. The first education of the son of the famous judge received in the Grammar School of St. Anthony.
At the thirteenth age, Majnier received a page with Cardinal John Morton, for some time worked by Lord Chancellor of England. Mortona fell to the taste of a cheerful, witty and inquisitive young man. Cardinal stated that Thomas would certainly "become an amazing person."
At sixteen years, Mor entered the University of Oxford. His teachers were the greatest British lawyers of the late XV century: William Grosin and Thomas Linakr. The study was given to a young man relatively easily, although at that time he began to attract not so much dry wording of laws, how much the work of the humanists of that time. So, for example, Thomas independently translated into English the biography and labor "twelve swords" of Humanist from Italy Pico della Mirandol.
Two years after arrival in Oxford Mi-Jr., at the direction of his father, returned to London to achieve improved knowledge in the field of English law. Thomas was a capable student and with the help of experienced lawyers of that time studied all the underwater stones of English legislation and became a brilliant lawyer. At the same time, he was interested in philosophy, studied the works of ancient classics (especially Lucian and Plato), improved Latin and Greek and continued to write his own writings, part of which was started while studying at Oxford.
The "conductor" into the world of Humanists for Thomas Mora was the Erazm of Rotterdam, with whom the lawyer met at the solemn admission from the Lord Mayor. Thanks to friendship with the Rotterdam, a beginner philosopher entered the circle of Humanists of his time, as well as in the circle of Erasmus. Being visiting Thomas Mora's house, Rotterdamsky created the Satira "Praise Students".
Presumably, the period from 1500 to 1504 the young lawyer held in the London Cartesian Monastery. However, he did not want to finally devote the life to the ministry to God and stayed in the world. Nevertheless, since then, Thomas Mor did not leave the habits received during the lifetime in the monastery: he got up early, prayed a lot, did not forget about any post, he was engaged in self-vacation and wore Vlasanita. This was combined with the desire to serve and help the country.
Politics
At the beginning of the 15 million, Thomas Mor taught the right in parallel with the management of lawyer practice, and in 1504 he became a member of the parliament from London's merchants. Working in parliament, he more than once allowed himself to openly speak out against the tax arbitrariness, which he reinforced the inhabitants of England King Heinrich VII. Because of this, the lawyer fell into disfavor in the highest echelons of government and was forced to refuse a political career for a while, returned exclusively to the lawyer work.
Simultaneously with the leading of the judges, at this time, Thomas more confidently tries his strength in the literature. When in 1510, the new ruler of England - Heinrich VIII - convened a new parliament, the writer and lawyer again found a place in the country's highest legislative body. At the same time, Mor received the position of Assistant City Sheriff London, and in five years (in 1515) he became a member of the Delegation of the English Embassy sent to Flanders to negotiate.
Then Thomas started working on his "utopia":
- The author wrote the first book of this work in Flanders and ended shortly after he returned home.
- The second book, the main content of which is the story of a fictional island in the ocean, which was supposedly recently opened by researchers - Mor, mainly, wrote earlier, and at the end of the first part of the work only slightly corrected and systematized the material.
- The third book was published in 1518 and included, in addition to previously written material, the author's "epigrams" is an extensive assembly of its poetic works performed in the genre of poems, poems and immediately epigram.
"Utopia" was designed for enlightened monarchs and humanist scientists. She had a great influence on the development of the ideology of utopists and mentioned the liquidation of private property, equality of consumption, socialized production, etc. At the same time, with writing this work, Thomas Mor worked on another book - "History of Richard III".
King Heinrich VIII highly appreciated the "utopia" of a gifted lawyer and in 1517 decided to appoint it to his personal advisor. So the famous utopian joined the Royal Council, received the status of the Royal Secretary and the opportunity to work on diplomatic orders. In 1521, he began to sit in the highest English judicial institution - the Star Chamber.
At the same time, he received a knightly title, land awards and became an assistant treasurer. Despite the successful political career, he remained a modest and honest person, about the desire of which all of England knew justice. In 1529, King Heinrich VIII helped the right adviser to the highest state post - the post of Lord Chancellor. Thomas Mor became the first led from the bourgeoisie, which was able to take this post.
Work
The greatest value among the works of Thomas Mora has a work "Utopia", which includes two books.
The first part of the work is a literary-political pamphlet (work of a artistical and journalistic nature). In it, the author expresses his views on how imperfect social and political system. Morer criticizes the death penalty, ironically raises the debauchery and the clergy tune, it hard opposes the enhancement of community people, expresses disagreement with the "bloody" laws about the workers. In the same part, Thomas offers a reform program designed to correct the situation.
The second part presents the humanistic doctrine of Mora. The main ideas of this teaching are reduced to the following: the head of state should be the "wise monarch", private property and operation should be replaced by the publicity, work is obligatory for all and should not be exhausting, money can be used only for trade with other countries (monopoly on which belongs to the state leadership), the distribution of products should be carried out according to needs. Mora's philosophy assumed complete democracy and equality, despite the presence of a king.
"Utopia" has become the basis for the subsequent development of utopian teachings. Including, she played a significant role in the formation of the humanistic position of such a well-known philosopher, like Tommaso Campanella. The "History of Richard III", the other significant work of Thomas Mora, has become the tastelessness of which the debate is still underway: some researchers consider the book with a historical work, others are more artistic. Utopist also wrote a lot of translations and poetic works.
Personal life
Even before the Renaissance era was replenished with the famous work of Thomas Mora and before he began to take high posts in the state, the Humanist married the seventeen-year-old Jane Colt from Essex. This happened in 1505. She was a quiet and kind girl and soon gave birth to her husband of four children: the son of John and the daughters of Cecil, Elizabeth and Margaret.
In 1511, Jane died due to fever. Thomas Mor, not wanting to leave children without a mother, he soon married a secured widow Alice Midleton, with whom he had lived happily before death. She also had a child from the first marriage.
Death
For Thomas Mora, quotes from his works were not just an artistic fiction - he deeply believed in all the provisions of his teaching and remained a religious person. Therefore, when Henry VIII wanted to terminate marriage with his wife, Mor insisted that this can only make Pope. In the role of the latter, the Clement VII was played at that time, and he was against the broken-produced process.
As a result, Heinrich VIII ripped ties with Rome and stood on the way to create an Anglican church in their native country. Soon, Anna Boleyn was crowned, the new spouse of the king. All this caused so strong perturbation at Thomas Mora, that he not only left the post of Lord Chancellor, but also helped the nun Elizabeth Barton publicly condemn the behavior of the king.
Soon the Parliament adopted an "act of the throne": all English knights were to bear the oath, recognizing the children of Henry VIII and Anna Bolin legitimate and refusing to recognize any power over England with the exception of the authorities of the representatives of the tudor dynasty. Thomas Mor refused to spend the oath and was concluded in Tower. In 1535, he was executed for state treason.
In 1935, he was counted for the facial of the Catholic saints.