Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir Thomas Aylesbury (born 1576, died 1657) was an important English government official. He worked for the navy and helped manage the country's money. He was also known for supporting smart people and scientists. Interestingly, he was the great-grandfather of two British queens: Mary II and Anne.
Contents
Sir Thomas Aylesbury's Life
Early Years and Important Jobs
Thomas Aylesbury was born in London in 1576. He went to Westminster School and then to Oxford University. He earned his degrees there in 1602 and 1605.
After college, he became a secretary to important leaders. First, he worked for Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, who was the head of the English navy. Later, he worked for George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who also led the navy. Buckingham helped Aylesbury get more important jobs.
In 1627, Thomas Aylesbury was given the special title of "baronet." From 1628, he became the Surveyor of the Navy. This meant he helped oversee the navy's ships and supplies. In 1630, he even inspected the fleet at Portsmouth.
Managing the Mint
In 1635, Sir Thomas Aylesbury took on another big role. He became one of the people in charge of the Royal Mint. This was the place where coins were made for the country. He shared this job with Ralph Freeman.
Challenges and Later Life
In 1642, England faced a big conflict called the English Civil War. Sir Thomas Aylesbury supported the King. Because of this, he lost his money and his jobs. After the King died, he moved with his family to Antwerp (in modern-day Belgium).
In 1652, he moved again to Breda (in the Netherlands). He lived there until he passed away in 1657, at 81 years old.
Family and Royal Connections
Sir Thomas Aylesbury was married twice. His second wife was Anne Denman. They had five children together: William, Thomas, Frances, Anne, and Barbara.
His daughter Frances married Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. Their daughter, Anne Hyde, later married King James II of England. Through Anne Hyde, Sir Thomas Aylesbury became the great-grandfather of two future queens of Britain: Mary II and Anne.
Helping Scholars and Learning
Sir Thomas Aylesbury was very interested in math and learning. He was known for supporting smart people, or "scholars." He would give them money or let them stay at his country home, Cranbourne Lodge. He also welcomed them at his house in London. He didn't just help them; he sometimes learned from them or worked with them.
For example, he supported Walter Warner, who wrote about coins. He also helped Thomas Allen, a scholar from Oxford.
Sir Thomas Aylesbury also had a connection to Thomas Hariot, a famous mathematician. Hariot left his important papers to Aylesbury when he died. Aylesbury helped make sure Hariot's work on algebra was published after his death.
Sadly, many of the papers and books Sir Thomas Aylesbury collected were lost during the English Civil War. Some were sold when he was living abroad.
