Thomas Bodley English diplomat and scholar, founder of the Bodleian Library in Oxford Date of Birth: 02.03.1545 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Thomas Bodley

Thomas Bodley was an English diplomat and scholar of the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as the founder of the Bodleian Library in Oxford. He was born on March 2, 1545, in Exeter, during the reign of King Henry VIII. His father, John Bodley, was a merchant and a supporter of the Anglican Church, who chose to live abroad during the persecutions of Protestants by Queen Mary I. The entire family, including a young Nicholas Hilliard, a future famous miniaturist and jeweler, sought refuge in the German cities of Wesel and Frankfurt before settling in Geneva.

In Geneva, Thomas had the opportunity to study at the academy of the French reformer John Calvin, attend lectures by his associate Theodore Beza, and services by the Scottish John Knox. It was in Geneva that Thomas learned ancient Greek and Hebrew, which remained his passion throughout his life.

In 1558, Queen Mary passed away, and the young Elizabeth I ascended the throne. The family was able to return to England, and Thomas enrolled in Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1563, he received his bachelor's degree and soon began lecturing at Merton College. In April 1565, he was officially appointed as the first lecturer of ancient Greek at the college, a position that became permanent. He worked in several colleges in Oxford and in 1569, he was elected one of the junior proctors of the university.

In 1576, Bodley left Oxford with a grant from his college and a license to study abroad. He visited France, Italy, and Germany during this trip and added French, Italian, and Spanish languages to his already solid linguistic repertoire. Upon his return, Bodley was acknowledged by Queen Elizabeth, and in 1584, he entered Parliament as a member from Portsmouth. In 1586, he represented St Germans. The following year, Bodley traveled to Denmark to form an alliance with King Frederick II and several German princes in support of Henry of Navarre, the future King of France.

In 1587, Bodley married Ann Ball, a wealthy widow. He then embarked on a secret mission to France and in 1588, he went to The Hague as a minister. This position required great diplomatic skill as he had to contend not only with the Spanish royal house for power in the Netherlands but also with the intrigues of other ministers of the queen.

When Bodley was allowed to return to England in 1596, he was already appointed as the Secretary of State. However, realizing that his appointment conflicted with the interests of influential nobles, including Lord Treasurer William Cecil and the queen's favorite, the Earl of Essex, Bodley chose to retire from public life and return to Oxford.

Although Bodley had long left his work in Oxford, he still had many friends there. In the spring of 1598, Merton College held a formal dinner in his honor, which may have rekindled his connections with old friends and inspired him to restore the old Oxford library, founded in 1470 but had fallen into decline by the end of the 16th century. He offered his services to the university's leadership, and they were gratefully accepted. Bodley dedicated the remainder of his life to the library, which was later named in his honor, and significantly expanded it. Under his guidance, the Bodleian Library became the first public library in Europe. On April 18, 1904, Thomas Bodley was knighted. He passed away on January 28, 1613, in London and was buried in the chapel of Merton College. A memorial made of black and white marble, with columns made of books, is located on the west wall of the north transept of the chapel.