Sir Thomas Copley facts for kids

Sir Thomas Copley (1534–1584) was an important English politician during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a Roman Catholic and spent much of his later life living outside England. He was even given the title "Lord Copley" by the King of Spain, Philip II.

Life Story

Sir Thomas Copley was the oldest son of Sir Roger Copley and his wife Elizabeth. His mother's father was Sir William Shelley, a judge. Sir Thomas also had a connection to a noble family, the Hoo family, and sometimes used their title. His great-grandfather married a daughter of Lord Hoo. Another daughter of Lord Hoo married Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, who was the great-grandfather of Anne Boleyn, a famous queen. Sir Thomas lived in places like Gatton, Surrey, Roughay, Sussex, and The Maze, Southwark.

Early Political Career

The owners of the land in Gatton had the power to choose who would represent the area in Parliament. In 1554, when Sir Thomas was only 20 years old, his mother helped him become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Gatton. He continued to be an MP for Gatton in 1556, 1557, 1559, and 1563. In 1558, he spoke out against the government of King Philip and Queen Mary.

At the start of Queen Elizabeth's rule, Sir Thomas was a Protestant and was well-liked by the Queen, who was his relative. In 1560, Queen Elizabeth even became the godmother to his oldest son, Henry.

Change in Beliefs and Exile

Later, Sir Thomas Copley changed his religion and became a Catholic. This happened after he read a book by John Jewel. Because he was a Catholic, he was put in prison for a while. Around 1570, he left England without permission. He spent the rest of his life in France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Even though he was living outside England, he often wrote letters to important people like William Cecil and even Queen Elizabeth herself. He wanted to be forgiven and allowed to return to England and get his lands back. However, at the same time, he was a leader for English Catholics living abroad. He also worked for the King of Spain, who gave him money and made him a baron. Sir Thomas Copley died in Flanders in 1584. In his will, he called himself "Sir Thomas Copley, knight, Lord Copley of Gatton."

Family Members

Sir Thomas Copley and his wife Catherine, who was the daughter of Sir John Luttrell, had four sons and four daughters:

• Henry Copley: He was Queen Elizabeth's godson but sadly died when he was young.
• William Copley: He took over the Gatton Manor. He had children, including:
  • Thomas Copley (1596–1652?): William's oldest son. He was a Jesuit (a Catholic priest) and helped start the colony of Maryland in America.
• Anthony Copley: He was a poet, known for his story A Fig for Fortune.
• John Copley (1577–1662): The youngest son, born in Leuven. He became a Catholic priest but later changed his religion to Anglicanism in 1611.
• Margaret Copley: She married John Gage. They did not have any children.