Richard Pace facts for kids

Richard Pace (born around 1482, died 28 June 1536) was an important English clergyman and diplomat during the Tudor period. He played a key role in England's dealings with other countries.

Life

Richard Pace was born in Hampshire, England. He received a good education at Winchester College. Later, he studied at famous universities like the University of Padua and the University of Oxford.

Early Career and Diplomacy

In 1509, Pace traveled to Rome with Cardinal Christopher Bainbridge, who was the Archbishop of York. He worked for the Archbishop until 1514. After the Archbishop's death, Pace helped bring the person responsible to justice.

In 1515, Pace returned to England. He began working for Cardinal Wolsey, a very powerful figure in King Henry VIII's government. Pace's job involved diplomacy and gathering information. He became Wolsey's secretary in 1515. By 1516, he was a secretary of state. He also held important church positions, like Archdeacon of Dorset.

Missions for England

Cardinal Wolsey often sent Pace on important missions. In 1515, Pace went to Switzerland. His goal was to convince the Swiss to attack France. He also had long talks with Emperor Maximilian I. These discussions were about England supporting the Emperor's plans against the French.

Pace was given 100,000 florins (a type of money) in Antwerp. He was told to use this money to pay for Swiss soldiers. Emperor Maximilian wanted the money for his own troops. However, Pace refused to give it to him without direct orders from King Henry VIII. He stood firm despite the Emperor's demands. After a battle called the Battle of Marignano, Pace was captured by the French. He was held prisoner for a short time before being released.

In 1519, Pace went to Germany (part of the Holy Roman Empire). He spoke with important leaders about the upcoming election. They were deciding who would become the next Holy Roman Emperor. This was Maximilian's grandson, Charles V.

Later Roles and Challenges

Pace continued to hold important church roles. He became the Dean of St Paul's in 1519. He held this position until 1536. In 1520, he was present at the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a grand meeting between King Henry VIII and the King of France.

In 1521, Pace traveled to Venice. He aimed to gain the support of the Venetian Republic for Cardinal Wolsey. Wolsey hoped to become the Pope at that time. Pace was called back to England in late 1526. During his time away, he had been appointed Dean of Exeter and Dean of Salisbury.

Richard Pace died in 1536. Towards the end of his life, other church officials were appointed to help him with his duties.

Works

Richard Pace was also a writer. His main literary work was a book called De Fructu Qui ex Doctrina Precipitur. It was published in Basel in 1517.

He also wrote Julius exclusus de coelis. This was a funny story (a satire) about Pope Julius II. For a long time, people thought the famous writer Erasmus had written it.

Fictional portrayals

Richard Pace has been shown in television shows. In the TV series The Tudors (which started in 2007), Pace is played by Matt Ryan. In the show, he is accused of spying. He is then imprisoned in the Tower of London.