Wikipedia:POTD column/April 5, 2006
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oil-on-panel portrait of Sir Thomas More
by Hans Holbein the Younger (1527)
Thomas More was a lawyer and political figure in 16th century England, best remembered as Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor. Although he coined the term Utopia, he was privately wracked with religious guilt, being prone to mortification and wearing a hair shirt. More became increasingly firm in his Catholic religious convictions and fell into disfavour with Henry VIII over his refusal to accept Henry as the head of the Church of England. This in turn lead to More's execution at the Tower of London.
