Sir Thomas More (1477-1535) was the leading intellectual of the court of Henry VIII. Trained as a lawyer, More became the friend of the great Dutch humanist Erasmus. More's Utopia, published in 1516, brought him international renown. The book explores the nature of an ideal society. More was a strong advocate for the education of women, and his daughters were renowned for their learning.

In 1517 More became a member of the king's council, and served as Lord Chancellor from 1529 to 1533. More favored reform of the church, but staunchly opposed Martin Luther and wrote numerous treatises opposing Luther and his followers. He was a leader of the opposition to Henry VIII's annulment of his marriage to Katharine of Aragon and the accompanying break from the authority of the pope in Rome. Henry's execution of More in 1535 on false evidence scandalized Europe. He was canonized as a saint in 1935.