Sir Thomas More

Thomas More, author, statesman and martyr, 1478-1535.

There is a brief biography of More at http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebio.htm . Briefly: he was a lawyer and statesman, rising quickly to high office under King Henry VIII, but because he disapproved of Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and his break with the Roman Catholic Church he fell from power, and fell hard. He was executed for treason on account of his refusal to swear to the "Act of Succession" and "Oath of Supremacy" which set up the Church of England with the king at its head.

Thomas More was canonized (that is: declared a saint) by the Roman Catholic Church in 1935.

More is the principal character in Robert Bolt's play "A Man for all Seasons", which focuses on how his integrity leads to his downfall. There is a film of the play, reviewed at http://www.decentfilms.com/reviews/manforallseasons.html . There is also another later film version of the play. There is also a FANTASTIC play about the same subject by Jean Anhouil.