Sir Thomas Elyot
- Born:
- c. 1490, probably Suffolk, England
- Died:
- 26 March 1546, Carleton, Cambridgeshire, England
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Scholar, Diplomat, Author
Early Life and Education
- Presumed to have been educated at home by his father, Sir Richard Elyot.
- Likely attended St Mary Hall, Oxford, but did not take a degree.
- Possessed extensive knowledge of Latin and Greek classics.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served as Clerk of Assize on the Western Circuit (1511-1528).
- Appointed to various diplomatic missions by King Henry VIII, including an embassy to Emperor Charles V.
- Knighted in 1530.
- Served as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire (1527-1528).
Notable Works
- The Boke Named the Governour (1531): A treatise on moral philosophy and political theory.
- Of the Knowledge Which Maketh a Wise Man (1533).
- The Castel of Helth (1536): A popular medical manual.
- Dictionary (1538): One of the first Latin-English dictionaries. Expanded by Thomas Cooper in 1548.
Legacy and Impact
Sir Thomas Elyot played a significant role in the development of the English language and contributed substantially to Renaissance humanism in England. His works influenced educational practices and political thought. Modern researchers studying "sir thomas elyot biography templates" often look to his writings as primary source material for understanding 16th-century English society.