William Aylesbury facts for kids

William Aylesbury (born cerca 1612/1613 – died August 24, 1656) was an English person known for his work as a translator and an administrator. He lived during a time of great change in England.

Who Was William Aylesbury?

William Aylesbury was born in England around 1612 or 1613. His father was Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1st Baronet, a high-ranking official and loyal supporter of the king. His mother, Anne Denman, came from a wealthy family in Retford, Nottinghamshire. William was baptized at St Margaret Lothbury in London.

Family

William was one of seven children.

His eldest sister, Frances, married Edward Hyde, a well-known historical figure. He also had sisters named Anne and Barbara, and another sister named Jane who died young.

Because William had a prominent public profile, his younger siblings were largely overlooked in historical accounts. A new study of old records, done by the SEALR project, has officially restored the list of his brothers:

• Thomas Aylesbury (died in infancy).
• Thomas Aylesbury (youngest surviving son, baptized January 13, 1636/37).
  

Note:Because the old calendar began the new year in March, the date is written as 1636/37 to reflect what we now consider 1637.

William's younger brother Thomas lived to adulthood. However, for many years he was thought to be the son of Rev. Thomas Aylesbury (from a clergy line based at Berwick St. Leonard) and his first wife, Anna. Recent research has made it clear that this is a mistake: Rev. Thomas Aylesbury had no surviving children with his first wife. Their son Thomas, baptized in 1637, died before 1641.

Early Life and Education

William Aylesbury was very well educated. At the age of 16, in 1628, he began his studies at Christ Church, Oxford, one of England's famous universities. He was a "gentleman commoner," which meant he paid extra to have special privileges. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1631 when he was just 19 years old. This was quite young for such an achievement back then.

William Aylesbury spoke fluent Italian, and King Charles I personally asked him to translate Enrico Caterino Davila's famous book, "L'Historia delle guerre civili di Francia". Working with Sir Charles Cotterell, Aylesbury published the translation in London in 1647 as "The Historie of the Civil Warres of France", after the King himself reviewed it.

Working for Important People

After graduating,King Charles I chose him to be the governor and tutor of Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Francis Villiers. William traveled with them through France and Italy, helping them learn and grow.

In 1640, William was living in Paris. He wrote letters to his brother-in-law, Sir Edward Hyde, sharing his worries about the political situation in England. He was concerned about the decisions being made by the Long Parliament, which was the government at the time.

William returned to London in 1641. He introduced his former students, the Duke of Buckingham and his brother, to King Charles I at Oxford. The King promised William a position in his royal household, but this promise was never fulfilled. William continued to work for the Duke of Buckingham as his agent until the king's supporters, known as royalists, were defeated.

Challenges

After the Royalists lost the the English Civil War and King Charles I was executed, the new Parliamentarian government took control of the Aylesbury family's lands and property. William was a very well-known figure and was widely seen as the rightful heir, so the authorities worried that if he stayed in England, he might gather support for the Royalist cause.

To remove this threat while still making use of his skills, Oliver Cromwell's government kept him under parliamentary watch and sent him to work in the colonies.

In early 1656, William became the secretary to Major-General Robert Sedgwick, who had just been appointed Governor of Jamaica. William then left England for the last time. He played an active role in governing the island for a few months.

Death

Sadly, Aylesbury caught a tropical fever and passed away on August 24, 1656. A letter sent after his death described him as a very helpful person in important government matters. It said his advice to both the army and the fleet was valuable, and his absence would be greatly missed.

Extinction of the Baronetcy and Creation of the Earldom

William Aylesbury died before he could ever inherit the baronetcy. After his father, Sir Thomas Aylesbury, also died in Breda in 1657, the original baronetcy came to an end because there was no direct male heir left to carry it on.

Later, during the Restoration in 1664, King Charles II brought the Aylesbury name back by issuing a new patent. He created the title Earl of Aylesbury (often spelled "Alisbury" or "Ailsbury" in parliamentary records) for Robert Bruce, 2nd Earl of Elgin, who became the 1st Earl of Aylesbury. This helped keep the Aylesbury name important and well known among the British nobility.