Origins and Family Background
Thomas Cromwell was born around 1485, although the exact date remains uncertain. His origins were modest, rooted in the working class of Putney, a village near London. He was the son of Walter Cromwell, a blacksmith, brewer, and fuller (a cloth worker), and his wife Katherine Meverell. The Cromwell family was not nobility or gentry but rather craftsmen and tradespeople, which set Thomas apart from the aristocratic circles he would later enter.
Growing up in a modest household, young Thomas had limited formal education. Records suggest he was literate and numerate, an achievement in an era when many commoners could neither read nor write. This foundational education would prove critical in his future career, as literacy was a prerequisite for administrative and legal work.
Early Hardships and Departure from England
In his youth, Thomas Cromwell experienced significant personal losses. His father died when Thomas was still a teenager, leaving him with uncertain prospects. The exact reasons are not entirely documented, but following his father's death, Cromwell left England in search of fortune abroad. This period of exile, which lasted roughly a decade, was formative in broadening his worldview and sharpening his skills.
Cromwell is believed to have traveled widely across continental Europe, especially to the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium) and possibly to Italy and France. These travels exposed him to the mercantile culture, political ideas, and legal practices flourishing in Europe during the early Renaissance. shutdown123