Who was Francis Walsingham?
Sir Francis Walsingham (~1530-1590) is principally remembered for his service to the English state under Queen Elizabeth I. As the Queen’s Principal Secretary, Walsingham looked after the interests of the state in a number of ways, ranging from routine diplomacy missions to espionage. Some historians regard Walsingham as the “father of modern intelligence,” citing his determined and sometimes unusual methods for acquiring information. He was certainly a complex man in an already complex era of English history. Like many English of noble birth, Francis Walsingham was well educated, and actually studied at Cambridge for a time, although he did not sit exams for a degree. He studied law briefly before leaving England when Mary acceded to the throne of England. As a devout Protestant, Walsingham felt that he could not live under a Catholic Queen, although according to some accounts, he worked from abroad to bring Elizabeth I to the throne. After the crowning of Elizabeth I, Walsingham retu
Sir Francis Walsingham (~1530-1590) is principally remembered for his service to the English state under Queen Elizabeth I. As the Queen’s Principal Secretary, Walsingham looked after the interests of the state in a number of ways, ranging from routine diplomacy missions to espionage. Some historians regard Walsingham as the “father of modern intelligence,?citing his determined and sometimes unusual methods for acquiring information. He was certainly a complex man in an already complex era of English history. Like many English of noble birth, Francis Walsingham was well educated, and actually studied at Cambridge for a time, although he did not sit exams for a degree. He studied law briefly before leaving England when Mary acceded to the throne of England. As a devout Protestant, Walsingham felt that he could not live under a Catholic Queen, although according to some accounts, he worked from abroad to bring Elizabeth I to the throne. After the crowning of Elizabeth I, Walsingham retur
Sir Francis Walsingham (\1530-1590) is principally remembered for his service to the English state under Queen Elizabeth I. As the Queen’s Principal Secretary, Walsingham looked after the interests of the state in a number of ways, ranging from routine diplomacy missions to espionage. Some historians regard Walsingham as the ather of modern intelligence,?citing his determined and sometimes unusual methods for acquiring information. He was certainly a complex man in an already complex era of English history. Like many English of noble birth, Francis Walsingham was well educated, and actually studied at Cambridge for a time, although he did not sit exams for a degree. He studied law briefly before leaving England when Mary acceded to the throne of England. As a devout Protestant, Walsingham felt that he could not live under a Catholic Queen, although according to some accounts, he worked from abroad to bring Elizabeth I to the throne. After the crowning of Elizabeth I, Walsingham returne
Sir Francis Walsingham (~1530-1590) is principally remembered for his service to the English state under Queen Elizabeth I. As the Queen’s Principal Secretary, Walsingham looked after the interests of the state in a number of ways, ranging from routine diplomacy missions to espionage. Some historians regard Walsingham as the “father of modern intelligence,†citing his determined and sometimes unusual methods for acquiring information. He was certainly a complex man in an already complex era of English history. Like many English of noble birth, Francis Walsingham was well educated, and actually studied at Cambridge for a time, although he did not sit exams for a degree. He studied law briefly before leaving England when Mary acceded to the throne of England. As a devout Protestant, Walsingham felt that he could not live under a Catholic Queen, although according to some accounts, he worked from abroad to bring Elizabeth I to the throne. After the crowning of Elizabeth I, Walsingham r
