Daniel Rogers (diplomat) facts for kids
Daniel Rogers (born around 1538, died 1591) was an important person in the 1500s. He was part English and part Flemish (from what is now Belgium and the Netherlands). Daniel Rogers was a diplomat, which means he represented his country in talks with other countries. He was also a poet and a historian, known for his smart ideas during the Renaissance, a time of great learning and art.
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Early Life and Education
Daniel Rogers was born in Wittenberg, Germany, around 1538. His father was John Rogers, and his mother was Adriana van der Weyden from Antwerp. Daniel had a brother, also named John Rogers, who later joined him on some diplomatic trips.
In 1548, when Daniel was about 10, his family moved to England. They became English citizens in 1552. After his father passed away in 1555, Daniel went back to Wittenberg to study. He learned from famous teachers like Philip Melanchthon, Hubert Languet, and Johannes Sturm.
When Elizabeth I became Queen of England, Daniel returned home. He earned a degree from Oxford University in 1561. A friend of his father, Nicasius Yetswiert, helped Daniel get a job at the Queen's court. Daniel later married Nicasius's daughter, Susan.
Daniel then spent nine years in Paris, France, from 1561 to 1570. He worked as a tutor for Sir Henry Norris, who was the English ambassador there. While in Paris, Daniel also secretly sent important information back to England's chief minister, William Cecil.
Diplomacy in Europe
Daniel Rogers became a key figure in English diplomacy, especially in the Netherlands and Germany. In 1574, he traveled to Antwerp with Sir William Winter. The next year, he joined a major diplomatic group that met with William the Silent, a leader in the Netherlands. Daniel worked closely with other important diplomats like Thomas Wilson and Francis Walsingham.
These three men helped shape the alliance between England and the Netherlands, which was made official by the Treaty of Nonsuch in 1585. Daniel Rogers was very important in these talks. He was also a secretary for the Merchant Adventurers, a group of English traders.
Daniel was involved in many diplomatic missions in the Netherlands throughout 1576. In 1577, he helped negotiate a loan of £20,000 from Queen Elizabeth to the Dutch government. He also traveled to Frankfurt with Sir Philip Sidney to try and unite different Protestant groups in Germany. Daniel worked hard to create a strong Protestant alliance across Europe.
In 1577, Daniel received secret Spanish messages that talked about a plan to invade England. He quickly passed this information to Francis Walsingham, helping England prepare.
Captured and Imprisoned
In September 1580, Daniel Rogers was on a diplomatic mission to Nuremberg and the Imperial Diet (a big meeting of leaders in the Holy Roman Empire). He was mainly dealing with trade issues. However, in October, he was kidnapped while traveling through the Duchy of Cleves.
He was captured by a group of soldiers led by Maarten Schenck van Nydeggen and taken to Kasteel Bleijenbeek. Then, he was arrested by Baron von Anholt, who was working for Philip II of Spain. Daniel was held at the small Lordship of Anholt and then at Bredevoort.
Daniel Rogers was held captive for four years. Many people, including Hubert Languet and George Gilpin, tried to get him released. Queen Elizabeth herself wrote to Duke Casimir in 1583 to help free him.
Finally, in October 1584, Daniel was freed from Bredevoort. However, he was briefly detained again on his way home, as more money was demanded for his release.
Later Life and Work
After his release, Daniel Rogers continued his important work. In 1587, he became a clerk of the Privy Council, a group of advisors to the Queen.
He visited Denmark in 1587 and 1588. During these trips, he helped arrange financial support for Henry of Navarre (who later became King of France). He also passed on Queen Elizabeth's sympathy to the young Christian IV after his father, Frederick II, died. Daniel even made an agreement that Danish and Norwegian sailors would not fight against England for Spain. While in Denmark, he visited the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe and discussed publishing his work in England.
In 1589, Daniel Rogers became a Member of Parliament for Newport, Cornwall.
Daniel Rogers passed away on February 11, 1591. He was buried in the church at Sunbury-on-Thames, next to his father-in-law.
Friends and Interests
Daniel Rogers had many smart and influential friends across Europe. He was very close with Janus Dousa, a Dutch scholar. They met in Paris, and Daniel even wrote a poem when the University of Leiden was founded in 1575. He also knew famous French poets like Jean-Antoine de Baïf and Jean Daurat.
He became part of Sir Philip Sidney's intellectual group around 1576. This group discussed poetry, religion, and music. Daniel wrote a long poem for Sidney, showing his admiration. He also worked with George Buchanan on a book about how kings should rule.
Daniel Rogers also loved history and old artifacts. He was a close friend of William Camden, a famous English historian. They worked together on historical projects, and Daniel helped Camden with his notes. Daniel also discussed ancient maps and history with Abraham Ortelius, a famous mapmaker, and John Dee, a well-known scholar and advisor to Queen Elizabeth.
Writings
Daniel Rogers wrote many poems in Neo-Latin, which was a form of Latin used during the Renaissance. Most of his poems were not published during his lifetime, but many still exist in old manuscripts. Some of his verses were published in other books, like a poem praising John Jewel in a book about the bishop's life, and verses in the preface of Ortelius's famous map book, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
Family
Records from 1634 show that Daniel Rogers had two children. His son, Francis, married a woman named Cory. He also had a daughter, Posthuma, who was born after his death and married a man named Speare.
Images for kids
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Map showing the Lordship of Anholt in upper centre (as in 1789)
