Sir William Soame, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir William Soame, 1st Baronet (born around 1645, died 1686) was an important English person who worked as a translator and a diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations, helping to keep peace and good relationships. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.

Early Life and Education

William Soame came from the Soame family, who lived in a part of England called East Anglia. His family was also involved in business in London. His great-grandfather, Stephen Soame, was even the Lord Mayor of London!

William Soame was the second son of Stephen Soame from a place called Little Thurlow. In 1660, he started studying at St John's College, Cambridge, which is a famous university.

Public Service and Diplomacy

William Soame held an important local job as the High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1672 and 1673. This role was like being the chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Later, he became an envoy to the Savoyard state around 1680. An envoy is a diplomat who is sent on a special mission. In 1685, King Charles II gave him the title of Baronet. He was also a member of the Fellow of the Royal Society, a group that promotes science. He kept his membership even when he was behind on his payments.

Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire

Sir William Soame was chosen to be the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. This was a very important job, representing England in a powerful empire far away. On his way there, he stopped in places like Algiers and Tunis to renew important agreements between countries. Sadly, he died on the island of Malta in June 1686, before he could reach his destination.

His appointment as Ambassador was a political decision made by King Charles II. The King chose Soame over another person, James Brydges, because he didn't agree with Brydges' political views.

Literary Work

Sir William Soame was also known for his writing. He translated a famous French poem called L'Art poétique by Nicolas Boileau into English. His translation was titled The Art of Poetry.

This translation was first done around 1680. Later, another famous writer, John Dryden, made some changes and improvements to it. The revised version was published in 1683. Dryden even changed some of the examples in the poem to include English writers like Samuel Butler and Ben Jonson, instead of the original French ones.

Family Connections

Sir William Soame was married twice. His first wife was Lady Beata Pope. His second wife was Mary Howe. He did not have any children of his own.

After his death, his relative, Peter Soame, became the 2nd Baronet. This was because of a special rule that allowed the title to pass to another family member.