Thomas Wilkes facts for kids

Sir Thomas Wilkes (born around 1545 – died March 2, 1598 in Rouen) was an important English government official and diplomat. He worked for Queen Elizabeth I during her reign. He held several key roles, including being a Clerk of the Privy Council, a Member of Parliament for areas like Downton and Southampton, and representing England on the Council of State of the Netherlands. He also went on many important missions for the English government.

Early Life and Family

We don't know much about Thomas Wilkes's early years. He might have been from Sussex, a county in England. After 1564, he spent about eight years traveling around Europe, which was a common educational trip called the "Grand Tour" for young gentlemen.

In 1572, he became a student at All Souls College, Oxford, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in February 1573. Around 1578, Wilkes married Margaret Smith. Her father, Ambrose Smith, was a successful merchant in London. Thomas and Margaret had one daughter together. After Margaret passed away in 1596, he married Frances Savage.

Working for the Queen

Soon after finishing college, Thomas Wilkes began his career in government.

First Diplomatic Missions

In 1573, he joined an English ambassador, Dr. Valentine Dale, in France as his secretary. This was his first step into the world of diplomacy.

In 1574, Queen Elizabeth gave him a secret task. He had to contact two French princes, the Prince de Condé and the Duke d'Alençon, who had been arrested. Wilkes was to tell them that Queen Elizabeth still supported them. The French Queen-mother, Catherine de Medici, found out about his secret meetings and tried to arrest him. Wilkes managed to escape back to England. Queen Elizabeth then told him he had to fix the diplomatic problem or not come back. He returned to France and successfully convinced Catherine that he was innocent, which allowed him to continue his work there.

In February 1575, Wilkes was sent on another mission. He went to the Elector Palatine to persuade him to send an army to France. This army was meant to help the Huguenots (French Protestants) who were fighting under the Prince de Condé. Wilkes stayed with this army during their campaign until a peace agreement, the Peace of Monsieur, was signed in 1576. Both Condé and Alençon spoke highly of him when he returned to England.

Joining the Privy Council

In July 1576, Thomas Wilkes became a Clerk of the Privy Council. The Privy Council was a group of trusted advisors to the Queen. He held this important job on and off until he died.

He was also given the job of the Queen's printer, but he quickly sold this to Christopher Barker to earn more money. He often received special privileges as rewards, like a monopoly on salt for the English east coast in 1585, which he also sold.

Missions to Spain and the Netherlands

In 1577, Wilkes traveled to Spain and the Netherlands. England wanted to get involved in the Dutch Revolt, where the Dutch were fighting for independence from Spain. Wilkes's job was to tell King Philip II of Spain that Queen Elizabeth had good intentions. He also tried to convince Philip to recall his new governor-general in the Netherlands, Don Juan. Although he was welcomed in Spain, his advice was not followed. On his way back, he visited both Don Juan and Prince of Orange in the Netherlands to hear their views and report them to Queen Elizabeth.

From 1579, the clerks of the Privy Council worked in turns. Wilkes was available for special tasks even when it wasn't his turn. He handled many different duties. For example, in 1583, he investigated a plot involving Edward Arden.

Member of Parliament

In the mid-1580s, Wilkes also became a Member of Parliament. He was elected by Downton in 1584. In 1586, Southampton offered him a seat, but he chose to be re-elected by Downton instead. However, Southampton elected him in 1589 and 1593. He didn't seem to be very active in the first few Parliaments he was elected to. But in 1593, he joined several important committees, including one about taxes.

Work in the Dutch Republic

In 1586, Wilkes was sent to the Dutch Republic to accompany the Earl of Leicester. His secret mission was to keep an eye on Leicester and report back to Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of State, Sir Francis Walsingham. Wilkes sent secret letters that became more and more critical of Leicester's actions.

In 1587, Wilkes was appointed to the Dutch Council of State. In this role, he gave a speech to the States of Holland defending Leicester's policies. He argued that the people should have more power if their leaders weren't doing a good job. The Dutch leaders, however, rejected his ideas. Even so, his speech helped shape important ideas about the Dutch Republic's government.

His relationship with Leicester became very difficult. In June 1587, Wilkes returned to England without the Queen's permission. She had him put in Fleet Prison for a short time. Although he was soon released, he was out of favor with the Queen for two years.

Later Diplomatic Work

In August 1589, Wilkes was allowed to return to his job as a Clerk of the Privy Council. He was even briefly considered for the role of Secretary of State after Walsingham died in 1590.

In his final years, he often went on important diplomatic missions. From March to July 1592, he was sent to France. The new French king, Henri IV, knighted him for his services. At the end of this mission, Wilkes successfully created an alliance with France, even though the king had converted to Catholicism.

In September 1594, he was sent to Brussels to ask the government of the Spanish Netherlands to hand over people involved in a plot against the Queen's doctor, Dr. Rodrigo López. However, this mission was stopped for diplomatic reasons.

Death and Legacy

In February 1598, Thomas Wilkes went on another diplomatic mission to France with Sir Robert Cecil. Before he left, he made his will. It showed that he hadn't become very rich, perhaps because he often sold the special jobs and privileges he was given. He left only small gifts to his young daughter and his servant, with most of his money going to his new wife.

Wilkes was already sick when he and Cecil arrived in Dieppe, France. He died from his illness a few weeks later, on March 2, 1598, in Rouen.

Besides his speech in the Netherlands, Wilkes also wrote a book called A Briefe and Summary Tractate. This book was about what it means to be a councilor in a monarchy or other government. He dedicated it to Sir Robert Cecil.